Press release
Tbilisi, November 5th, 2021 – The Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) and the German government’s promotional bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) have signed today a EUR 40 Million Grant Agreement to support nature conservation in the Southern Caucasus. The Grant funds are provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The grant will be used to finance CNF’s transboundary grant programme for protected areas in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Grant Agreement was signed by Tobias Muenchmeyer, Executive Director of CNF, and Birgit Holderied-Kress, KfW South Caucasus Regional Office Director, in the context of the German-Georgian Governmental Consultations currently taking place in Tbilisi.
Signing ceremony November 5th 2020 in Tblisi
Birgit Holderied-Kress, KfW South Caucasus Regional Office Director and Tobias Muenchmeyer, Executive Director of CNF.
CNF’s Executive Director Tobias Muenchmeyer commented: “Biodiversity in the Caucasus is a unique treasure. With this new grant the German Government demonstrates its true commitment to sustainable support for nature conservation. CNF is proud and happy to continue to play a key role in this endeavor. Moreover, we see CNF’s program secured in the long-term by this extraordinary grant, one of the largest ever for nature conservation worldwide.”
Director of KfW Tbilisi Office Ms. Birgit Holderied-Kress commented: “The German Government through KfW Development Bank is supporting protected areas of Georgia since 1996. CNF is an exceptional investment for the German government for Nature Protection. Since 2008 EUR 58.7 million were endowed in CNF and now with the additional commitment of EUR 40 million the funds provided will reach almost EUR 100 million, which is an enormous amount for this sector.
The Caucasus Nature Fund was established in 2007 by KfW, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Germany, and Conservation International. It has since attracted substantial additional contributions — both from Germany and a wide variety of public and private donors. It provides direct financial assistance to the most biodiversity-valuable Protected Areas (PAs) in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. By financing salary increases for PA staff, modern equipment and technology and training programs, CNF helps to develop better management practices and improve outcomes for nature.
Press contact
Caucasus Nature Fund
Marion Dumitraskovic, press officer
Email: mdumitraskovic@naturetrustalliance.org
Phone: +49 (0)69 244 33 3060
