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About us

© What Took You So Long | RESCCUE | SPC
About us
© What Took You So Long | RESCCUE | SPC
© What Took You So Long | RESCCUE | SPC

Eligible Countries
and Territories

The Kiwa Initiative is a multi-donor program that aims to strengthen the climate change resilience of Pacific Island ecosystems, communities and economies through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), that is to say by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring biodiversity. It is founded on an easier access to climate change adaptation and NbS funding for national and local authorities, civil society, international and local NGOs and regional organizations in Pacific Island Countries and territories, including the three French overseas territories.

[...] we need to take concrete initiatives. We have taken them [...] and they are materializing. [We agreed] to take [an initiative at the 2017 One Planet Summit] which matters to you dearly […] in favor of biodiversity, and to put in place this donor fund that will pool contributions and protect the most vulnerable territories, protect biodiversity, address all the issues, related to global warming, essentials to our territories.
Speech of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel MACRON, on May 4, 2018 at the headquarters of the Pacific Community (SPC) in Noumea, New Caledonia.

Our history

The beginning
of the story

As one of the regions most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, the Pacific has an exceptional terrestrial and marine biodiversity that provides invaluable services to island communities and economies. Yet Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) have limited capacities to address these challenges, and their traditional ways of life depend on it.

Announced by the President of the French Republic at the 2017 One Planet Summit and stemming from a Franco-European process, the Kiwa Initiative is launched in March 2020 to tackle the challenge of climate change adaptation in the Pacific through the preservation, promotion and restoration of biodiversity.

To this end, the Kiwa Initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of ecosystems, economies and communities in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) by increasing access to funding for Nature-based Solutions for climate change adaptation to beneficiaries at all scales (local, national, regional), as well as by providing technical support to project developers.

The Initiative is currently endowed with 75 million euros* and is managed by the Agence Française de Développement. For the first time, it brings together the European Union, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

*Amount to be formalised with an addendum to the contribution agreement / arrangements between AFD and the donors.

 Key dates

DECEMBER 12, 2017

Paris
At the 2017 One Planet Summit, the French President Emmanuel MACRON commits to launch a French-European initiative for biodiversity and climate resilience for the Pacific.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

New York

At the 2018 One Planet Summit, on the sideline of the 73rd general assembly of the United Nations, France, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand announce the Pacific Initiative for Biodiversity, Climate change and Resilience, funded with €21M.

NOVEMBER 18, 2018

Port Moresby

At the 2018 APEC Summit in Papua New Guinea, Canadian Prime Minister Justin TRUDEAU announces Canada’s contribution to the Pacific Initiative for Biodiversity, Climate change and Resilience. The overall amount is €28M.

MARCH 31, 2020

Noumea

Official launch of the Initiative which becomes the Kiwa Initiative, Nature-based solutions for climate resilience. The contributions reach nearly €31M.

NOVEMBER 18, 2020

Noumea, Suva, Apia

Signing of the 3 first financing agreements between AFD and the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

JULY 19, 2022

Paris

During the 5th France-Oceania Summit, President Emmanuel Macron announced the renewed support of France (€5M), the European Union (€4M*) and New Zealand (€1.2M) to the Kiwa Initiative. Thus, it has now raised €41 million.

*EU top-up to be formalised with an addendum to the Contribution Agreement between AFD and the EU.

JULY 19, 2022

Suva

During the annual Steering Committee in Suva on July 19th, the Initiative's donors have renewed their financial support, raising the current budget from EUR 41 million to EUR 57 million. France is providing an additional contribution of EUR 8 million, the European Union EUR 6 million, New Zealand NZD 2 million and Australia AUD 2 million.

MAY 16, 2023

Suva

During the 2023 Kiwa Initiative Steering Committee meeting, France and Canada announced increased contributions, bringing the Kiwa Initiative's budget to more than EUR 75 million.

 

Our
mission

© Andrew Murray

Our
mission

© Andrew Murray

© Andrew Murray

The mission of the Kiwa Initiative is to help the authorities of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to implement their climate change adaptation strategies through Nature-based Solutions, thanks to a unique system of financing and project development assistance.

Financing adaptation is a critical issue for countries in the Pacific region.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 2021 report on adaptation reminds us that "the estimated costs of adaptation and the likely financing needs for adaptation in developing countries are five to ten times higher than the flows of international public finance for adaptation".

The Kiwa Initiative addresses this daunting challenge by facilitating access by PICTs to a conglomerate of budgets from international donors to finance their local or regional climate change adaptation projects.

The Kiwa Initiative's support for project implementation is aligned with national and regional strategies in a partnership-based approach to ensure that stakeholders' needs are met.

