Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP/GEF Project “Strengthening Endogenous Capacities of Least Developed Countries to Access Finance for Climate Change Adaptation” GEF ID 10525 (2021-2025)

This report evaluates the UNEP/GEF project “Strengthening Endogenous Capacities of Least Developed Countries to Access Finance for Climate Change Adaptation” (GEF ID 10525), implemented from December 2021 to June 2025. The project aimed to improve LDCs' ability to implement climate adaptation by fostering technical services for project development, policy mainstreaming, and climate finance across 13 LUCCC member universities in Africa and Asia. The evaluation assessed relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, gathering data through field visits in Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, over seventy Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and document reviews. The evidence was analysed against a reconstructed Theory of Change. The project received an overall Satisfactory rating. Key findings include: (i) UNILEAD validated an innovative university-embedded think tank model for climate finance, with three of four outcomes achieved or exceeded; (ii) 423 people were trained (target 300), 13 demand-led technical outputs were delivered (target 12), and co-financing exceeded plans by 17%; (iii) sustainability is rated Unlikely mainly due to unsigned government MoUs, unproven fee-for-services model, and lack of transition funding for the four think tanks. Main recommendations for UNEP include formalizing MoUs within six months, mobilizing at least USD 200,000 in seed funding, and designing UNILEAD 2.0 with a two-step model and sufficient budget. Implementing parties should embed GESI requirements from the start, apply milestone-based due diligence to partners, develop a climate finance project repository on WeAdapt, and create succession plans to mitigate key-person risks.