US$250 million GCF grant approved for 14-country Regional Programmatic Approach for Climate Action, with Southern Group airports among Cook Islands priorities.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board has approved the Regional Programmatic Approach for Climate Action (RPACA), the largest climate programme the GCF has funded for the Pacific to date, with the Cook Islands and Palau serving as Co-Chairs of the regional Working Group that shaped it.
Approved on Monday 26 October 2026 (Cook Islands time), RPACA is a 10-year, US$1.2 billion programme covering 14 Pacific countries. It combines a US$250 million GCF grant with US$839 million in co-financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is the accredited entity for the programme.
The programme focuses on climate-resilient infrastructure. For the Cook Islands, this includes upgrades to at least four Southern Group airports, prioritised through national planning, with implementation to be led by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI).
Prime Minister Hon. Mark Brown welcomed the decision.
“This is a big result for the Cook Islands and for the Pacific. We have said for years that the Green Climate Fund must work for small island countries, and that our funding needs to come as grants, not loans that add to our debt. RPACA delivers US$250 million in grant funding, and for us that means stronger airports in the Pa Enua, the lifelines our outer island communities depend on for travel, supplies and emergency response.
I want to acknowledge Wayne and the team at Climate Change Cook Islands for taking an idea to the ADB and seeing it through to approval alongside our partners in Palau and across the region. The real test now is delivery, and we will make sure the benefits reach our people.”
Chief of Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) , Karopaerangi Ngatoko, said the result reflects a coordinated effort across government.
“This is fantastic news, and well done to everyone involved. Results like this come from agencies working together. Climate Change Cook Islands of OPM leading the regional negotiations, and MFEM and ICI identifying the priorities that matter most for our islands. Our focus now turns to implementation planning, so the Cook Islands is ready to deliver as soon as funding flows.”
Director of Climate Change Cook Islands (CCCI) of the Office of the Prime Minister, Wayne King, said the programme grew from a proposal he first put to the ADB at the GCF Board meeting in late 2024 to scale up climate finance for the region.
“This approval is a significant benchmark for the Pacific in the GCF context. The ADB backed the design with its own resources, and two full regional consultations brought all 14 countries to the table so that the programme reflects what our countries actually need. The preparation process was not easy, and I thank our Co-Chair in Palau, the ADB team, and our officials from MFEM, ICI and CCCI for their persistence. Now the real work begins.”
Mr King also acknowledged CCCI GCF Liaison Officer Raymond Newnham for his considerable support and expertise throughout the design process.
The ADB began drafting the full proposal in October 2025, with approval secured 12 months later. Further details on how the Cook Islands will benefit from RPACA will be shared once national implementation planning is complete.
More information on the programme (FP318) is available on the Green Climate Fund website:
Government of the Cook Islands