GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY (Nov. 19 revision)

PDF –B proposal

Country: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone and Togo

Focal Area: International Waters

Operational

Programme: Integrated Land &Water (OP # 9)

Project Title: Combating coastal area degradation and living resources depletion in the Guinea Current LME through regional actions

Short title: Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project

Funding Requested: US $ 287,280

Co-funding: US $ 225,000 by National governments

US $ 55,000 by UNIDO

US $ 45,000 by US-NOAA

US $ 25,000 by AFDB

US $ 10,000 by OAU (STRC)

US $ 15,000 by IOC-UNESCO

US $ 10,000 by IUCN

US $ 54,000 by Abidjan Convention Secretariat

US $ 24,000 by UNEP

US $ 10,000 by UNDP

Requesting Agency: UNDP and UNEP in cooperation with the Secretariat for the Abidjan Convention.

Executing Agency: UNIDO

Block: Block B

Block A Grant

Awarded: No.

Block B Grant

Awarded: Yes (EG/RAF 00G41/A/1G/37, for preliminary examination of priorities and demonstration projects)

Project Duration: 6 months (January 2003 to June 2003).

Full Project Summary

During the intervening 5 years since completion of the first phase of the project, conditions in the GCLME have worsened. The unrestricted activities of global industrialized fisheries are encroaching on the artisanal fisheries of the GCLME, placing at risk food security and economic returns from fisheries for the people of the region (UNIDO, 2002). In recognition of the growing need for restoration of damaged LMEs around the world, the World Summit on sustainable Development adopted goals and targets relative to the GCLME. The Summit agreed to 2015 as a target date for the restoration of depleted fish stocks. The Summit also endorsed movement toward the ecosystems approach to the assessment and management of natural resources. The full Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME) Project is an ecosystem-based effort to assist countries adjacent to the Guinea Current ecosystem to achieve environmental and resource sustainability. This would be accomplished by shifting from short-term sector-by-sector driven management approach to a long-term integrated perspective, and from managing commodities to sustaining the production potential for ecosystem-wide goods and services. The GEF Pilot Phase included a five (later six) country GOG-LME project, completed in November 1999. The intent of a separate, new project is to extend the Gulf of Guinea LME project from 6 to 16 countries (Annex 1), all of which border on the Guinea Current LME. The new project would assist these 16 countries in making changes in the ways that human activities are conducted in the different sectors to ensure that the GCLME and its multi-country drainage basins can sustainably support the socio-economic development of the region. A project goal is to build capacity of Guinea Current countries to work jointly to define and address transboundary priority environmental issues within the framework of their existing responsibilities under the Abidjan Convention and its Protocol. It is clear from the results of the stocktaking workshop that the participating countries endorse the need to recover depleted fish stocks, restore damaged coastal habitats, and control coastal pollution. One of the most egregious issues to be reconciled through activities supported by the project is to relieve the countries from the encroachment of displaced industrial-class vessels from EU countries that have moved into coastal areas. These are areas traditionally fished by artisinal fishermen to provide fish for food security and economic benefit to millions of west Africans inhabiting coastal communities from Guinea Bissau in the north to Angola in the south along the landward margin of the guinea current LME.

The full project that will be prepared from the PDF-B/2 activities will be designed to enable national and regional policies and institutions for the protection and sustainable use of the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME). It will tackle the key transboundary marine environmental problems of the GCLME that are identified in the TDA, to be completed during this PDF B/2 Activity, through the completion and initial implementation of a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) and the execution of selected demonstration activities. The Stocktaking Workshop under the PDF B/1 provided the "Umbrella" under which the sixteen countries of the project and other stakeholders established ownership of the project and achieved greater precision in the choice of a set of national and regional demonstration projects, using the 5 LME operational strategies (productivity, fish and fisheries and other living resources, pollution and ecosystem health, socio-economics, and governance), that would be implemented as priority actions during the full project phase enabling the original six project countries to rapidly address immediate transboundary priorities identified from the Pilot Phase Gulf of Guinea Project. Because of the political complexity of the region (16 GEF Eligible developing states), it is proposed to base the strategy on the following basic interrelated approaches:

