Latest news with #UNCDF
Zawya
07-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and Partners Launch East Africa Regional Clean Cooking Symposium in Arusha, Tanzania
To accelerate the momentum of the clean cooking revolution, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) ( in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania and the European Union, inaugurated the Eastern Africa Regional Clean Cooking Energy Symposium in Arusha, Tanzania. The event brought together industry leaders and policymakers to discuss strategies for advancing clean cooking, under the theme 'Linking finance, innovation, technology adoption, access, and policy.' The three-day regional symposium convened over 200 key stakeholders, including senior government representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania, development partners, SMEs, researchers, financial institutions, and civil society organizations. This gathering underscored a shared regional commitment to addressing the critical issue of clean cooking in East Africa, where the prevalent use of traditional biomass fuels like wood and charcoal poses significant health risks, contributes to environmental degradation, and exacerbates climate change. In his keynote address, delivered on behalf of Hon. Dr. Dotto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Eng. Innocent Luoga, Commissioner of Electricity and Renewable Energy, emphasized: 'The Clean Cooking Agenda is a top national priority for Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has taken an active leadership role in championing clean cooking across the continent, particularly through the launch of the African Women Clean Cooking Support Program. This symposium serves as a platform for new ideas and regional collaboration on the clean cooking agenda'. The symposium aligns with Tanzania's National Clean Cooking Strategy (2024–2034), which aims to ensure that 80% of Tanzanians adopt clean cooking solutions by 2034. This ambitious goal addresses the pressing need to reduce reliance on traditional cooking methods that contribute to deforestation, indoor air pollution, and adverse health outcomes. Mr. Peter Malika, UNCDF Chief Technical Advisor, highlighted the symposium's significance: 'This regional symposium is a valuable platform for learning, sharing, and collaboration. We are highlighting opportunities in the clean cooking value chain, promoting cooperation, and advancing the adoption of clean cooking as a primary objective of a regional conference such as this one.' Throughout the symposium, participants will engage in discussions on blended finance mechanisms, leveraging private sector investments, establishing standards and certification to ensure quality and consumer confidence, exploring carbon credit opportunities, and sharing best practices and innovations in clean cooking technologies and market delivery approaches. Also speaking at the Symposium, Albina Minja, Company Operational Manager, SESCOM, a company that promotes efficient production and use of electricity from renewable energy sources said, 'We carried out research in the country in 2018 and the research concluded that cooking with electricity is cheaper than cooking with any other appliance. Since then, we started creating awareness while also strengthening our supply chain to ensure the availability of high-quality appliances in Tanzania. We are honored to be a grantee of CookFund. The program has been very useful to us as a company but also to the end users.' The partnership between UNCDF, the Government of Tanzania, and the European Union has facilitated the implementation of the CookFund, which empowers businesses, expands market access, and makes clean cooking more accessible and affordable across communities. Together, these collaborative efforts are building a cleaner, healthier, and more inclusive energy future, starting in Arusha and extending across the region. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). For more information, contact: Mariam Simba Email: Mobile: +255655679705 United Nations Capital Development Fund: The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) mobilizes and catalyzes an increase in capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States, especially Least Developed Countries, contributing to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity. In partnership with UN entities and development partners, UNCDF delivers scalable, blended finance solutions to drive systemic change, pave the way for commercial finance, and contribute to the SDGs. We support market development by enabling entities to access finance in high-risk environments by deploying financial instruments, mechanisms and advisory. The CookFund Fund: The 'Accelerated Market Rollout of Clean Cooking Solutions in Tanzania', or Cookfund Programme, is a five year programme funded by the European Union under the Integrated Approach to Sustainable Cooking Solution Initiative. The official launch took place on the 13 th of December 2021 in Dodoma, Tanzania. The CookFund provides financial and technical assistance to eligible enterprises and companies to accelerate market roll-out of clean cooking solutions (stoves and fuels) leading to improved social, economic, and environmental conditions. It finances capital expenditures and/or working capital for building the internal capacity of businesses involved in the production, importation, distribution, wholesale or retail of stoves, fuels, or related products and services.
