Climate Finance and the OSS Role as a Regional Implementing Agency
In line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), developed countries have committed to supporting developing nations in meeting the Convention’s climate goals through financial assistance.
The Sahara and Sahel Observatory has been providing technical and institutional support to its member States and partners in designing and developing climate projects. To enhance access to climate finance and tailor its services to country needs, the OSS serves as a regional implementing agency, acting as a bridge between African countries and international climate funds.
Thanks to its accreditation by the Adaptation Fund (AF) in 2013 and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in 2017, the OSS has played a stronger role as a facilitator of partnerships, a mobilizer of financial resources, and a strategic partner in supporting national environmental and sustainable development policies.
Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Established in 2010 under the UNFCCC, the GCF is a key mechanism for financing climate action, particularly adaptation and mitigation initiatives in developing countries. In October 2017, during its 18th Board meeting in Cairo, the OSS was accredited to implement Category B and C risk projects with budgets of up to USD 10 million.
Since then, the OSS has supported countries and institutions in strengthening their capacity to access climate finance through the GCF Readiness Programme. This support has already benefited Guinea-Bissau, Libya, and Tunisia, with Uganda in progress, and ongoing efforts to extend assistance to other African countries.
Adaptation Fund (AF)
Created in 2001 at COP7 in Marrakech under the Kyoto Protocol, the AF is one of the main financial instruments dedicated to climate change adaptation, targeting vulnerable developing countries.
The OSS obtained accreditation as a Regional Implementing Entity during the 21st AF Board meeting in Bonn in July 2013. The EURECCCA project, launched in 2017 in Uganda, which aims to strengthen community resilience to floods and landslides across the Awoja, Maziba, and Aswa watersheds, while promoting sustainable and equitable natural resource management, is a living proof of the OSS operational role.