(1) Region-wide actions to ensure the participative development and implementation of a Strategic Action Programme (SAP). This will follow the paradigm of adaptive management within boundaries defined by the LME and its coastal zone. The full project will support (a) completion of the SAP on the basis of full stakeholder consultations and the results of the joint fact finding (TDA) exercise, (b) capacity building to ensure long-term regional coordination of the SAP implementation through regional institution mechanisms to be determined by the countries during the PDF B/2 (c) development and initial application of a comprehensive set of process, stress reduction and environmental and living resource status indicators to monitor and assess progress in SAP implementation, and (d) identification of national and international funding mechanisms to support the sustainable implementation of the SAP and the application of the indicators.

(2) Development of a project portfolio through clearly agreed criteria for prioritizing demonstration projects within the GCLME and conducting a benefit/cost for all demonstration activities.

(3) Implementation and monitoring of at least six national and 3 regional replicable pilot activities, addressing priority transboundary environmental and resource management problems and/or globally significant biodiversity issues highlighted in the TDA. These initial set of country and regional demonstration activities will be defined by the PDF-B/2 following strict criteria for co-financing, incrementality, replicability and sustainability and will be included in the Project Document. Following their successful implementation, it is proposed to gradually extend this approach through the region subject to available funding sources.

(4) A Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities (LBA) would be developed in conjunction with the UNEP GPA Office. The programme of Action will be based on National Plans of Actions that will assist the countries of the region to initiate the development and implementation of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention.

In Summary, the specific objectives of the full project are:

(a) Establishment and consolidation of regional and national consultative and coordination mechanisms for the cooperative and integrated management of the environment and living resources of the GCLME;

(b) The completion of a Strategic Action Programme within the first six months of the project and its subsequent implementation;

(d) In accordance with (c) the implementation of 6 national and 3 regional demonstration projects within the 5 operational modules of the LME approach;

(e) Formulation and implementation of a Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities based on National Plans of Action to enable development and implementation of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention before the end of the project (A detailed summary of the proposed 6 national and 3 regional demonstration projects is included as Annex 4b).

The project approach will extend the introduction of ecosystem-based assessment and management from the areas adjacent to the countries that participated in the Pilot Phase, to the full extent of the Guinea Current LME, from Guinea-Bissau in the north-west, to Angola in the south. The proposed demonstration projects will contribute directly to the implementation of the Pilot Phase Project modular approach to ecosystem productivity, fish and fisheries and other living resources, pollution and ecosystem health, socio-economics, and governance. The projects will also contribute and facilitate the NEPAD’s Environmental Action Plan implementation as well as to contribute strongly to the revitalization of the Abidjan Conventions by bringing harmonized environmental management efforts in combination with economic development and poverty alleviation.

A two-prone approach will be adopted during project implementation. This involves the simultaneous execution of the 6 national demo projects in the initial 6 pilot phase countries that had undertaken a preliminary TDA and the establishment and consolidation of national structures (inter-ministerial committees) in the 10 new countries to coordinate their participation in the identification of suitable national demos during the completion of the full 16- country TDA. Through the work of the country inter-ministerial committees and the National Scientific and Technical Task Teams in the definition of priority environment issues and problems in the 10 additional countries and formulation of national management strategies, the countries will be brought at par with the initial 6 pilot phase countries. Additionally, through the implementation of 3 regional demo projects involving the full 16 countries, all the countries will be brought to the same level of preparedness to undertake ecosystem based management actions for the sustainability of the entire GCLME.

The project will maintain close linkages with mechanisms developed to address land and water-related environmental issues in the major river basins draining to the LME (Volta, Niger) and the neighbouring GEF International Waters projects (Canary Current, Benguela Current). It will support the regional implementation of the Global Programme of Action for Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities, relevant components of the Abidjan Convention and those of the Accra Ministerial Declaration.

