UNICEF and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) have signed a $39 million climate grant. This climate grant is a three-year initiative that aims to improve child-critical social services and empower young climate action champions across East Asia, the Pacific, and Eastern and Southern Africa.
Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, expressed gratitude to the Korean government for its significant contribution, which was its first and largest climate change donation to UNICEF.
“KOICA’s climate funding will enhance community resilience and ensure access to essential services such as health care, education, water, and food amid climate-related disasters,” she said.
The collaboration will focus on improving climate-related social services in certain nations, such as Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, the Comoros, and Zimbabwe. She said that these nations were chosen based on KOICA’s emphasis on aiding fragile and conflict-affected areas, which aligns with South Korea’s approach of integrating humanitarian relief, development, and peacebuilding initiatives.
Vice President of KOICA, Sohn Jung-mee, stressed the commitment of the Korean government to address climate action and global sustainability. KOICA’s climate grant will increase the resilience of critical service systems, protecting communities and children in some of the most vulnerable and disaster-prone areas in the world.
“KOICA’s climate grant will strengthen the resilience of essential service systems, safeguarding children and communities in some of the world’s most disaster-prone and vulnerable areas,” she said.
“The world is at a crossroads, but we can strengthen our commitment and mobilise our collective will to create a healthy, sustainable world fit for children. This partnership is a major step in the right direction,” the director of UNICEF’s Programme Group Leadership Team, George Laryea-Adjei, said.
With $29 million going to East Asia and the Pacific and $10 million going to Eastern and Southern Africa, the $39 million fund is the biggest single grant the Korean government has ever given to the climate sector.
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