Addis Ababa (HOL) — The Executive Director of the National Climate Fund (NCF), Liban Obsiye, has emphasized that national coordination, ownership, and leadership are essential for the success of climate finance investments at the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Regional Dialogue with Africa, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday.

Speaking at a special session on GCF Country Platforms, Obsiye highlighted Somalia’s new climate finance framework, which has been established under a Presidential Decree and is now led by the NCF at the Ministry of Finance. He underscored the government’s priority of securing accreditation for a national entity to manage GCF funds, enabling the use of country systems to strengthen institutions and reduce implementation costs.

“In our fragile context, every dollar investment must produce more impact to build resilience for the most vulnerable. National ownership, leadership, and coordination are a must to achieve this,” Obsiye said.

He also stressed the importance of institutional capacity building through the strategic use of GCF Readiness financing. Addressing Africa’s wider climate finance challenges, Obsiye argued that better budget planning, domestic revenue mobilization, and more effective public spending are critical to narrowing the financing gap.

“Governments must include climate finance mobilization as part of their broader macroeconomic strategies, given its disproportionate impact on public expenditure in Africa,” he added.

On the sidelines of the GCF Dialogue, Obsiye held bilateral meetings with senior GCF officials, including Catherine Koffman, Director for the Africa Region.