Project Outputs/Components and Expected Results

Output 1: Establishment and consolidation of regional and national consultative and coordination mechanisms for the cooperative and integrated management of the environment and living resources of the GCLME

Output 1.1 Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), requisite technical, administrative and secretarial support, and requisite public participation and communications expertise recruited and hired;

Output 1.2 The RCSC established and consolidated;

Output 1.3 The Project Steering Committee created and provision made for the conduct of its meetings;

Output 1.4 Assistance is provided to the participating countries for the creation of country specific Inter-ministerial Coordinating Committees to continue the identification of country-specific, project related priority actions in support of SAP implementation and for updating of the SAP after year four of the project.

Output 1.5 In consultation with the respective GEF country focal points, other government officials as necessary, and the UNDP & UNIDO Country Offices, a Lead Agency is designated for each participating country and a senior official is named to assume leadership of project activities and represent the participating country in meetings of the Project Steering Committee (PSC); and

Output 1.6 Assistance provided to the participating countries for the coordination of communication with other, related GEF projects in the Benguela Current, Canary Current, Volta and Niger River Basin Projects, Ballast Water and other GEF or comparable Large Marine Ecosystem projects at the global level. Participation in IW: LEARN and Train-Sea-Coast to facilitate inter-project sharing of best practices and lessons learned in LME and related projects.

Output 2: Completion and signing of a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Guinea Current LME by the countries

Output 2.1 Constitution of a Regional Task Team to complete formulation of the Strategic Action Programme

Output 2.2 Organization of regional Stakeholders consultations and discussions to agree on the SAP

Output 2.3 Meeting of the Council of Ministers to approve and endorse the SAP

Output 3: The implementation of 6 national and 3 regional demonstration projects within the 5 operational modules of the LME approach

Output 3.1 Organization of meetings of National and Regional Scientific and Technical Task Teams to formulate workplans and budget for the demonstration projects

Output 3.2 Implementation of demonstration projects

Output 3.3 Initiate actions leading to the recovery of depleted fish stocks, restoration of damaged habitats and control of coastal pollution

Output 3.4 Monitoring and Evaluation of progress in demo projects implementation

Output 4: Formulation and implementation of a Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities based on National Plans of Action to enable development and implementation of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention before the end of the project.

Output 4.1 Constitution of National Task Teams to formulate National Action Plans on LBA

Output 4.2 Development of National Plans of Action on Land Based Activities

Output 4.3 Constitution of Regional Task team to formulate a Regional Programme of Action based on the National Plans of Action to restore damaged habitats and control coastal pollution

Output 4.4 Completion of RPA/LBA

Output 4.5 Formulation of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention

Output 4.6 Meeting of regional stakeholders (including BCLME & CCLME countries) to review Protocol on LBA

Output 4.7 Organization of Conference of Parties of the Abidjan Convention to review and adopt new Protocol

Output 5: Strengthen cooperative assessments and understanding of environmental variability and ecosystem impacts created by environmental variability as the scientific basis for introducing management practices leading to recovery and sustainability of fish-stocks and undertake preliminary steps to restore GCLME ecosystem health and productivity.

The implementation of this output would assist the countries in reaching the some goals of the WSSD Plan of Implementation relating to ecosystem recovery and reversal of fisheries stock depletion through balancing artisanal and industrial fisheries to achieve greater food security in the region.

Output 5.1 A reduction in uncertainty and improvement in the predictability of the GCLME as a means to improve management of regional (LME) resources and the harmonization of management base on the use of common trawl survey data.;

Output 5.2 Strengthened capacity and the provision of targeted training required to effect improved management of the shared resources of the GCLME;

Output 5.3 Consultation with BCLME and CCLME on organization of joint fisheries assessment and state of pollution surveys for the entire western Africa;

Output 5.4 A program to mitigate the negative effects of eutrophication and resulting harmful algal blooms (HABS) and initiate measures to reduce marine litter;

Output 5.5 Develop measures to help prevent major oil spills as a means, inter alia, of protecting vulnerable GCLME sensitive sites;

Output 5.6 Develop specific monitoring programs and measures to address deteriorating coastal water quality;

Output 5.7 Establish an interim compact among participating countries for taking management actions to recover depleted fish stocks and ensure their sustainability.

Output 6. Support to recruit additional donors and increase the level of co-financing during project implementation.

