On April 13-15, 2025, ten governorates and local authorities from across Egypt gathered in Luxor, Egypt, for an intensive training session on climate finance and the early-stage project preparation of climate projects. Organized by the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM)–Gap Fund Partnership in collaboration with the Clima-Med/Covenant of Mayors for the Mediterranean (CoM Med) projects, and with the support from the Egyptian Ministry of Local Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this event aimed to provide practical tools and expert support to help governorates shape their climate project ideas into compelling, finance-ready Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the City Climate Finance Gap Fund (Gap Fund) as well as to promote climate action planning.

Over two days, the training brought together the Governor of Qena, the Assistant Governors of Luxor and Aswan, prominent representatives from ministries, technical and financial experts from eight Governorates, including Luxor, Aswan, Qena, Minya, Damietta, Alexandria, Beheira, Red Sea, the 6th of October City Authority, the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA), and international partners. The goal was to support project development in key sectors, including solid waste management, urban mobility, and climate adaptation and resilience. The program combined technical presentations, case studies, and hands-on working sessions, allowing governorate representatives to structure their project ideas into pitches for potential donors, enabling participants to refine their project concepts and receive real-time expert feedback.