PROJECT BRIEF

1. Identifiers

Project Number
Project Name / GEF National Consultative Dialogue Initiative
Duration / 4 years
Implementing Agency / UNDP [*]
Executing Agency / UNOPS
Requesting Country / Global
Eligibility / GEF recipient countries
GEF Focal Area / Biodiversity, Climate Change, International Waters, Land Degradation, Persistent Organic Pollutants
GEF Programming Framework / Cutting across all Operational Programmes

2. Summary

This project seeks to continue and enhance the efforts of the GEF to: (i) promote in-depth understanding of the GEF’s strategic directions, policies and procedures; (ii) strengthen country coordination and ownership in GEF operations and share lessons learned from project implementation, and (iii) achieve greater mainstreaming of GEF activities into national planning frameworks and coordination and synergies amongst the GEF focal areas and convention issues at the national level. The project will also contribute to strengthening the capacity of national focal points. The project will be organized over a four-year period as a collaborative process between the GEF National Focal Points, the GEF Secretariat and the Implementing Agencies. The project will provide financing and a management structure for the planning and execution of multi-stakeholder consultations at the sub-regional level during its first year and at the country level in years two to four. The design of the project takes into account recommendations directly relevant to the Country Dialogue Workshops from the GEF Assembly (Beijing Declaration), the Third Replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund, and the Second Overall Performance Study (OPS2).

3. Costs and Financing (US$)

GEF: / - Project : / 5,209,600 US$
[administrative cost[((]*] : / 565,300 US$
- PDF : / 0 US$
Subtotal GEF : / 5,774,900 US$
Co-Financing: / Government / 249,000 US$
Subtotal co-financing / 249,000 US$
Total Project Cost: / 6,023,900 US$

4. Associated Financing (US$): N/A

5. Operational Focal Point Endorsement: The endorsement of the political and operational focal points will be obtained for each national consultation, meeting and/or workshop

6. Implementing Agency Contact

Stephen Gold, GEF CDW Programme Coordinator

UNDP/GEF

304 East 45th Street, FF-954

New York NY 10017

Tel: (212) 906-5452

Fax: (212) 906-5998

E-mail:


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Project Summary 3

2. PROJECT RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES 4

3. Project Activities 6

Summary of Components 1 and 2 6

Sub-Regional Consultations 7

Preparations for Component 2 (years two-four) 8

Component II - years two to four: 8

GEF Country Dialogue Consultations 8

Design of GEF Country Dialogue Consultations 9

4. Risks and Sustainability 11

5. Stakeholders Participation & Implementation Arrangements 12

Stakeholders Participation 12

Implementation Arrangements 12

8. Monitoring and Evaluation 17

1. Project Summary

  1. The GEF has financed two predecessor projects to this one. The first, a PDF C project provided US$560,000 in GEF financing for the three Implementing Agencies, in consultation with the GEF Secretariat, to organize project development workshop at the country level to assist countries to understand GEF procedures for project development. The second, the GEF Country Dialogue Workshops approved in 1999, provided financing for up to 50 country dialogue workshops to build country coordination and capacity and to promote awareness-building by means of country level participatory workshops. An independent evaluation of the project was completed in October 2002.
  2. This GEF National Consultative Dialogue Initiative builds upon this previous experience and lessons learned and seeks to continue the efforts of the GEF to (i) promote in-depth understanding of the GEF’s strategic directions, policies and procedures; (ii) strengthen country coordination and ownership in GEF operations and share lessons learned from project implementation; and (iii) achieve greater mainstreaming of GEF activities into national planning frameworks (such as national sustainable development strategies and poverty reduction strategies) and greater coordination and synergies amongst the GEF focal areas and convention issues at the national level. The project will provide financing and a management structure for the planning and execution of multi-stakeholder consultations at the sub-regional and country level.
  3. The project is structured in two principal phases or components. The first component is expected to be one year in duration and will focus on a series of sub-regional consultations with the national GEF focal points and other stakeholders. The main objectives of this first component are to inform all GEF Participating recipient countries of the recommendations and decisions of the GEF Council and Assembly regarding GEF strategic priorities, business planning, policies and procedures. The sub-regional consultations will also provide an opportunity to seek country inputs into the design of the second component of the project, which will focus on national level consultations. During the three-year period of the second component, up to 45 multi-stakeholder national level consultations will be conducted. These national consultations will be tailored to each country’s needs. The design and implementation modalities of the sub-regional and national consultations are outlined in section 3, ‘Project Activities’, section 5 ‘Stakeholder and Implementation Arrangements’ and in Annex A.
  4. The implementation of the project will take fully into account the evolving policy environment of the GEF. In particular, it is expected that the project will serve as one tool under a comprehensive and strategic response to the recommendations of the Second GEF Assembly, the Third Replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund and the Second Overall Performance Study of the GEF concerning strengthened country involvement and ownership and capacity building for national focal points. The design of the project builds on the recommendations made in the GEF CDW Independent Evaluation completed at the end of 2002.

