Melissa Kerim

2026-2027 Obama Foundation Africa Leader

Headshot of Melissa Kerim, 2026-2027 Obama Foundation Africa Leader

Regional Lead for Africa, City Climate Finance Gap Fund

Togo

Melissa Kerim is the regional lead for Africa at the City Climate Finance Gap Fund with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy where she connects municipalities, public development banks, and international partners to prepare sustainable and equitable urban investments. As an urban finance and climate specialist working to strengthen the ability of African cities to shape and finance their own development priorities, she has trained over 400 city representatives and supported the development of over 130 climate project concepts across the continent. Her vision is to help shift African cities from being recipients of global solutions to becoming influential voices in the design of climate policies, financing models, and urban transitions.

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