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Thursday, February 05 2026

Suva, Fiji 29 January 2026 | The Association of Development Finance Institutions in the Pacific (ADFIP) successfully convened a webinar on 29 January, bringing together development finance leaders from the Pacific to strengthen collaboration and unlock climate finance opportunities in the region.

Hosted by ADFIP in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the webinar provided a platform for knowledge sharing while formally introducing ADFIP members to Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Finance in Common (FiCS) Financial Innovation Labs. AFD, as a leading public development bank and a founding partner of Finance in Common, supports the FiCS Financial Innovation Lab as part of its long-term commitment to strengthening public development banks’ capacity to mobilise climate finance, including in small island developing states.

The session highlighted how Pacific development finance institutions can better mobilise climate finance by leveraging global innovation platforms designed to support public development banks in developing and emerging economies.

CPI is a global non-profit organisation that provides data, analysis, and policy support to help scale climate finance, while Finance in Common (FiCS) is a global network of public development banks committed to aligning finance with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. The FiCS Financial Innovation Lab help public development banks design, pilot, and scale innovative climate finance solutions that mobilise private capital and address key barriers to investment.

The webinar provided participants with practical insights into the FiCS Lab, which operate under the AFD umbrella and is supported by AFD as part of its global approach to advancing innovative and inclusive climate finance

Speaking during the session, Ms. Nicole Pinko, Senior Manager for Climate Finance and the FiCS Lab, noted that global research strongly reflects Pacific realities.

“During our global FiCS scoping study, we identified three key challenges that hinder public development banks’ access to climate finance: working in silos, lack of standardisation, and insufficient capacity,” she said.

These challenges resonated strongly with Pacific participants. Ms. Jennifer Henry, ADFIP Chairperson and CEO of the Bank of the Cook Islands, emphasised the importance of regional cooperation.

“I was struck by how closely the gaps identified by the FiCS Lab mirror the challenges we face in the Pacific. Small island states cannot tackle these challenges alone. This is why ADFIP exists to work collectively with partners to strengthen our shared capacity,” she said.

The FiCS Lab address these gaps through global working groups that enhance knowledge sharing and policy dialogue, as well as the FiCS Lab Incubator, which provides financial and technical support to develop innovative climate finance mechanisms.

Closing the session, Ms. Elodie Vitalis, Head of AFD in Fiji, encouraged Pacific development banks to actively engage with the FiCS platform.

“The Financial Innovation Lab provides concrete tools, peer learning, and long-term support for innovative climate finance solutions. Through AFD’s commitment to Finance in Common, these resources are readily available to help Pacific public development banks innovate, scale solutions, and lead. By sharing experiences and collaborating, we can build a more resilient, innovative, and climate-ready regional financial system,” she said.

The webinar marked an important step in strengthening partnerships between Pacific development finance institutions and global climate finance platforms, reinforcing ADFIP’s role in advancing collective action and sustainable finance across the region.

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GGGI Pacific (Regional Office)   

Enerelt Enkhbold, Green Investment Officer| enerelt.enkhbold@gggi.org 

Kelly Vacala, Regional Communications & Knowledge Sharing Lead| kelly.vacala@gggi.com