The Board of the Green Climate Fund kicks off its work and elects two Co-Chairs

The Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) started its first meeting today after successfully filling all 24 Board seats. It will address several key issues, including initiating work towards the operationalization of the Fund and the process it will follow to select the host country of the Fund.  

The Board began by electing Mr. Zaheer Fakir of South Africa and Mr. Ewen McDonald of Australia as its Co-Chairs for one year.  Mr. Fakir is Head, International Relations and Governance of the Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa.  Mr. McDonald is Deputy Director General of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Both Mr. Fakir and Mr. McDonald have many years of experience in development and climate change-related issues.

The Board governs and supervises the Fund, taking full responsibility for funding decisions. This opening meeting closes on Saturday, 25 August.  Six countries made offers to become the host of the Fund – Germany, Mexico, Namibia, Poland, Republic of Korea and Switzerland.