Environment

Rwanda Shares Green Fund Experience with Côte d’Ivoire at COP31 in Antalya

53 minutes ago EDITOR

ANTALYA, Turkey — Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Bernadette Arakwiye, held a bilateral meeting with Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Abou Bamba, on the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) to discuss Rwanda’s national green fund model as a potential framework for mobilizing climate finance.

The talks focused on the structure, operations, and lessons from Rwanda’s Green Fund, known as FONERWA, which was established as one of Africa’s earliest dedicated national mechanisms for channeling public and private resources into climate resilience and green growth projects. Côte d’Ivoire is exploring the creation of a similar financing instrument to support its climate priorities, and the exchange covered practical aspects of fund design, project screening, and blending domestic and international resources.

Rwanda has positioned the Green Fund as a model for other African countries seeking to strengthen domestic capacity to attract and deploy climate finance. The fund has supported a range of public and private initiatives aimed at sustainable land management, clean energy access, job creation, and reduced emissions, while serving as a national platform to coordinate larger-scale investments aligned with national development and climate goals.

Dr. Arakwiye, who assumed the role of Minister of Environment in July 2025 after previous work leading Africa-focused restoration programs at the World Resources Institute, used the meeting to outline Rwanda’s experience in operationalizing the fund since its early years. Minister Bamba, an economist with long experience in environmental policy and blue economy issues who was appointed earlier in 2026, engaged on how elements of the Rwandan approach could inform Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts.

In addition to the bilateral discussion with Côte d’Ivoire, Minister Arakwiye held separate engagements at COP31 with Colombia’s Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Fabio Arjona, as well as with Tim Christophersen, Vice President of Climate Action at Salesforce, and Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard. These conversations explored opportunities for collaboration on shared climate priorities, including private-sector engagement and standards for climate projects.

COP31, hosted in Antalya from November 9 to 20 under a presidency arrangement involving Turkey and Australia, has emphasized turning existing climate pledges into practical implementation amid competing global challenges. Bilateral meetings such as the one between Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire form part of the broader diplomatic activity at the conference, where countries exchange technical and institutional experiences on climate finance, adaptation, and mitigation.

Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment highlighted the meetings as part of ongoing efforts to share the country’s green growth experience under the #GreenRwanda banner, noting the value of national climate funds for African nations seeking greater control over the mobilization and allocation of resources for environmental priorities.