April 2008

   Country Support Program News

Support available to GEF National Focal Points

In GEF 4, several sources of support are available to GEF Focal Points to help them strengthen their country’s participation in the GEF.  These include the following:

GEF National Dialogues:  The GEF National Dialogue Initiative continues to assist up to 12 countries per year in organizing and undertaking national multi-stakeholder dialogues on GEF and global environmental issues. The dialogues, designed to respond to specific country needs and challenges, have helped increase awareness of global environmental issues, strengthen linkages and partnerships among key environmental actors and achieve consensus on the way forward on priority topics.

More information on National Dialogues is available at:

http://www.gefcountrysupport.org/report_detail.cfm?projectId=164

Direct Annual Support for GEF Focal Points: Annual funding of $8,000 is made available by the GEF to support Focal Points in outreach and awareness-raising, consultations with stakeholders, and development of databases and other activities to improve tracking of the GEF portfolio and pipeline at the country level.

More information on Direct Annual Funding is available at:

http://www.gefcountrysupport.org/report_detail.cfm?projectId=161   

Sub-regional Exchange Workshops for GEF Focal Points:  The Country Support Program (CSP) organizes a series of Sub-Regional Exchange Workshops for GEF Focal Points annually. The workshops bring together GEF Operational and Political Focal Points along with representatives of the GEF Secretariat and Agencies to discuss current issues and policies of the GEF in relation to the needs and priorities of countries in the region. 

More information on the Sub-Regional Workshops, including presented materials and documents and workshop reports, is available at: http://www.gefcountrysupport.org/report_detail.cfm?projectId=162   

CSP Knowledge Facility: The Country Support Program manages a web-based Knowledge Facility targeted at meeting the knowledge needs of GEF Focal Points.  The Knowledge Facility (www.gefcountrysupport.org) was launched in May 2007 and provides several key features, including: updated information on the GEF’s policies and procedures, knowledge materials targeted to needs of Focal Points, information on sources of support for GEF Focal Points and guidance on how to access such support. 

For more information on the Knowledge Facility and its features please visit the site: www.gefcountrysupport.org

For more information, please contact: Tehmina Akhtar, Knowledge Management Advisor, GEF Dialogue Initiative and Country Support Programme,