Eritrea, September 17, 2025
The Sahara and Sahel Observatory and the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment of Eritrea, under the leadership of H.E. Mr. Tesfai Ghirmazion, held a high-level working meeting aimed at consolidating their strategic partnership in addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability.
OSS was represented by Mr. Aziz Belhamra, Head of the Implementation Division, and Ms. Kaouther Hamrouni, Project Manage, who reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting Eritrea in strengthening institutional capacities, improving access to international climate finance, and promoting integrated approaches that also encompass biodiversity conservation.
As an institution accredited to both the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund (AF), OSS is uniquely positioned to provide Eritrea with the technical expertise and guidance needed to better engage with global climate finance mechanisms. In this regard, OSS is currently providing targeted support under the Readiness project entitled “Building Eritrea’s Capacity for Effective Engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF).”
Through this initiative, OSS works hand in hand with Eritrean national counterparts to reinforce institutional and technical capacities, clarify and guide stakeholders through GCF standards and operational procedures, support the development of strategic frameworks and climate investment plans, and assist in preparing high-quality project proposals aligned with Eritrea’s national priorities.
Beyond climate finance, OSS also plays a key role in biodiversity. As a regional scientific and technical support centre under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), OSS supports eight countries in strengthening their capacities, enhancing knowledge sharing, and facilitating the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. This role of regional facilitator provides a strategic bridge between national priorities and regional and international dynamics, an approach that can also benefit Eritrea.
During the meeting, OSS highlighted its strong willingness to remain a long-term partner for Eritrea throughout the process of accessing climate finance and biodiversity-related resources. The organization emphasized its readiness to provide continuous technical assistance, ensuring that Eritrea is well positioned to meet the complex requirements of global funding instruments.
This collaboration reflects a shared vision between OSS and the Government of Eritrea to enhance the country’s climate resilience, strengthen sustainable environmental governance, and unlock new opportunities for climate finance and biodiversity in support of national development goals.
By reinforcing this partnership, OSS and the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment are taking concrete steps toward building a resilient future for Eritrea anchored in cooperation, knowledge sharing, and strategic action.