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From Needs to Action: Readiness and Finance Pathways for LDCs, SIDS
10 Oct. 2026
12:00h - 18:00h
Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand
Ivory 1 & 2, COMO Metropolitan Bangkok
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok
Climate Finance
English
0
From Needs to Action: Readiness and Finance Pathways for LDCs, SIDS
10 Oct. 2026
12:00h - 18:00h
Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand
Ivory 1 & 2, COMO Metropolitan Bangkok
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok
Climate Finance
English

How can countries more effectively move from identified climate needs and priorities, through readiness and project development, to financing and implementation?

Drawing on experiences from a range of initiatives, partners, and funding entities, the discussion will focus particularly on the needs of developing countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and will aim to:

  • Examine institutional, technical, and capacity-related barriers encountered before and during readiness processes;
  • Present key findings from the latest research, including Rethinking Readiness, and introduce the Practical Guide to Readiness;
  • Share lessons learned from selected country and project experiences;
  • Explore ways to strengthen the linkages between readiness support, project preparation, investment promotion, and access to finance;
  • Engage regional institutions, climate funds, multilateral development banks, bilateral partners, and private and institutional investors in a practical dialogue; and
  • Identify concrete opportunities for follow-up collaboration and partnerships.

Throughout the forum, the emphasis will be on making better use of and strengthening connections between existing mechanisms and support systems, rather than creating new processes or institutions.
 

Programme

Time

Session

Speakers

Format & Key Focus

12:00-12:30 Registration & and Coffee

12:30

Opening:
Welcome and Framing

Linn Yang (ESCAP),
Sophie De Coninck / Deanna Morris (UNFCCC),
Grant Kirkman (UNFCCC)

Welcome remarks and scene-setting on moving from climate-finance needs to implementation, country ownership, barriers to finance access, and the role of readiness support. MC: Jerry Velasquez (UNFCCC)

12:50–13:20

Session 1:
Capacity to Access Finance

Suborna Barua (Bangladesh Climate Finance Cell/University of Dhaka),
David Kaluba (Government of Zambia),
Kayah Ward (PCCB, Antigua and Barbuda)

Practitioner discussion on country capacity, coordination, and access to climate finance. Followed by moderated discussion and audience Q&A.

13:20–14:05

Session 2:
Rethinking Readiness

Mauricio Vazquez (ODI Global),
Grant Kirkman (UNFCCC),
Nadine Valat (FAO),
Elena Kiryakova (ODI Global)

Launch and presentation of three complementary publications: Rethinking Readiness, Practical Guide to Readiness, and FAO Readiness Portfolio Stocktake. Discussion on what effective readiness looks like in practice.

14:05–14:40

Session 3:
What Does This Look Like in Practice?

Paul Lado Demetry Jubek (South Sudan),
Aishath Reesha Suhail (Maldives),
Mohammed Al-Humaiqani (Yemen),
Bradley Mellicker (IOM)

Country and project case studies exploring barriers, access constraints, practical pathways, and next steps. Moderator: Jerry Velasquez.

14:40–15:00

Session 4:
From Vulnerability to Viability: Making Readiness Lead to Investment

Sara Jane Ahmed (CVF-V20)

V20 perspective on linking vulnerability, investment planning, project pipelines, and implementation.

15:00–15:30

Coffee Break

15:30–15:50

Session 5:
From Readiness to Investment

Ngonidzashe Nyson Chiwaridzo (UN ESCAP)

Lessons from investment promotion, project packaging, investor engagement, and linking climate priorities with investment opportunities.

15:50–16:35

Session 6:
Finance Access: Provider and Delivery Perspectives

Nadine Valat (FAO),
Svetlana Frenova (IOM),
Isatou F. Camara (The Gambia),
Paola Ridolfi (World Bank, TBC),
Seunghwan (Albert) Shin (KOICA)

Moderated dialogue among finance providers, delivery partners and country representatives on readiness, project preparation and accessing finance. Moderator: Jerry Velasquez.

16:35–17:20

Session 7:
Connecting Readiness, Project Preparation and Finance

Mark Howells (Climate Compatible Growth/Data-to-Deal)
Isaac Ryan (Cook Islands),
Joana Belo (Timor-Leste),
Kunal Singh (SPC),
Anu Adhikari (UNCDF/LoCAL)

Practical roundtable using country cases and the Practical Guide to Readiness to identify feasible next steps, partners and pathways. Moderator: Grant Kirkman.

17:20–17:45

Session 8:
From Discussion to Action

Abze Djigma (H.R.H. Princess Abze Foundation),
Raju Pandit Chhetri TBC (Nepal)
 

Reflections and discussion on practical follow-up actions, partnerships, guidance needs, and application of lessons from readiness initiatives.

17:45–18:00

Closing Remarks

Sophie De Coninck / Deanna Morris (UNFCCC),
Jonathan Wong (ESCAP, TBC)

Key messages, opportunities for continued collaboration, and formal close.