On July 17 and 18, the Independent Integrity Unit (IIU) held three regional consultations with GCF Direct Access Entities around the world in preparation for the 3rd GCF Integrity Forum, which will take place in Songdo, South Korea, from 5 to 7 November 2024.
The object of these consultations was to identify current integrity challenges that DAEs are facing so that the IIU can develop the agenda of the Forum to address these concerns. The three consultations covered Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Pacific; Africa and the Middle East; and Latin America and the Caribbean. 45 DAE representatives were in attendance across the three sessions, sharing their insights about the struggles they face in their organisations, what topics they would like to see represented at the Forum, and what format would be the best to take in this information.
This bottom-up approach to shaping the Integrity Forum agenda is a crucial step in the planning process for the IIU, as the Integrity Forum is meant to serve as a platform for DAE integrity officers to enhance their capacity to implement GCF projects with the highest integrity standards. It is also an opportunity for these individuals to engage in peer learning, sharing their best practices and experiences with colleagues in the same field.
The inaugural Integrity Forum was held in Madrid in 2019 alongside COP25. After a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Forum resumed last year in Bangkok, Thailand, and welcomed 56 participants from 34 DAEs for three days of learning and networking. This year’s Forum in November will be the third iteration of this conference and will be held under the theme of “From Commitment to Action: Realising Integrity in Climate Finance.” IIU will focus on deep dive learning sessions that advance knowledge and strategies to enhance integrity and equipping DAEs with integrity tools and practical solutions to address their challenges.