2.  PROJECT RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Project Rationale

  1. The engagement of various national stakeholders in a targeted dialogue on the GEF activities at the national level through the CDW initiative was recognized by the CDW independent evaluation as an effective tool for better engaging national governments and other national stakeholders in the GEF process.
  2. The following excerpts highlight recommendations of the GEF Assembly, the Third Replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund, and the Second Overall Performance Study (OPS2) relevant to GEF efforts to strengthen communication and dialogue at the country level.

Assembly:

  1. Country drivenness and country ownership are essential to the success of GEF activities. GEF activities should be consistent with national priorities and integrated into national planning frameworks, such as national sustainable development strategies and poverty reductions strategies. The GEF should consult with each country on the range of operational tools and programming options developed for accessing GEF assistance so as to tap the most appropriate tools to address needs and enhance performance and effectiveness.
  2. The GEF should continue to enhance its partnership with civil society, including nongovernmental organizations, local communities and indigenous peoples’ organizations at the country level.
  3. National operational focal points should be strengthened to effectively carry out their responsibilities in the GEF.

Summary of Recommendations on the Third Replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund:

  1. In addressing specific country needs, Participants recommend that the GEF, through country and regional dialogue workshops and the Implementing Agencies’ country programming efforts, consult with the country on the range of operational tools policies and procedures that have been developed for accessing GEF assistance with a view to using the most appropriate tools to address the county needs and to enhance performance and effectiveness at the country level.

Second Overall Performance Study (OPS2)

  1. The Second Overall Performance Study notes the importance for the GEF to ensure that its operational policies and procedures are clearly understood by national policymakers and project planners. The study recommends that the GEF provide assistance to the operational focal points to become more effective to ensure that projects achieve positive global environmental results and impacts and at the same time strongly support national development policies.

12.  The OPS2 refers to the Country Dialogue Workshops and notes that these workshops were particularly appreciated in all countries the OPS2 team visited. The Study notes that apart from contributing to raising awareness about the GEF, the workshops seem to also be effective as a forum to provide specific information to stakeholders on GEF functions and policies. OPS2 mentions that there seems to be broad consensus that the GEF should consider holding repeat workshops at regular intervals in each country.

Agreed roles and responsibilities of the GEF entities approved by the Council:

  1. As reported to the GEF Council, in February 2002 the GEF Secretariat and Implementing Agencies met and agreed on the respective lead roles and responsibilities of the GEF entities with a view to enhancing the partnership and interactions among the GEF entities as well as their interactions with countries and executing agencies.
  2. In this context, it was agreed that the GEF Secretariat will take the lead in coordinating dialogue with countries and other stakeholders at the national, sub regional and regional level. It was also agreed that this could best be executed through a strategic partnership with UNDP, where UNDP will organize multi-stakeholder consultations at the national level, in partnership with the national focal points.
  3. It was also agreed that the Implementing Agencies will continue to exercise the lead role in programming at the country level, undertaking country dialogue on mainstreaming GEF operations within overall country programming and on sector policies, and in supporting countries in the development of projects, as well as the supervision and evaluation of GEF projects. In this context, the national consultations will be organized so as to supplement the Implementing Agencies' efforts at the country level by providing a forum for dissemination of findings arising from GEF activities in the country to a wider group of stakeholders.