See the projects supported by the Kiwa Initiative

The Kiwa Initiative is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals - UN SDGs.

Gender Equality
Climate Action
Partnerships for the goals
TO POOL AND SIMPLIFY ACCESS TO CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND BIODIVERSITY FUNDING FOR PACIFIC STAKEHOLDERS
WITH A CONSENSUS BASED DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IN THE SELECTION OF PROJECTS TO BE FINANCED
PROMOTE COOPERATION IN THE PACIFIC REGION AND THE SHARING OF REPLICABLE SOLUTIONS TO COMMON PROBLEMS

The Kiwa Initiative
Community

The Kiwa Initiative leads an innovative community of donors, PICTs, regional organizations and NGOs that aims to reinforce the capacities of PICTs in terms of climate change adaptation through nature-based solutions.
The Kiwa Initiative community revolves around activities, providing its members with the resources they need to take action.

Strong values

Humility
Humility
Responsability
Responsability
Respect
Respect
Solidarity
Solidarity
© SPC
Being part of the Kiwa Initiative community means sharing common values and interests, sharing know-how, being informed, learning lessons from other project promoters and striving towards a common goal.
Through its governance, it offers a unique space for dialogue.

Who
are we?

© Marc Le Chélard / AFD
Who
are we?
© Marc Le Chélard / AFD
© Marc Le Chélard / AFD

Donors

For the first time, the European Union, Agence Française de Développement, Global Affairs Canada, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) are committing side-by-side to face the climate adaptation and biodiversity challenges in the Pacific, two major inseparable issues. They are joining forces for a common goal: to support Nature-based Solutions to strengthen the resilience of Pacific communities, ecosystems and economies to the impacts of climate change.
AFD is in charge of implementing the Kiwa Initiative and has established partnerships with key organizations in the Pacific region.

Who is AFD ?

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group is a public institution that implements France’s policy in the areas of development and international solidarity. AFD Group comprises AFD, which is dedicated to financing public sector and NGOs, research and training on sustainability, its subsidiary Proparco, dedicated to private-sector stakeholders, and soon Expertise France, the technical cooperation agency. The Group finances, supports and accelerates transitions to a fairer and more resilient world.

We build with our partners shared solutions with and for communities of the South. Our teams are engaged in more than 4000 projects on the field, in overseas territories, in more than 115 countries and in territories in crisis, for the common goods: climate, biodiversity, peace, gender equality, education and health. We are thus contributing to the commitment of France and the French to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For a world in common.

Read more

Representatives from Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia

The Kiwa Initiative gives an important place to the countries and territories of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia, which are represented in the Steering Committee so that their needs in the face of climate change are taken into consideration. The three representatives of these sub-regions are also invited to give their opinion on the selection of regional projects.

Regional partners

The Kiwa Initiative has partnered with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the main scientific and technical intergovernmental organizations in the region, in order to support the potential beneficiaries of the Initiative in setting up projects, reinforce capacities of Pacific countries and territories in terms of Nature-based Solutions and climate change adaptation.

In addition, the Kiwa Initiative is working at the local level with calls for projects managed by the regional office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) based in Fiji.

The Kiwa Initiative Team

The Kiwa Initiative secretariat
Credit @ Initiative Kiwa

The Kiwa Initiative team: representatives of AFD's Pacific Regional Office and experts from the Secretariat. On the left Nolwenn Bodo, Caroline Edant for AFD and Mahé Charles for the Secretariat. On the right Margot Bantegny, Fadhila Le Meur for the Secretariat and Kim-Lou Cargnelli for AFD.

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is responsible for managing all the Kiwa funds and is in charge of the implementation of the Initiative.

AFD is assisted by a Secretariat based at AFD's Pacific Regional headquarter in New Caledonia.

The Secretariat's mission is to provide technical, logistical, communication, administrative and financial support to AFD for the management of the Initiative. The Secretariat assists regional project holders in the development of their projects, participates in their evaluation and their valorization. Thus, it provides a support to AFD for the monitoring of the various regional projects selected.

Contact the Secretariat

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Presentation leaflet Kiwa Initiative Presentation leaflet Kiwa Initiative

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Strengthen the climate resilience and well-being of Pacific communities through biodiversity conservation.
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Eligible Countries
and Territories

The Initiative is funded by:
 
In partnership with:
 
 
Kiwa Initiative
 Address
1 rue de Barleux - P.O. Box J1 - Noumea 98849 - New Caledonia - Ph: +687 24 24 33
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This website was produced with the support of the European Union (EU), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Its content is the sole responsibility of AFD and does not necessarily reflect the views of the donors.

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