On 28 January, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), through its Africa Green Bank Initiative and the Center for Multilateral Cooperation in Development Finance, launched a $1 million technical assistance program to strengthen the green finance capacity of Groupe Crédit Agricole du Maroc (GCAM).
The program is designed to strengthen GCAM’s organizational, operational and financial capacity, enabling the Moroccan banking group to mobilize concessional and private capital, identify and build bankable green projects, and improve systems for monitoring climate impacts. The initiative reflects a growing focus on aligning national financial systems with international climate finance standards and accelerating Africa’s transition to sustainable development.
Supporting the green sector for big impact
Under the Technical Assistance Program, GCAM will focus on funding projects across high-impact sectors such as sustainable agriculture, rural development, water resource management, clean energy, resilient infrastructure, and digital and physical connectivity. These sectors are central to Morocco’s climate adaptation and mitigation agenda and are considered critical to increasing the economy’s resilience in the face of climate change.
A core element of the program is aligning GCAM’s financing practices with international climate finance norms, a step expected to improve the bank’s access to global climate finance while enhancing transparency and impact reporting.
Expanding Morocco’s leadership in green finance
Achraf Tarsim, Country Manager for Morocco at the African Development Bank Group, spoke at the launch, highlighting the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s green finance landscape.
“This partnership between the African Development Bank Group and Crédit Agricole du Maroc Group confirms the ability of African institutions to play a strategic role in financing ambitious climate projects,” Tarsim said. “With impactful structural achievements, Morocco has consolidated its position as a benchmark country for green finance across the continent.”
Morocco has increased investments in renewable energy, water security and climate-resilient infrastructure in recent years, establishing itself as a regional leader in implementing sustainable finance and climate policies.
Expansion of GCAM’s green finance obligations
For GCAM, this program is an important step in expanding its traditional focus beyond agriculture and rural finance. Mustafa Cehar, deputy general manager of Crédit Agricole du Maroc Group, said this initiative strengthens the bank’s strategic evolution.
“Through this initiative, Crédit Agricole du Maroc Group is strengthening its leadership in green finance and gradually expanding its sphere of intervention beyond agriculture, agribusiness and the rural world,” said Mr. Céhal. “We will also support investments in strategic areas such as resilient infrastructure and connectivity to support climate change and Morocco’s sustainable development.”
This expansion is expected to strengthen the Bank’s role in financing large-scale climate projects with long-term economic and social benefits.
Accelerating climate change efforts and mobilizing capital
The program will also directly contribute to Morocco’s compliance with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The initiative aims to unlock international climate finance and attract private capital to transformative, climate-resilient infrastructure and development projects by strengthening the alignment of national financial flows with climate change priorities.
Additionally, this technical assistance is in line with African Development Bank Group President Dr. Sidi Ould Tah’s Four Fundamentals, which focus on mobilizing Africa’s financial resources, reforming and strengthening financial systems, leveraging population growth, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure that delivers tangible development benefits.
long-standing partnership
The new program builds on decades of cooperation between Morocco and the African Development Bank Group. Since 1978, the World Bank Group has mobilized nearly €15 billion to finance more than 150 projects and programs across the country. These interventions span key areas such as transport, social protection, water and sanitation, energy, agriculture, governance and finance.
As Morocco grapples with climate change, the partnership between AfDB and GCAM is expected to play a key role in expanding green finance solutions and strengthening the country’s position as the continent’s reference point for sustainable and climate-resilient development.
