Kiribati calls for targeted investment in governance at WUF13

Kiribati calls for investment in strengthening the capacity of national and local governments, Kiribati Minister of Culture and Internal Affairs Harry Tekaiti said during a ministerial roundtable at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, according to Report.

He noted that the main barriers facing Kiribati are well known: limited technical capacity, a lack of financial resources, and the need for more effective project preparation mechanisms to access funding.

"In this regard, the coming decade must focus on scaling up approaches that have already proven effective. Kiribati calls, firstly, for investments in strengthening the capacity of national and local governments so that city councils are capable of developing and implementing sustainable housing solutions. Secondly, deeper integration of national and local governance systems is necessary to ensure coherence and consistent implementation of climate and urban priorities.

Thirdly, targeted support is needed for the preparation and implementation of urban projects, which will enable countries like ours to facilitate the attraction and effective use of climate and development finance. We have sufficient plans. We need the resources to implement them at scale," the minister emphasized.