Zawya
17-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Enhancing public asset management practices in Kenya
Kenya's Infrastructure Asset Management Enabling Environment Roadmap Action Plan proposes clear recommendations to enhance the country's national public asset management practices. UNOPS, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) worked in close collaboration with Kenya's State Department for Public Works to develop the roadmap. "This roadmap will guide us in strengthening our policies, strategies and actions to ensure that Kenya's infrastructure assets continue to provide inclusive and resilient public services throughout their lifecycle,' said Joel Arumonyang, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Public Works. 'A strategic, data-driven approach ensures that infrastructure investments serve communities efficiently, sustainably and inclusively for generations to come,' said Daniel Platz, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, UN DESA. 'Efficient and cost-effective asset management at national and sub-national level is key to unlocking access to affordable investment capital, especially from the private sector, for improved public service delivery,' said Jenifer Bukokhe Wakhungu, Regional Programme Advisor, Local Climate Adaptive Living, UNCDF. Read more here. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UN unveils local market ecosystem for parametric insurance in Pacific
The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), UN Development Programme (UNDP), and UN University Institute for Environment and Human Security have developed a local market ecosystem in the Pacific for micro and meso insurance solutions. This ecosystem of private and public sector partners will help provide micro and meso insurance solutions tailored to the needs of the region. The Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation Programme (PICAP), a multi-stakeholder initiative specialising in parametric or index micro-insurance, has been introduced, trialled and scaled to meet the region's challenges. Payouts are dependent on pre-set triggers including windspeed, with no requirement for loss evaluations. Presently, 44,813 households, including 20,962 women, are covered by climate-based parametric insurance products in Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu. The UNCDF and UNDP convened this ecosystem to leverage the insurance sector's potential and build local market capacity. PICAP has established various regional and global partnerships, encompassing farmer cooperatives, NGOs, regional central banks, government ministries, mobile network operators, private insurers and companies like Lloyds and SCOR. The offering is crucial as the UN identified a current protection gap in the Pacific region that affects low-income earners including farmers, fishers, micro-businesses and informal sector workers. However, it said that by 2024: 'PICAP's investments had already begun reshaping the Pacific's insurance landscape and driving new innovations.' A total of 37 new or improved versions of parametric products were introduced across eight Pacific countries, reaching 44,813 households and 2,000 social welfare recipients. In Fiji alone, more than 1,600 payouts totalling almost F$300,000 ($131,265) were made following rainfall events. Local insurers such as Sun Insurance and Tower jointly developed solutions, with F$3.1m in private-sector investments injected into the ecosystem. In partnership with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, a 'market-driven' scheme was launched in Fiji in 2024 that delivers 20% of the total sum insured before a cyclone strikes. To de-risk Pacific markets, the UNCDF is collaborating with partners for an insurance guarantee and premium financing facility. This initiative aims to ease the burden on insurers by pre-financing insurance premiums through 'concessional' loans. "UN unveils local market ecosystem for parametric insurance in Pacific " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Jordan Times
03-03-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Rethinking aid: Shifting toward smarter development financing
It is becoming very clear that the global aid landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Following the termination of over 10,000 USAID projects worldwide, the UK has now slashed its aid budget from 0.5% to just 0.3% of GDP—a cut worth $7.6 billion a year. This is not an isolated event but part of a broader trend. Europe is expected to follow suit, putting further pressure on global development funding. This shift is driven by a combination of factors, including the rise of right-wing politics in Western countries, increased defense spending, and mounting deficit and public debt. As governments grapple with budget constraints, foreign aid—an area with limited domestic political support—has become an easy target for cuts. What was once an essential pillar of international relations is now viewed as an expendable line item in national budgets. This is the new normal. For aid-reliant countries and for global development organizations, this changing global reality requires an urgent and bold rethinking of economic and social development funding strategies. Jordan has long depended on foreign assistance to support vital sectors, including infrastructure, health, and education. With limited natural resources, growing public debt and geopolitical challenges, foreign aid has