Output 6.1 Development and implementation of a plan for continuing donor contact;

Output 6.2 Planning and implementation of 2 donor conferences, one shortly after completion and endorsement of SAP and one immediately prior to implementation of SAP;

Output 6.3 Development of donor conference reports and preparation of a strategy for ongoing GCLME finance.

Output 6.4 Completion of a strategy for improving the valuation of the goods and services of the GCLME as a basis for supporting a self-financing policy.

Expected Outcomes of full Project

The expected outcomes of the full project implementation are listed below. Whereas, the outcomes could also serve as indicators of success, indicator indices for the full project will be further elaborated during implementation of the PDF B/2:

(1) Strengthened mechanisms for country and regional consultations and coordination

(2) Completed and endorsed SAP

(3) Implementation of 6 national and 3 regional demonstration projects completed

(4) Formulated Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities and endorsement of

new Protocol for the Abidjan Convention

(5) Joint Regional Fisheries assessment and pollution surveys completed

(6) Organized donor conferences

(7) Developed and implemented actions for (1) recovery of depleted fish stocks, (2)

restoration of damaged habitats including mangroves, and (3) reduction and control of coastal pollution

(8) Established GCLME Compact for the assessment and management and sustainability of

fish and fisheries of the ecosystem.

All the above constitute the broad visions of the full project but the full details will come out of the consultations to be undertaken within the PDF B/2 implementation.

Rationale for A PDF-B/2 activity

The outstanding accomplishments of the Pilot-Phase GEF Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem (GOG LME) Project (1995 - 1999), as verified in Tri-Partite Review Reports and the Final In-Depth Evaluation, is ample proof of the catalytic and defining roles that GEF incremental funding can play. Some of the results achieved during the pilot phase include:

· adoption of Ministerial level ACCRA DECLARATION(1998) aimed at institutionalising a new ecosystem-wide paradigm consistent with GEF operational guidelines for joint actions in environmental and living resources assessment and management in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond;

· substantial progress in building regional and national water quality, productivity and fisheries assessment and management capabilities based on standardised methodologies;

· planning and implementation of 2 co-operative surveys( first in the western gulf in July/ August, 1996 and secondly in the entire Gulf, Feb/March, 1999) of demersal fish populations conducted by the 6 countries . The data, albeit limited, have served already as the basis for certain common national regulatory actions for the co-ordinated management of the fish stocks of the Gulf;

· definition of regional effluent standards based on a detailed survey of industries and recommendations made for the control and significant reduction of industrial pollution;

· deriving from the survey in (4) above, a successful campaign for reduction, recovery, recycling and re-use of industrial wastes based on the concept of the “waste stock exchange management system” was launched in Ghana as a cost effective waste management tool. The concept will be extended to other project countries;

· initiation of co-operative monitoring of the productivity of the LME using ships of opportunity. The results give indications of the carrying capacity of the ecosystem which enables projections on food security and by extension, social stability in the sub- region;

· preparation of coastal profiles for the 6 project countries, followed by the development of National Guidelines for Integrated Coastal Areas Management (ICAM) and the preparation of draft national ICAM plans which were in different stages of adoption by the end of the Pilot Phase Project.

· establishment of cross-sectorial LME committees in the participating countries consistent with the cross sectorial approach implied in integrated management.

· accelerating the creation of national and regional data-bases, using harmonised architecture, as decision making support tools.

· facilitating the establishment of a functional non-governmental organisation (NGO) regional network.

· promoting active grassroots and gender participation in discussion, decision making and interventions in environmental and resources management ;

· active collaboration arrangements with other projects and organisations in the region;

· initiation of community based mangrove restoration activities in all project countries

· successful completion of 41 training workshops with 842 participants ,416 in regional workshops and 426 in National ICAM workshops resulting in the setting up of a regional network of over 500 contactable specialists linked by electronic mail;

· development of a preliminary Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) for the Gulf of Guinea.

This PDF Block B/2 request was preceded by the allocation of a PDF Block-B/1 funds of US$ 346,500 (EG/RAF 00G41/A/1G/37). The Commanding Activity of the PDF Block-B/1 Process was the organisation of a Stocktaking Workshop, under the aegis of the Abidjan Convention for Co-operation in the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the West and Central African Region.

