ERD, GIZ organises training on project proposal development

Economic Relations Division (ERD), with the support of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, arranged a 6-day long Training-of-Trainers (ToT) on ‘Climate Change Project Proposal Development for accessing International Climate Funds’.

The objective of the ToT was to support the capacity strengthening of experts for accessing international climate funds through developing quality climate change project proposals, GIZ said in a statement on Thursday.

ERD Joint Secretary Kabir Ahamed was present at the opening ceremony as the chief guest with ERD Deputy Secretary SM Mahbub Alam in attendance.

The ToT, held from May 27 to June 1, 2022 at BRAC Centre for Development Management (CDM) in Savar, was arranged under the Improved Coordination of International Climate Finance (ICICF) project supported by the SDG 2030 initiative of the Federal Government of Germany.

The training has been attended by participants from different ministries, departments, Bangladesh Bank, academia, national-level training institutions, and private sectors.

Trainers from E-Co Ltd, UK and Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), BRAC University conducted the training.

The workshop covered a wide range of issues, including the role of the National Designated Authority (NDA) in managing the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as well as requirements for accessing the green climate fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Adaptation Fund (AF). There were group works, interactive sessions, and open discussions in between different sessions.

Kabir Ahamed said, “Only preparing a project proposal is not enough; learning what needs to be included in a project proposal, what kind of challenges we may face and how a project can be implemented are also very important. We need to involve more stakeholders from the private sectors, especially NGOs and others who are working in the climate sector, in such initiative.”

GIZ ICICF Project Principal Advisor Dr Firdaus Ara Hussain opined, “Bangladesh is the seventh most vulnerable country to climate change. In such a backdrop, this training has been arranged to strengthen the capacity of private and public sector representatives in developing climate change project proposals.”