A new Adaptation Finance Window for Africa (AFWA) was launched at COP30 in Belém, marking a significant step toward mobilizing private and public funding for climate resilience across the continent, as reported by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF). The initiative will start with EUR 40 million in catalytic capital and technical assistance from the Investment Mobilisation Collaboration Alliance (IMCA).
The new funding window aims to design and scale innovative investment vehicles that tackle the growing climate risks threatening lives, livelihoods, and economies across Africa. IMCA expects the initial funding to attract at least EUR 100 million in private investment for projects focused on adaptation and resilience. Interested investment managers are invited to submit concepts by 15 January 2026 via afwafrica.com.
Announcing the initiative, Satu Santala, NDF’s Managing Director, emphasized the urgency of expanding support for climate adaptation. “It is critical to accelerate financing in response to the immense needs for resilience in Africa,” she said.
“NDF will use its flexible instruments to catalyze private investments through this call for proposals.”
AFWA will demonstrate how catalytic capital can unlock larger investments and strengthen local markets in some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. Operated under IMCA, the platform pools resources from public and private partners to manage risk and drive blended finance in emerging economies.
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IMCA brings together major development partners, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, and the Nordic Development Fund, to develop joint solutions that can scale climate adaptation financing on the African continent.
