Seychelles attends GEF assembly in Mexico |04 June 2014

Seychelles was represented at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly which took place last week in Cancun, Mexico.

Thie Assembly followed the 46th GEF council meeting where major decisions were taken. These included the launching of the new GEF 2020 strategy and the approval of a $230 million work programme that together with previous investments during 2010 -2014 will total $3.7 billion directed towards the protection of the global environment.

The strategy puts a focus on addressing the drivers of environmental degradation, using new instruments to engage the private sector on working to achieve impact at scale, and creating synergies with existing and new development partners.

The GEF council also approved the adoption of various amendments to the GEF instrument including its function as a financing mechanism for the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

All these were put forward for endorsement by the member states taking part in the 5th GEF Assembly.

Seychelles was represented by the Minister for Environment and Energy Professor Rolph Payet and Didier Dogley, the National GEF Operational Focal Point for Seychelles.

During the meeting Minister Payet held discussions with Dr Naoko Ishi, the GEF chief executive, three directors of UNDP GEF programme and various senior representatives of multilateral agencies and international NGOs.

He was also a panelist in the side event on adaptation to climate change and several high level panel meetings.

Delegates from around the world representing donor and recipient countries, private sector and non-governmental organisations attended and took part in the Assembly.

The Assembly also reviewed GEF performance during last four years, during which the 5th GEF operational programme was implemented. For GEF operational Programme 6, it is expected that countries may expect similar allocation of financial resources as in GEF 5, although there might be a significant higher allocation for least developed countries.

It must be highlighted that Seychelles has already committed all the US $7.61 million allocated to it by GEF under GEF 5, making it one of the most successful countries in Africa.

Unfortunately, the work on the allocation of funds to countries for the next four years under GEF 6 had not been finalised prior to the conference in Cancun, therefore no announcement was made during the Assembly on the GEF 6 country allocation.

The GEF is a partnership for international cooperation where 183 countries work together with international institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector, to address global environmental issues.  

Set up in 1991 the GEF has become the most important financing organisation for beneficiary countries wishing to contribute towards tackling the global environment challenges at the national and regional level.

It has financed over 3,690 projects in 165 developing countries amounting to more than US $12.5 billion in grants.

For 23 years, developed and developing countries alike have provided these funds to support activities related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, and chemicals and waste in the context of development projects and programmes. Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP) the GEF has made more than 20,000 grants to civil society and community based organisations for a total of US $1 billion.