September 2007

Constituency Meetings

Council Members Hold Constituency Meetings

In general, constituency meetings aim to strengthen coordination, communication, and outreach efforts between constituency participants.  These meetings provide a forum for focal points participating in the constituency to meet and exchange information and lessons learned, as well as discuss implementation of GEF projects.  In addition, constituency meetings provide an opportunity for participants to meet prior to Council meetings to develop constituency positions with regard to issues under consideration by the Council and to ensure that constituency views are reflected in Council deliberations.

Switzerland Hosts Constituency Meeting

Council Member, Ambassador Thomas Kolly of Switzerland, hosted a meeting for the constituency comprising Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.  This meeting, which was held in Berne, Switzerland on June 7, 2007, presented an opportunity for focal points from the countries to interact and talk about constituency matters. They also discussed proposed policies that were to be submitted to the June 2007 Council.

Thailand Hosts Constituency Meeting

The constituency representing Cambodia, DPR Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam at the GEF Council held a constituency meeting on  June 4-5, 2007 in Bangkok Thailand.  Thailand’s Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, Council Member, and Operational Focal Point Mr. Pettipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya hosted the meeting.

The objective of the meeting was to provide an opportunity for GEF focal points from the constituency to reach agreement on the constituency’s policy position for the June Council. The meeting also provided an opportunity for the participants to: share experiences in integrating the GEF into their national sustainable development plans; identify national GEF strategies; enhance GEF country and constituency coordination; and learn how to use resources available to focal points.  The participants also took the opportunity to benefit from bilateral sessions between several countries, the GEF Secretariat, and GEF agencies.