GCPF Commits EUR 12 Million Green Loan Facility to Fondi BESA in Albania

Zurich / Tirana, 11 February 2026 – The Global Climate Partnership Fund (GCPF) has signed a senior unsecured EUR 12 million green loan facility with Fondi BESA, Albania’s largest regulated non-banking microfinance institution. The facility aims to support the expansion of green lending to households and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), strengthening access to energy-efficiency and renewable energy investments in a market where dedicated green finance remains nascent. The transaction is part of GCPF’s climate-focused blended finance strategy and is advised by Swiss impact asset manager responsAbility Investments AG.

Expanding access to green finance for households and MSMEs

In Albania, MSMEs and households often face limited access to structured green-lending programs, despite growing interest in energy-efficient and renewable energy solutions. Through this partnership, GCPF and Fondi BESA aim to support the integration of green lending into microfinance operations, expanding access to climate finance for underserved segments of the economy.

As of mid-2025, Fondi BESA served approximately 27,500 MSME clients nationwide, playing a central role in supporting micro and small enterprises across the country. While the institution has previously financed a limited number of renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects, the partnership with GCPF is designed to help scale these efforts in a structured and systematic manner.

Financing energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions

The EUR 12 million facility is structured as Facility A (committed) of EUR 6 million and Facility B (uncommitted) of EUR 6 million, with the initial EUR 6 million disbursed in mid-December 2025. Proceeds from Facility A will be dedicated to building and expanding Fondi BESA’s green portfolio, with a focus on energy-efficiency home improvements and small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for households and MSMEs. Over the course of the partnership, the institution aims to gradually expand into additional eligible energy-efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

This collaboration is among Albania’s first structured green-finance partnerships in the microfinance sector, positioning Fondi BESA among the early movers in developing climate finance solutions for retail and MSME clients.

Supporting Albania’s energy transition

Albania’s electricity system is largely dependent on hydropower, making it highly sensitive to weather variability and rainfall patterns. Promoting energy-efficiency measures can help reduce electricity demand and reliance on imports in years of low precipitation, while distributed solar PV solutions can complement existing renewable generation capacity. With growing policy support and market interest, the country shows strong potential for residential energy-efficiency upgrades and distributed solar solutions—areas where microfinance institutions can play a key role in scaling adoption.

David Diaz Formidoni, Head of Climate Finance, Financial Institutions and Deputy Head of the Climate Finance strategy, said: “With this partnership, we are supporting Fondi BESA at an early but critical stage of its green lending journey. By combining long-term financing with a clear use-of-proceeds framework, we aim to help demonstrate that green finance can be scaled effectively through microfinance institutions, even in markets where climate finance is still at an early stage.”

Prof. Assoc. Dr. Bajram Muçaj, Executive Director of Fondi BESA, said: “This facility marks an important milestone in strengthening our institution’s role in Albania’s sustainable development. Through our partnership with responsAbility, we will expand access to energy efficient technologies and renewable energy solutions for individuals and small businesses, helping clients cut energy costs and reduce environmental impact, while advancing our strategy to build a long-term green portfolio with measurable environmental benefits and sustainable economic value.”

The transaction underscores GCPF’s commitment to supporting local financial institutions as catalysts for climate action, fostering resilient and inclusive financial ecosystems in emerging and developing markets.

About GCPF:

GCPF is a Luxembourg-based fund managed by the Swiss asset manager responsAbility Investments AG. The Fund is a public-private partnership with the primary objective of mitigating climate change through a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in developing markets. Every mitigation project that GPCF finances needs to reduce energy use or GHG emissions by at least 20%. In addition to mitigation, GCPF recently expanded into adaptation finance, and aims to support financial institutions in developing markets to become more resilient to climate risks and to finance adaptation projects in key sectors.

GCPF was established by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), KfW Entwicklungsbank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 2009. Junior catalytic capital is provided by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWK), the UK’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ), and Denmark’s development cooperation (Danida). Other private and public investors include ASN Bank, Ärzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe, FMO, OeEB, and EIB.

GCPF is classified as an Article 9 Fund under the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).

About Fondi BESA

Fondi BESA is Albania’s largest regulated non-banking microfinance institution, providing financial services to micro and small enterprises across the country. With a strong nationwide presence, the institution plays a key role in promoting financial inclusion, supporting entrepreneurship, and contributing to Albania’s economic and sustainable development.