Tanzania Set to Receive USD 41 Million in GEF Environmental Funding

Tanzania is set to benefit from approximately USD 41 million through various Global Environment Facility (GEF) funding windows to strengthen biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and climate change resilience.

The funding emerged from talks between the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Vice President, Dr. Richard Muyungi, and the GEF Biodiversity Coordinator for Africa, Jurgis Sapijanskas, held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7 August 2026 on the sidelines of the SBSTTA-28 and SBI-7 meetings.

Approximately USD 16 million has been allocated through the GEF Trust Fund window under the ninth replenishment cycle (GEF-9).

A further USD 20 million is available through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) to address the effects of climate change.

An additional USD 5 million is available through the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) to advance the implementation of national biodiversity priorities.

The allocation makes Tanzania the third country in Africa to secure such a large amount of funding as a result of its sound management of GEF-funded projects.

Muyungi thanked GEF for its long-standing cooperation with Tanzania and stressed the importance of increasing access to financial resources given the country’s rich terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, noting that 32% of the country’s total land area is under conservation.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the GEF-9 National Dialogue, which will bring together stakeholders to define Tanzania’s priorities under GEF-9, draw lessons from the implementation of GEF-8 projects and set priorities for new projects with environmental, social and economic benefits.

Those projects are expected to contribute to the implementation of the National Development Vision 2050, the National Environmental Master Plan, NDC 3.0 and other national strategies.

Tanzania has also offered to host a regional GEF meeting expected to take place between September and October 2026.

Global Environment Facility Funding in Tanzania

The Global Environment Facility is a multilateral fund that finances country-level environmental projects, structuring its support around five focal areas: biodiversity loss, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation, international waters, and chemicals and waste.

Tanzania has been a long-standing GEF partner through various channels, including the GEF Small Grants Programme implemented by UNDP.

By 2025 that programme had committed over USD 13 million in grants from GEF and non-GEF partners, supporting more than 440 projects across priority landscapes and seascapes in the country.