UNIDO took part in the 71st Global Environment Facility Council, 40th LDCF/SCCF Council, 6th Global Biodiversity Framework Fund Council and 8th GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 30 May to 6 June 2026.
The organization said the meetings marked an important moment for the UNIDO-GEF partnership and highlighted the need for integrated, investment-oriented environmental action. UNIDO’s delegation was led by Fatou Haidara, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of UNIDO’s Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations.
UNIDO and the GEF support countries in energy efficiency, renewable energy, climate resilience, circular economy, and chemicals and waste management. Looking ahead to GEF-9, UNIDO said the cooperation is becoming more strategic, helping countries align policy, finance and technology needs through integrated programmes.
UNIDO convened four high-level side events and contributed to partner-led events. The themes included locally led adaptation and blended finance, sustainable cooling and regional cooperation under the Kigali Amendment, chemical waste management and related financial needs, net-zero urban systems through the city–industry–climate nexus, and gender-responsive climate action.
The week also highlighted a newly approved UNIDO LDCF project in Sudan, “Strengthening Climate-smart Agribusiness and Natural Resource Management for Adaptation and Resilient Livelihoods in Sudan’s River Nile and Northern States.” UNIDO also participated in ECO EXPO Central Asia, held in Samarkand from 2 to 4 June 2026, where its Pavilion presented partnerships and innovations supporting green industrial transformation in Uzbekistan, Central Asia and beyond.
“The next generation of environmental action must be integrated, investment-oriented, and grounded in the realities of implementation. Through our partnership with the GEF, UNIDO looks forward to supporting countries in turning policy coherence into action, and action into lasting benefits for people, economies and the planet,” said Fatou Haidara, UNIDO Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director.