Kawtar Zerouali

Kawtar Zerouali serves as the Global Lead for Nature and Climate at the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), where she oversees UNCDF’s global Nature and Climate Portfolio. In this capacity, she leads efforts to operationalize UNCDF’s mandate to leverage blended finance and local development finance for nature-positive, climate-resilient economies in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and fragile contexts.
Her work focuses on mobilizing public and private investment toward sustainable food systems, renewable energy, forestry, and ecosystem restoration, anchoring these efforts within UNCDF’s broader ambition to increase nature and climate finance flows to LDCs, as well as align local finance with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
Kawtar brings over two decades of experience in international development and systems transformation, with previous leadership roles spanning Africa and the Arab States. Her expertise bridges gender equality, youth empowerment, financial inclusion, and social innovation, consistently applying an integrated approach to sustainable development.
Kawtar is a Moroccan national, is fluent in French, Arabic and English, and holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Management and Sustainable Development.