National liaisons to the Santiago network Secretariat play an important role in ensuring that technical assistance provided through the network aligns with national priorities. These national liaisons act as a bridge between the Santiago network Secretariat and their respective countries, facilitating effective communication and collaboration.
In accordance with decision 12/CMA.4 endorsed by decision 11/CP.27, Parties are invited to inform the Santiago network Secretariat of their liaison to the Santiago network Secretariat, as appropriate for their national circumstances, to support alignment of technical assistance through the Santiago network with national priorities. Following on this, a letter was sent by the Secretariat to national focal points of Parties to the UNFCCC in January 2025 further inviting them to nominate their liaisons.
A current list of national liaisons is available below. Parties are invited to continue to share their designated national liaisons with the Secretariat, as appropriate for their national circumstances, through their UNFCCC national focal point, on an ongoing basis.
As outlined in the Santiago network guidelines and procedures for responding to requests for technical assistance, in cases where a national liaison has not been identified, the national UNFCCC focal point will be the contact point.
The Santiago network guidelines and procedures for responding to requests for technical assistance outline, in section 2.3, the role of the national liaisons to the Santiago network Secretariat, or, in cases where a national liaison has not been identified, national UNFCCC focal points, including for:
(i) Aligning requests for technical assistance at national, regional, and local levels with national priorities of the country, and
(ii) Receiving information from and communicating with the Santiago network.
By fostering strong engagement with national liaisons, the Santiago network can enhance its impact and better support countries by delivering context-specific technical assistance.
In accordance with the technical assistance guidelines, national liaisons to the Santiago network or, in cases where a national liaison has not been identified, national UNFCCC focal points, are consulted by the Santiago network Secretariat on technical assistance requests seeking endorsement on a no-objection basis.
In line with the preferred country-driven process, it is recommended that proponents of requests for technical assistance consult with their liaisons or other duly recognized national coordination mechanisms, and, where appropriate, with other relevant actors, in order to facilitate alignment and synergy and avoid duplication.
| Country | Person | Ministry/Organization | Position | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | Mr Matthias Bachmann | Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs | Senior Policy Advisor | matthias.bachmann@eda.admin.ch | |
| The Bahamas | Mrs Rochelle Newbold | Office of The Prime Minister in The Bahamas | Climate Change and Environmnetal Advisory Unit | Rochellenewbold@bahamas.gov.bs | +242 702 5506 |
| The Gambia | Mr Momodou B.K Ceesay | National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) | Director of Operation | momodoubkceesay@gmail.com | +220 7318870 |
| Türkiye | Mr Ömer Öztürk | Department of Adaptation to Climate Change and Local Policies | Climate Change Expert | omer.ozturk@iklim.gov.tr | +905 0650 58806 |
| Vanuatu | Ms Paulianne Basil | Department of Climate Change | Senior Adaptation Officer | pbasil@vanuatu.gov.vu | |
| Mr Brian Maltera | Department of Climate Change | Loss & Damage Advisor | maltera1995@gmail.com | ||
| Ms Florence Iautu | National Advisory Board on Climate Change and Disaster Risk reduction | Strategic Manager | fiautu@vanuatu.gov.vu |