United Nations Environment interview with Krystina Tatuava, Development Programme Manager, Development Coordination Division, Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, Cook Islands on benefits, opportunities and challenges of accreditation to the Adaptation Fund. The Development Coordination Division was among 21 aspiring and accredited National Implementing Entities from Asia-Pacific and East European countries who joined the Access to Adaptation Finance Seminar, which took place 23-25 August 2016 in Mumbai, India. With the support of United Nations Environment Asia Pacific, Cook Islands received accreditation in July this year, making it the 24th National Implementing Entity accredited to the Adaptation Fund and the 6th Small Island Developing State National Implementing Entity to be accredited. The Cook Islands is among eight countries in Asia Pacific supported by United Nations Environment for accreditation to the Adaptation Fund. The interview took place during the seminar.
Q1. Why is accreditation to the Adaptation Fund important for your country?
Accreditation to the Adaptation Fund is important to the Cook Islands as it allows us to directly access climate finance as opposed to accessing finance through Multilateral Implementing Entities and Regional Implementing Entities accredited to the Fund. In addition, gaining accreditation is important to our country because it demonstrates to our development partners that our national systems are robust and sound, giving our partners more confidence in us. The accreditation process has also helped us strengthen our capacity and our national systems.
Q2. What adaptation priorities will the Adaptation Fund support in your country?
Programmes to strengthen resilience to climate change in the outer islands of the Cook Islands.
Q3. What challenges did you face in preparing for accreditation?
It has been a challenging journey. The main challenge we faced along the way was strengthening and building up our national systems to bring them in line with the requirements of the Adaptation Fund fiduciary standards. Some examples were:
- Developing and implementing a Cook Islands Activity Management cycle system
- Strengthening our procurement systems
- Improving our external and internal audit systems
Q4. What worked and what did not work for you?
The accreditation requirements are quite stringent and rigorous, especially for a small island nation like the Cook Islands. What worked for us was the introduction of the streamlined approach to accreditation.
Q5. Will accreditation help you secure access to other types of climate finance?
We believe it most certainly will. Becoming accredited to the Fund gives our development partners confidence in our national systems.
Q6. What advice would you give to other countries applying for accreditation?
Do not give up. Although the journey is long and challenging, it is definitely worth the pursuit and is rewarding in the end. Countries need to take ownership and lead in developing national systems at a pace that is manageable.
Further information: http://web.unep.org/un-environment-and-partners-advance-developing-countries%E2%80%99-readiness-access-climate-finance
For media enquiries, contact: Ms. Satwant Kaur, Regional Information Officer, United Nations Environment Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Tel: + (66 2) 2882127; Mobile: + (66 8) 17001376, Email: satwant.kaur@unep.org
