Message from the GEF

The Third Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), hosted by the Republic of South Africa, will be held in Cape Town during August 29 to 30, 2006.

The Assembly, held once every three years, is a strategic opportunity for GEF stakeholders to meet, take stock, and collectively strengthen strategies and actions for protecting the global environment and achieving sustainable development.

Sharing knowledge, fostering improved policies, and strengthening partnerships are overarching objectives of the Assembly. As a pre-eminent forum of environment and development experts, the Assembly will attract high-level representatives from the GEF’s 176 member countries, as well as environmentalists, leading development practitioners, and participants from the private sector and civil society.

The location and timing of the Assembly are opportune. There is growing awareness that a special effort is needed for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are honored that the Republic of South Africa has graciously agreed to host the Assembly, making this the first Assembly to be held on the continent.

A series of events – symposia and technical sessions on topics and themes of contemporary significance, high-level plenary sessions, panels and roundtables, thematic exhibitions and displays, poster sessions, and site visits to top-performing environmental projects in the Cape Town region – will comprise the highlights of the Assembly. The associated meetings will begin on August 28, and the site visits will take place on August 31 and September 1, 2006.

In addition to logistical information, this booklet provides a flavor of the substantive agenda of the Third GEF Assembly, opportunities for networking, and showcasing of global best practices in environmental protection. For the latest information on the Assembly, please visit www.theGEF.org/Assembly

On behalf of all GEF partners, we look forward to a successful Assembly that will chart a forward-looking agenda to protect the global environment and achieve sustainable development, both in Africa and beyond.

—The GEF Secretariat