(Commonwealth)—Mauritius, as an island nation, has hosted the headquarters of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH) since 2015. The Hub is celebrating its decennial, and, to commemorate the occasion, it is hosting a Steering Committee Meeting on 11–12 September 2025 in Port Louis. The conference will bring together donors, development partners, specialists, and top officials of the Commonwealth Secretariat to reflect on the evolution of strategic prioritization over the past decade and the direction of the future.
CCFAH was set up in response to the mandate provided by Commonwealth Heads of Government in Malta in 2015 to facilitate the readiness with which member states, especially small and other vulnerable states, can access much-needed climate finance. The Hub does this by seconding national, regional, and thematic Climate Finance Advisers on a long-term basis to government ministries and partner institutions in the Commonwealth. The advisers support countries in developing funding proposals, institutional capacity, policy advice, and facilitating knowledge generation and sharing. Over the last few years, it has been at the center of building the capacity of small island developing states (SIDS) and climate-vulnerable economies to mobilize finance and action that safeguards citizens and economies from escalating impacts of climate change.
The Steering Committee Meeting of Port Louis will be co-chaired by Ravi Shankar Sonea, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius, and Suresh Yadav, Director of Climate Change and Oceans at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Under their leadership, the committee will deliberate on how CCFAH can significantly influence the global climate finance system.
For Mauritius, the Hub’s presence has always held double significance. Not only is the country privileged to be a host to this high-profile Commonwealth endeavor but it is also one of the proximate gainers of the product of its service. Being a small island nation at the frontline of climate change, Mauritius has been privileged to receive significant technical and advisory support to help it enhance its resilience and economic security. This twin host and beneficiary relationship is testimony to the unique relationship that exists between CCFAH and Mauritius, and as such, Port Louis provides a suitable location for the tenth anniversary meeting.
The Port Louis gathering comes at a time when the call for action in addressing climate change has never been more pressing. Throughout the Commonwealth, member governments face intensifying climate issues ranging from extreme weather to sea level rise and loss of ecosystems. All at the same time, geopolitical change and changing global aid dynamics are reshaping climate finance mobilization and expenditure. Reducing poverty and its multiple deprivations remains a critical aim. Reminding ourselves of this, the Steering Committee will consider what CCFAH must change to remain effective and responsive, particularly with countries nearing the end of their third generation of Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. The second significant business at the meeting is where CCFAH fits in the new Commonwealth Secretariat strategic plan 2025–2030.
The methodology is resilience-driven, inclusive, and sustainable growth-focused, and how CCFAH ensures countries’ access to finance is successful will be central to success in these priorities. The committee will also oversee ensuring that how the work of the Hub gets mainstreamed into the Secretariat’s overall priorities so that climate finance access is made a cross-cutting priority for all the programs. The support of partner governments has been CCFAH’s driving force for success. Australia, Canada, Mauritius, and the United Kingdom have provided sustained support to the Hub’s endeavors over the past decade, enabling it to provide real benefits to member states. This partnership is an indication that there is a shared determination not to allow vulnerable countries to fall behind in the global race to respond to climate change.
