The Gambia is particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. The challenges of sustainable development and protection against climate change are therefore essential in the country, as set out in the National Development Plan (2018-2021).

The Gambia's INDC (November 2016) established an ambitious goal of reducing its greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 44.4% in 2025 and 45.4% in 2030 against a 2010 base year. The effective implementation of the INDC commitments requires significant volumes of investment, especially through international financial support (as stated in the INDC). To date, the Gambia has received very little international financial support and there is therefore an urgent need for accelerating the Gambia’s financial capacity to combat climate-change.

Today, there is no direct access entity that allows the Gambia to more easily engage with the GCF. GAMWORKS, as a public works agency with a general interest mission of supporting the Gambian Government’s policy and strategies, can play a leading role in the implementation of the Gambia's INDC by channeling international financial support for adaptation and mitigation projects.

A first internal assessment of the level of maturity of GAMWORKS against the elements required in the GCF checklist1 shows a number of gaps to address in order to meet the GCF requirements in terms of basic fiduciary criteria, specialized fiduciary criteria, environmental & social safeguards and gender.

Therefore, this readiness request will be focused on strengthening GAMWORKS’s technical & human capacities to meet the GCF requirements. In doing so, GAMWORKS, will have the necessary delivery capacity to manage the implementation of adaptation and mitigation projects in accordance with the GCF requirements and, as the first direct access entity in the country, will enhance country ownership and ultimately accelerate the financing of INDC implementation.