FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York

Climate and environment financing for Small Island Developing States’ agrifood systems transformation

Hybrid Event, 04/11/2025

Tuesday, 4 November 2025 | 15:00 - 16:30 (CEST) / 9:00 - 10:30 (EST)

Virtual & In-person at the Palais des Nations, Geneva (Building H, room H.379)

A joint initiative of the FAO Liaison Offices in Brussels, Geneva, New York and the FAO Office of SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs (OSL), in collaboration with FAO’s Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment (OCB), this dialogue will explore how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) can leverage key financing mechanisms to transform their agrifood systems.

Join us to:

· Highlight opportunities and challenges in accessing climate and environmental finance

· Share experiences and best practices across regions

· Identify actionable strategies to enhance uptake and impact

Key financing mechanisms featured:

· Green Climate Fund (GCF)

· Global Environmental Facility (GEF-9)

· The newly established Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD)

For any questions or inquiries, please contact: [email protected].

 

Agenda 

Introductory remarks on the impact of Hurricane Melissa

H.E. Ambassador Ann-Kathryne Lassègue, Permanent Representative of Haiti to the UN in Geneva and Coordinator of the CARICOM Group in Geneva 

H.E. Ambassador Richard Brown, Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the UN 

Opening Remarks

H.E. Ambassador Ilana Victorya Seid, Permanent Representative of Palau to the UN in New York, Chair of AOSIS

H.E. Ambassador Gilbêrt van Lierop, Embassy of Suriname to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union

Speakers

Nadine Valat, FAO Senior Natural Resources Officer, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment

Nadia Wells-Hyacinth, Chief Economist, Department of Economic Development of Saint Lucia, and National Designated Authority for Green Climate Fund

Alexandre Nevsky Medina Rodrigues, National Director of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Cabo Verde, and Global Environment Fund Operational Focal Point

Alessandra Sgobbi, Head of Unit, Climate Finance, Directorate-General for Climate Action, European Commission.​​

Closing Remarks 

H.E. Ambassador Mere Falemaka, Permanent Representative of the Pacific Islands Forum Member State 

AngelicaMaria JacomeDaza, Director of FAO Liaison Office in New York

Moderated by: Dominique Burgeon, Director of FAO Liaison Office in Geneva