A Solomon Islands national, who is currently working as Deputy Director – Disaster and Community Resilience Programme for the Pacific Community (SPC) in Suva, Fiji, has become the first Solomon islander to secure a senior position with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) based in Songdo, Incheon, South Korea.
Mr Exsley Taloiburi, who hails from North Malaita, will join the GCF Secretariat in South Korea as the “Head of Multilateral Governance and Observer Engagement”, starting a 3-year contract on 3 March 2025.
The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest dedicated multilateral climate fund and invests in impactful, innovative, catalytic programs and projects in developing countries across the world. By the end of 2023, GCF had a portfolio of 243 projects in 129 countries, committing a total of USD 13.5 billion.
In 2023, an additional USD 12.8 billion was pledged, to support GCF’s new strategic and programming cycle from 2024-2027; with an ambition to grow to become at least a USD 50 billion fund by 2030.
As one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, Solomon Islands has already accessed USD 86 million support from the Green Climate Fund for the Tina River Hydropower Project, which is expected to reduce Honiara City’s reliance on fossil fuel generated electricity with expected reduction in power bills in Honiara.
In Mr Taloiburi’s new role with the GCF, he will lead the Green Climate Fund’s engagement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, strengthen GCF’s complementarity and coherence with other multilateral climate funds, multilateral development banks and foundations, and promote GCF’s meaningful engagement with civil society organisations and private sector organisations.
Prior to joining the Pacific Community (SPC), Exsley has worked in Brussels, Belgium, as Expert – Climate Change and Resilience with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) covering 79 developing country member states and spent 11 years with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, as Team Leader for Resilience and Climate Finance Adviser.
Mr Taloiburi hopes that with him being part of the GCF Secretariat, he would be able to contribute to the fund’s policies and decision making to ensure Pacific Island Countries’ unique context is properly understood and access procedures simplified.
Exsley also encouraged young Solomon islanders who are in school or early to mid-level of their career to work hard, be passionate about their work, and set clear aims and goals as sky is the limit.
