Hotel Naru, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 14 September 2026—The AFoCO Secretariat convened the 1st Meeting of the Working Group for GCF Project Development in Central Asia, bringing together nominated representatives from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan together with the GCF Secretariat and the AFoCO Secretariat. The meeting was held alongside the Korea–Central Asia Ministerial Forum on Forest and Climate Action and ahead of the first ROK–Central Asia Summit, providing a timely platform to advance AFoCO’s regional climate finance agenda in Central Asia.
Background
Following its accreditation as a Green Climate Fund (GCF) Regional Direct Access Entity at the 44th GCF Board meeting on 26 March 2026, AFoCO initiated the development of a regional project for Central Asia centered on forest and landscape restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. Initial country consultations were carried out in Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan in August 2026, laying the groundwork for this first Working Group meeting, which was designed to translate those consultations into a structured, country-driven project development process.
Way Forward
The meeting concluded with an agreed workplan and timeline toward submitting the project concept to the GCF. Participating countries are to confirm government support through an official letter , followed by candidate landscapes, baseline information, and indicative co-financing. AFoCO will prepare the pre-feasibility analysis and revised concept note, convene an online Working Group review on , and submit the improved concept to the GCF, while continuing to engage regional partners.
Looking Ahead
The 1st Working Group Meeting marks the formal launch of country-driven consultations toward AFoCO’s first regional GCF project since its accreditation as a Regional Direct Access Entity. Building on the discussions in Seoul, AFoCO and the participating Central Asian countries will work to finalize the project concept, with GCF endorsement and a Funding Proposal envisioned for submission in 2027.
