In accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibility of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), developed countries must provide financial resources to support developing countries in implementing the objectives of the Convention.
The financial resources mobilized under the UNFCCC are used to implement programs and projects that help developing countries adapt to adverse effects and reduce the impacts of Climate Change.
Through its mission, OSS provides its members and partners with technical and institutional support to develop project proposals to address the impacts of climate change and contribute to countries' adaptation and mitigation efforts. Thus, in order to better adapt its services and encourage the mobilization of financial resources for these proposals, the OSS has positioned itself as an intermediary (regional implementation agency) between the Climate Funds and its member countries and partners. It is in this context that the OSS was accredited as an implementing entity by the Adaptation Fund in 2013 and by the Green Climate Fund in October 2017.
These two accreditations reinforce the role of OSS as facilitator of partnerships and allow OSS to mobilize funds and thus contribute to the realization of the policies and strategies related to the environment and the sustainable development of its member countries and partners. OSS activities now cover the supervision of the implementation of projects and programmes on adaptation and/or mitigation of the effects of climate change, including technical assistance to other countries wishing to implement a preparedness programme.
Gender mainstreaming and social inclusion are among the requirements of the climate funds. In order to ensure that, OSS, which adopted a gender policy in 2017 and action plans, is working to integrate gender into all its programmes and is working in particular to support countries and partners in integrating the gender dimension, particularly in terms of climate finance Readiness.
- OSS and Green Climate Fund - GCF
The Green Climate Fund was set up in 2010 by the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Given the urgency and gravity of Climate Change, this fund's mission is to contribute to and participate in global efforts to achieve the goals set by the international community to combat this issue. This Fund finances both adaptation and mitigation actions.
OSS was accredited at the 18th meeting of the Board of the Fund, held in Cairo, from September 30 to October 02, 2017. The OSS accreditation is for risk B and C (medium and low) project categories and of which budgets do not exceed 10 M USD.
Mention should be made of OSS's intervention with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), as part of the support to be provided to countries/institutions for the preparation of climate finance (GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme). OSS is currently supporting Tunisia and Libya and will soon be supporting Guinea-Bissau and Uganda. Negotiations are underway to replicate this process in other countries.
At the same time, in order to enable countries to mobilize climate finance to ensure their transition to climate-resilient and low-carbon development, OSS launched from 7 September 2018 to 31 December 2018, a first call for proposals. This call is currently closed, and project proposals (37 proposals from 20 countries) are being evaluated. In order to make it easier for bidders to understand the project evaluation process, OSS has developed an information guide. Project promoters will be notified of the action taken on their proposals within a period not exceeding 30 April 2019.
- OSS and Adaptation Fund - AF
The Adaptation Fund was established during the COP7 in Marrakech in 2001 under the framework of Kyoto Protocol. It is the main financial instrument for climate change adaptation under the UNFCCC, by funding concrete adaptation programs and projects for developing countries and particularly the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
The twenty-first (21st) session of the Fund Council, held in Bonn (Germany) on 3 and 4 July 2013, adopted Decision B.21 / 1 on the accreditation of OSS as Regional Implementing Entity - RIE.
The EURECCCA project, funded by the Adaptation Fund and implemented in 2017 by OSS on behalf of Uganda, is a first example of facilitating access to FA resources by OSS, with the objective of increasing the resilience of Ugandan communities to flood and landslide risks in three catchment areas (Awoja, Maziba and Aswa) by promoting integrated, equitable and sustainable management of these basins and associated resources.