Germany to provide €9.5m for biodiversity, climate dev projects

Germany will provide €9.5 million to Bangladesh through two major technical cooperation agreements aimed at enhancing biodiversity conservation and promoting climate-smart urban development.

The agreements will fund initiatives focused on strengthening local governance, biodiversity conservation, and the restoration of coastal ecosystems in Bangladesh.

Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary to the Economic Relations Division (ERD) of the Ministry of Finance, and Andreas Kuck, country director of German development agency GIZ, signed an agreement to this effect at the ministry in Dhaka recently, according to a press release.

The two projects are: Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Financing for Sustainable Management of the Sundarbans and Restoration of Coastal Ecosystems in the Bay of Bengal (SUNDAR-BAY), and Innovations for Climate-smart Urban Development (INCLUDE).

The SUNDAR-BAY project will be implemented with a funding of €2.5 million by the Bangladesh Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.

This project focuses on fostering stronger cross-border collaboration between Bangladesh and India for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration in the Sundarbans and surrounding coastal areas.

On the other hand, the INCLUDE project will be implemented with a funding of €7 million by the local government engineering department under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Co-operatives.

The project aims to enhance climate-resilient urban developments in several districts, including Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Charghat and Chapainawabganj.

It focuses on driving local, innovative solutions to improve urban infrastructure and climate adaptation efforts, helping these communities better address the impacts of climate change.

These initiatives reflect the strong partnership between Bangladesh and Germany in advancing sustainable development goals and addressing climate challenges in the region.

Both projects are expected to have a significant impact on local communities, strengthening governance systems, conserving critical ecosystems, and enhancing climate resilience at the grassroots level.