Project Objectives

  1. The GEF Country Dialogue project will have the following immediate objectives:

(a)  To promote in-depth understanding of the GEF’s strategic priorities, business plan, policies and procedures, including the range of operational tools that have been developed for accessing GEF assistance, and to share lessons learned from GEF project implementation reviews

(b)  To conduct a dialogue with national stakeholders on national strategies, processes and implementation challenges related to global environmental issues

(c)  To seek country inputs into the design of national level consultations to be conducted during years two to four of the project

(d)  To continue strengthening country coordination and engagement in GEF activities by promoting at the national level coordination among multiple stakeholders and synergies amongst the GEF focal areas and convention issues

(e)  To support the efforts of countries and the Implementing Agencies to mainstream GEF activities into national planning frameworks, such as national sustainable development strategies and poverty reduction strategies

3.  Project Activities

Summary of Components 1 and 2

Component I – year one:
Regional Consultations and preparation for Component 2

Sub-Regional Consultations

  1. Activity during the first year will focus on consultations with GEF national focal points in recipient Participant countries as a means to immediately engage all countries in understanding the strategic priorities and operational modalities of the GEF. These consultations will also be a vehicle to solicit the countries views on the design and scope of country level consultations during the second component of the project. This period can also be used to prepare, in consultation with the Implementing Agencies, material for the consultations to be organized during Component 2 of the project.
  2. Eleven sub-regional meetings, primarily organized around constituency groupings, are foreseen in the first year as follows:

a)  4 for Africa (two Francophone, two Anglophone)

b)  1 for Eastern Europe

c)  1 for Caribbean

d)  2 for Latin America

e)  1 for Western and Southern Asia

f)  1 for Eastern Asia and China

g)  1 for Pacific Island states, Indonesia, Philippines

  1. Some of these sub-regional meetings may be combined or countries may be invited to a meeting in a neighboring sub-region when warranted by efficiency, cost-effectiveness and language requirements.
  2. Two government participants will be invited to the sub-regional meetings from each country – the GEF operational focal point and the GEF political focal point. Non-government representatives and other stakeholders will also be invited to participate. In identifying representatives from NGOs, the GEF NGO network will be consulted.
  3. The sub-regional consultations will be chaired by the GEF Secretariat and will be managed jointly by the Secretariat and the Project Coordination Unit (PCU), in consultation with the Implementing Agencies. Representatives of the Executing Agencies will also be invited to attend the consultations.
  4. Development and updating of materials for the sub-regional consultations as well as the national consultations will be an ongoing and dynamic process undertaken during the four-year cycle of the project in response to country requirements and the evolution of the GEF.
  5. All materials will be translated into English, French, and Spanish. Other language translations may be undertaken on a case-by-case basis to facilitate the dialogue between the GEF partners and participating countries.

Preparations for Component 2 (years two-four)

  1. The sub-regional consultations to be carried out during the first year will provide critical input into the design and organization of the national level consultations to be convened in years two to four of the project.
  2. During the first year, the GEF Secretariat and the PCU, in consultation with the Implementing Agencies, and taking into account the feedback provided by countries during the sub-regional consultations, will develop criteria for selection of countries to host the country based consultations during years two to four. Such criteria will take into account, though not be limited to, the following[1]:

(a) Participation in the GEF and eligibility for GEF financing

(b) Participation in previous workshops under the two predecessor projects

(c) Strategic directions and other policies approved by the GEF Council

(d) Interest to engage in a dialogue on strategic and critical priorities at the country level

(e) Extent of challenges faced by the country in implementing their commitments under the conventions

(f) Transparent and inclusive nature of GEF coordinating structure in the country and/or potential to further the dialogue on the instigation of such a structure

(g) Demonstration of high level of commitment by government through the GEF focal point to assist with consultation planning and organization

(h) Demonstration of commitment by the focal point to involve further in the national dialogue non-traditional economic development actors