Banjul, 3rd March 2025: Global Shield has convened its second in-person stakeholders’ workshop to review and discuss Gambia’s climate risks assessment findings, and the existing policies, strategies, and initiatives, and the gaps in a range of issues such as gender, and social inclusion in climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions.
In an exclusive interview with the co-director, Implementation and Institutional Development, Global Shield, Dr Astrid Zwick, she affirmed that the second meeting aimed to evaluate and validate the gaps analysis report, and identify specific recommendations and interventions to be put together in the official paper to be forwarded to the Global Shield and international partners for their possible financial interventions.
“The objective of the workshop is for stakeholders to have a comprehensive understanding of financial needs and determine priority areas for Gambia’s request for climate and disaster risk finance and insurance support,” she affirmed.
Global Shield’s Dr Astrid revealed that the Global Shield’s convergence with Gambia Government, partners and other stakeholders is aimed at facilitating discussions and helping Gambia in finance approach against impact of climate risk.
She further dilated that this however, encompasses with institutional capacity building, and inclusive insurance, where international partners support the best African Insurance Institute to develop a program through setting up skills for inclusive insurance, and it could also mean looking into the set up and development of a national fund for disasters that incorporates emergency fund, and technical assistance for the development of further solutions and an inclusive insurance market with local structures and capacities. “Understanding risks in the Gambia, thus, our international partners can support Gambia experts and organizations in identifying the key risks across different regions and sectors like agriculture, tourism, fisheries, amongst others.
Dr Simon Wild, Climate Scientist, Global Risk Modelling Alliance, in his presentation, said the forum would help participants internalise the risks and help provide the required data to help identify the potential risks and develop comprehensive solutions.
For her part, Nancy Ouodoi, Oxford Policy Management, dilated on gender issues in disaster risk management, pointing out the need for education and awareness creation.
The Global Shield against Climate Risks, launched at COP27 by the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group and the Group of Seven (G7), seeks to enhance financial protection for climate-vulnerable economies by facilitating access to pre-arranged climate and disaster risk financing. With financial contributions from Germany, France, the UK, and other G7 countries, the Global Shield provides a structured framework for identifying financial protection gaps and developing tailored support packages to address them.
By Kumba Leigh
