Board
The Global Shield Board assumes political and strategic oversight over the Global Shield against Climate Risks and provides overall guidance to the Global Shield.
Co-Chairs
The Global Shield has two Co-Chair Countries. One Co-Chair represents the views of vulnerable countries, and one Co-Chair those of supporting countries. They chair both the Global Shield Board (ministerial level) and the Global Shield Coordination Hub (technical level) and guide the Global Shield Secretariat.
Hon. Ryan Ricardo Straughn
Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment, Barbados
Dr. Bärbel Kofler
Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
Read full bio
Your Subtitle Goes Here
The Honourable Ryan Straughn, M.P. is a current Member of parliament, Barbadian economist, politician, and Cabinet Minister in Barbados.
He is one of the key architects of the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation programme, which has turned economic calamity into economic opportunity. As Minister responsible for Finance and Economic Affairs in Barbados, he has brought about a significant improvement in the management of the public finances to achieve all the targets set under the BERT programme, which has resulted in the boosting of confidence amongst consumers, businesses and investors in Barbados.
Professionally, Minister Straughn has served as a Central Bank of Barbados economist, as the President of the Barbados Economics Society and as Chair of the Trade and Economic Policy Committee at the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Read full bio
Your Subtitle Goes Here
Dr. Bärbel Kofler is Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, Svenja Schulze. She has been a Member of the German Bundestag since 2004, where she served for a time as the Social Democratic Party’s Spokesperson on Development Policy and as a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. From March 2016 to December 2021, she was Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Assistance at the Federal Foreign Office. Dr. Bärbel Kofler holds university degrees in linguistics, Russian and Spanish (Salzburg University) as well as in computer science (Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences).
Board Members
The Global Shield Board consists of the following representatives on ministerial level, chaired by two Co-Chairs:
5 Representatives from Vulnerable Countries
Including representation from Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. Non-V20 members/incoming V20 members are eligible subject to interest in the Global Shield.
5 Representatives from Supporting Countries
Providing financial, in-kind or political support to the Global Shield Board. They are not eligible for Global Shield protection packages.
2 Representatives from Civil Society Organisations
Acting as active observers with rotating seats.
3 Representatives from Global Shield Financing Vehicles
Acting as observers.
Global Shield Solutions Platform
Global Shield Financing Facility
