Tonga Meet the Green Climate Fund Secretariat in Paris ^Featured

•    Tonga raised the importance for the GCF Secretariat understanding of the capacity realities of the Pacific to access GCF in general is extremely important and the view that the now one Regional Coordinator for the Pacific will need to be strengthened. Tonga recommended the option to establish strong relationships in the region by engaging in key regional events and support national readiness workshops.

•    Requested GCF to be responsive to the vulnerability of Pacific island Countries, including  the  relatively  high  cost  of  doing  business;  geographic  and  logistic challenges; small populations; as well as very limited government capacity and resources.

•    The need for the GCF funding modality to be responsive to the Pacific including the importance of the ‘grant’ component noting that GCF funding can be structured as part of multi financing sources.

Tonga,  achieving  national  accreditation  is  a  priority  to  accelerate  access  to  GCF  in accordance with its national climate change policy and can submit funding proposal through a national designated authorities (NDAs). 

Tonga could also be allowed direct access through accredited regional implementing entities such as SPREP as long as these implementing entities fulfil certain fiduciary standards. GCF can also be accessed through multilateral implementing entities, such as UNDP, World Bank and the ADB.

As GCF is a legally independent body, the meeting also considered a draft Membership MOU with Tonga to be finalized upon mutual agreement.

The Tongan Delegation who also attended the meeting were Mr. Paula Ma’u ( CEO for MEIDECC), Mr. Tatafu Moeaki (CEO for Finance and National Planning), Mr. Sione Sisifa (Solicitor General), HE Mahe’uli’uli Tupouniua (Tonga Ambassador to UN), Ms Luisa Tuiafitu Malolo (Director for Climate Change), Mr. Leveni ‘Aho (Director NEMO), Mr. Ofa Faanunu (Director for Meteorology), Mr Sione Talo Fulivai and Ms Lilu Moala from Department of Climate Change and Mr Kevin Petrini (Climate Change Adviser from UNDP).