The bulk of the initial allocation of PDF Block-B/1 funds were used to assure the planning and successful organisation of a Stocktaking Workshop. The stocktaking objectives covered areas beyond the GCLME geographic definitions. The Workshop was designed to bring together stakeholders not only from the GCLME region but also from the CCLME region to the north and BCLME to the south in addition to representatives of some GEF projects in the greater western African coast from Mauritania to South Africa. The Stocktaking Workshop was successful in affording:

· an "umbrella" under which the 16 countries of the Project established ownership of the Project and agreed on rudimentary mechanisms for consultation and coordination

· the first platform for the various regional GEF Projects to begin the important tradition of sharing lessons learned to date through experience and on a continuing basis as the implementation of GEF assisted projects in western Africa continue.

· an opportunity to discuss the issue of potential overlap between the GCLME Project and complementary GEF Projects in western Africa in order to achieve complementarity and avoid duplication.

· Presentation of a set of Initial Assessments for the 10 new countries and updated national profiles for the 6 pilot phase countries including a regional synopsis of tranboundary issues and priorities.

· Presentation and discussion of an initial compendium of 6 country identified demonstration activities to be implemented in each of the six Pilot Phase countries and 3 regional demonstration activities that would have ecosystem wide execution (see Annex 4).

· the constitution of a GCLME-wide Steering Committee that provided guidance on the preparation of this PDF-B proposal and which will oversee subsequent phases of project development and implementation.

It was recognised up-front during the approval of the PDF Block-B/1 Activity that the financial requirement for the Stocktaking Workshop limited funding for the other tasks of preparing a 16 country TDA and Project Brief for a full project and that it was likely that a extra funds would be required to further the stakeholders "buy in" process, define national and regional demonstration project options and to complete a full scale project brief and ultimately the IAs' respective Project Documents.

1. Description of Proposed PDF-B/2 Activities by Component

1.1 Overview

This PDF-B is designed to complete a Project Brief and respective IA Project Documents complete with detailed budget, description of anticipated actions and a costed work programme for the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem TDA/SAP project, and the necessary planning and stakeholder consultations for the successful implementation of the Project. The PDF B/2 will:

(a) Complete a full Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) for the entire 16 country region and a stakeholder involvement plan,

(b) Define environmental quality objectives that will provide the first step in an adaptive management strategy for the LME to be encapsulated in the Strategic Action Programme (SAP, to be fully developed within the first six months of the full sized project, along with a comprehensive set of process, stress reduction and environmental status indicators).

(c) Fully defined set of 9 country identified replicable and sustainable national and regional activities and approved by the Steering Committee (that will make a significant contribution to resolving the priority transboundary issues and/or protecting globally significant aquatic biodiversity) and complete an analysis of their benefits, incremental costs and co-funding. These projects will facilitate early implementation of selected elements of the SAP.

(d) Develop a regional approach for a Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities (RPA/LBA) to facilitate the preparations of National Action Plans that will lead to the formulation and endorsement of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention, in conformance with an ecosystems approach to the assessment and management of the GCLME.

(e) Enable the preparation of the Project Brief and respective IA Project Documents.

(f) Develop full project activities to assist the Secretariat of the Abidjan Convention to develop the necessary capacity to coordinate and sustain implementation of the SAP following cessation of GEF support.

The strategy developed below makes optimal use of local resources and staff, as well as counterpart finance. It builds upon the achievements of the Pilot Phase project and first part of the PDF-B/1 (described in Annex 3). It also develops synergies with other multilateral and bilateral projects in the region (see also Annex 3).

1.2 Strategic approach/ PDF B/2 Activities

(a) TDA development

There has already been a major advance towards the technical basis of a TDA through the pilot phase and initial PDF-B/1 projects. Country background reports had already been prepared by National Experts with wide involvement of stakeholders and a regional synopsis including social and economic causes (including root causes) of the main identified transboundary problems prepared by the PDF B/1 Task Manager appointed by UNEP. Thus, there abound already elements of a full TDA with which regional specialists working closely with the regional consultant and country appointed experts will use to complete the full 16 country TDA.