played a pivotal role in stabilizing the economy. However, given the recent trend of declining aid from Western donors, it is imperative to attract alternative sources of funding that can drive sustainable development. The country must now pivot toward more innovative financing strategies to ensure long-term economic resilience and self-reliance. Development finance institutions now play an increasingly vital role in mobilizing capital for development projects. Instead of relying solely on grants, financial instruments such as blended finance, impact bonds, and risk-sharing mechanisms are being used to attract commercial investment. Blended finance combines public aid with private sector funding to de-risk projects and make them more attractive to investors. Impact bonds allow private investors to finance development initiatives upfront and receive repayment based on the project's success. Loan Guarantees and risk-sharing mechanisms further lower the barriers for private sector participation in high-risk sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, and digital transformation. A successful example of this approach has been adopted by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), which has pioneered innovative financing models to catalyze private sector investment in emerging economies. In countries across Africa and Asia, UNCDF has successfully leveraged small amounts of donor-funded grants to unlock significantly larger pools of private capital for essential infrastructure and business development. For example, the UNCDF Blended Finance Investment Vehicle for Small and Medium Enterprises (BUILD Fund) was created by in partnership with Bamboo Capital Partners. The fund uses concessional finance (grants, low-interest loans and guarantees) to attract commercial investment into small businesses operating in developing economies such as Uganda, Senegal, and Nepal. By demonstrating financial viability and reducing risks for investors, the program successfully mobilized private investment into commercially viable projects. The model proved that a well-structured financing mechanism can mobilize limited foreign aid and public funding to create a 'multiplier- effect', attracting commercial investments that would otherwise hesitate to enter underserved markets and risky ventures. Jordan can apply similar models to unlock investment in key sectors such as energy, digital infrastructure, and sustainable tourism. Expanding public-private partnerships where the Government and international donors can collaborate with private investors to co-finance infrastructure, health, and education projects providing sustainable solutions in these areas. With dwindling external assistance, fostering stronger collaboration between governments, international development organizations and the private sector has become crucial going forward. Engaging the Jordanian diaspora in investment projects could also create new streams of capital for the national development effort. Many Jordanians abroad are embedded into vibrant socio-economic networks and have the financial capacity and willingness to contribute to the country's growth, but the right investment frameworks, incentives schemes and well-established communication channels must be in place to facilitate their participation. At the same time, Philanthropic foundations are also shifting from traditional grants to more strategic investments. Mission-related investments use foundation endowments to fund businesses aligned with their development goals. Meanwhile Businesses are increasingly incorporating development goals into their investment strategies, moving beyond Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) towards Corporate Social Investment (CSI).Crowdfunding is another financing mechanism that can play a significant role in supporting entrepreneurs and social these financing mechanisms are viable tools to effectively deploy the shrinking aid to attract private investment and create a multiplier-effect capable of addressing the gap in project financing and economic development. Another key factor in achieving financial independence is fostering a dynamic investment ecosystem that encourages venture capital, angel investors, and financial institutions to support small businesses and technology-driven enterprises. A strong entrepreneurial environment will not only create new jobs but also help diversify Jordan's economy, making it less vulnerable to external funding fluctuations. The decline in foreign aid presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Jordan's future economic resilience depends on how effectively it can transition from aid dependency to a more diversified and sustainable financing model. By embracing innovative financing strategies and fostering a stronger private sector-led approach, Jordan can ensure long-term economic stability and reduce reliance on unpredictable foreign aid. This is not just a shift in financial strategy—it is a necessary evolution for Jordan's economic sovereignty. The path forward requires bold policy decisions, innovative financing mechanisms, stronger investor confidence, and a commitment to leveraging both local and global capital in new and creative ways. The critical question is no longer about how much aid Jordan will receive in the future but rather how effectively the country can mobilize its resources to drive sustainable growth. Jordan stands at a crossroads, the time to act is now.
