The Global Environment Facility’s Microfinancing Program (GEF/PMF), implemented by UNDP in Morocco, has launched a strategic call for projects aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation on climate resilience. Part of the eighth operational phase of the program, this initiative offers grants of up to $150,000 over a 24-month period, linking Morocco with at least eleven French-speaking African countries.
The stakes go beyond mere funding of local projects. The aim is to position Morocco as a regional anchor capable of facilitating sustainable exchanges among African civil society organizations, leveraging over twenty-five years of experience from the GEF. Since 2000, the program has supported 229 projects totaling $7.58 million, utilizing an integrated territorial approach that connects environmental protection with improved living conditions.
With Phase OP8, the GEF is scaling up its efforts. The goal is no longer to multiply isolated micro-projects but to create bridges between initiatives, promote peer learning, and transform South-South cooperation into concrete, reproducible actions. Expected projects must yield measurable, sustainable impacts that can be replicated in various African contexts.
The framework relies on networking organizations engaged in ecological transition, through collaborative training sessions structured between Morocco and its partners. Target themes include agroecology, food security, the valorization of plant waste, and low-carbon energy solutions. Each exchange is expected to result in operational action plans and the development of concrete projects that can attract funding.
Cooperation will not be limited to theoretical meetings. The GEF plans to directly support initiatives arising from these exchanges and document experiences through regional dissemination materials, such as video reports, bilingual practical guides, and digital platforms. Actions may be linked to priority landscapes of Phase OP8, including Al Hoceïma National Park, Mediterranean ecosystems, the Cedrera Biosphere Reserve in the Middle Atlas, and the Central High Atlas around the Oued Lakhdar Ahansal area.
Innovation, inclusion, and impact are the main selection criteria. Projects must integrate women, youth, and vulnerable groups from the outset, demonstrate scalability potential, and mobilize public and private partnerships. Co-funding equivalent to 50% of the total cost is required, with half of that in cash.
Moroccan organizations have until March 15, 2026, to submit their proposals. Through this call, the GEF/PMF/UNDP aims to strengthen Morocco’s role as a driver of African climate cooperation, betting on local communities as levers for sustainable ecological transformation.