LocationsUNDP and IAI convene high-level roundtable in Rome to advance climate and development finance partnerships
March 25, 2026
Rome, 25 March 2026 - UNDP in Italy and Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) convened a high-level roundtable on Unlocking Climate and Development Finance, bringing together representatives from Italian institutions, African diplomatic missions, international financial institutions, academia, foundations and the private sector. The closed-door discussion focused on strengthening coordination across public and private actors to accelerate the mobilization of climate finance and support sustainable development priorities in partner countries, with a particular focus on Africa in alignment with the Italy’s Mattei Plan and the EU Global Gateway.
The roundtable forms part of the broader partnership between UNDP and Italy, through which UNDP Rome Centre acts as a platform to connect governments, development finance institutions and private sector actors. Through initiatives such as PISTA, Energy for Growth and Youth for Climate, the Centre supports countries in developing bankable, climate-resilient projects and in unlocking public and private investment aligned with national priorities. Opening the session, Agostino Inguscio, Representative of UNDP in Italy and Coordinator of UNDP Rome Centre, highlighted the importance of building stronger connections between policy, project development and finance. He noted that mobilizing climate finance requires not only capital, but also coordination, shared understanding and sustained engagement between institutions and partners.
The discussion brought together representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the World Bank, and leading private sector and foundation partners, alongside Ambassadors and representatives from African countries based in Rome. Participants exchanged perspectives on how to strengthen project pipelines, improve access to finance and identify opportunities for collaboration across sectors. Particular attention was given to the role of technical assistance, knowledge sharing and institutional partnerships in supporting countries to move from project design to implementation.
The roundtable also marked the first step toward establishing a more structured network between UNDP in Italy and the African diplomatic community in Rome, with the aim of supporting continuous dialogue and cooperation on climate and development finance. The session was facilitated by IAI, which will contribute to consolidating the outcomes of the discussion into a joint background paper to inform future engagement and policy dialogue.
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