A series of high-level meetings held last October in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, brought together international investors, municipal leaders, and national disaster risk reduction decision-makers, reflecting growing momentum around green, resilient, and investment-ready development pathways in Central Asia. The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) – City Climate Finance Gap Fund Partnership team followed these discussions closely, engaging with partners to explore how city needs across the region can be better linked to climate finance opportunities.

Investor interest in the region was highlighted at the Dushanbe International Investment Forum, held under the theme “Green Investments: Today’s Opportunities for a Sustainable Future.” Dedicated sessions on green infrastructure, climate finance, and public-private partnerships reinforced a consistent message from international partners: access to finance depends on the availability of well-prepared, bankable project pipelines at city level.

The role of early-stage project preparation was further emphasized during the Regional Urban Resilience Dialogue, convened by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Center for Emergency Situations and Disaster Risk Reduction (CESDRR), and the Municipality of Dushanbe. The dialogue convened mayors and technical teams from five pilot cities to discuss the establishment of a Regional Urban Resilience Coalition for Central Asia. During the session “Gap Fund as Opportunities for Cities,” the Gap Fund was presented as a key mechanism supporting local governments to transform climate priorities into finance-ready proposals, including across sustainable mobility, water management, urban greening, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

The week concluded with the Regional Forum of Heads of Emergency Authorities, reaffirming a shared regional commitment to strengthened disaster risk reduction cooperation and implementation of the UN Early Warnings for All initiative.

Several Central Asian cities have since expressed interest in submitting Expressions of Interest to access technical assistance. The next phase will focus on working with partners to develop a robust pipeline of resilient, investment-ready projects that can support cities in accessing climate finance and strengthening long-term urban resilience.