The above needs will be met by conducting a joint fact finding study in as cost efficient manner as possible, bearing in mind that a considerable part of the work has already been completed. The cost of meetings between specialists from the 16 countries means that the number of working group meetings has to be reduced to a minimum (two meetings). It is therefore proposed to complete the stakeholder consultation through a region-wide mission of the regional consultant (see section 1.3) employing a structured methodology of interviews using open-ended questions. A summarized report from the background studies already undertaken during PDF B/1 will be used to inform the regional meeting of specialists (the TDA Task team) that will complete the full TDA including causal chain analysis and analysis of governance barriers to be overcome based upon a standard procedure developed to support the GIWA process.

During the initial GEF supported Gulf of Guinea project and the Stock Taking Workshop representatives of the participating and recipient countries reached agreement on the need for moving aggressively forward in the Guinea Current LME phase toward the recovery of depleted fish stocks restoration of damaged habitats and reduction and control of coastal pollution. The process of completing the 16 country TDA will examine related national and ecosystem-wide issues of environmental and resource sustainability from the perspective of system productivity, fish and fisheries, pollution, ecosystem health, socio-economics and governance in an effort to identify the most effective strategies for implementing actions to address these and other high priority transboundary natural resource management problems. This process will also build on the extensive work already undertaken during the pilot phase GOGLME and the just concluded GEF MSP “the African Process initiative”. The TDA to be produced through stakeholder consultation will be a consensus agreement of the 16 countries. The results of the TDA will provide the scientific and socio-economic basis for countries to address, during subsequent project phases and /or National Development Plans, the top priority transboundary issues in order to achieve greater long-term, system wide, environmental and socio-economic benefits. Collaborative work will be continued in the context of a consensus-based governance regime for ecosystem management including the establishment of a GCLME Compact for fisheries assessment and management. NGO’S, economic sector operatives, the public and all other affected stakeholders will be invited to participate in TDA formulation thereby fostering broad based involvement and support for the project. The project will provide participating countries with a science- based decision making support tool to develop changes in the way sectoral activities are conducted and allow for greater flexibility for priority interventions (policy, legal and institutional reforms) and investments to restore proper functioning of the GCLME.

These practical inputs will provide the regional specialists, regional consultant and country experts with the full components of the TDA. The work of integrating these components into a first draft will be performed by a regional expert, the Regional Consultant, and circulated for review to the Task Team. Practical details of the work plan are given in section 1.3.

(b) Agreement on Environmental Quality Objectives

Having compiled the priority problems and their intermediate and root causes, as well as the uncertainties that require further study (or precautionary action), clear intermediate and long-term environmental and living marine resource quality objectives (EQO) would be developed for the GCLME by regional technical specialists/ experts on the basis of wide consultations that would provide suggestions and alternatives. The recommended objectives will strengthen the review and definition of the proposed demonstration projects as endorsed by the Stocktaking Workshop during PDF B/1 and enable the countries to further refine the demonstration activities. The environmental quality objectives will also provide the starting point for a Strategic Action Programme of legal, policy and institutional reforms and priority investments to be developed in the full-sized project. The short-term objectives will form the first step in an adaptive management approach (an essential aspect of the SAP) designed to meet the longer-term objectives within a defined time frame. The output of this activity will be a preliminary SAP. The full SAP will be completed within the initial six months of the full project.

(c) Development of pilot demonstration activities to initiate SAP implementation

It is essential that pilot demonstration activities address one or more of the priority transboundary or globally significant biodiversity issues identified in the TDA and work towards the goals defined by the short and long term environmental quality objectives. However, there are important additional criteria as the projects must be sustainable, replicable (in the case of sub-regional or national initiatives), cost effective and supported by counterpart funding (through cost-sharing or co-financing).

PDF-B/2 funds will support regional and national Scientific/Technical Task Teams in preparing detailed costed proposals for national and regional demonstration projects including incrementality, replicability, duration, co-financing and socio-economic benefits. Concurrently, this PDF Block B process will help participating countries to strengthen, through interactions implied in the Project Proposal, policy dialogue and institutional linkages of their existing responsibilities under the Abidjan Convention The PDF B/2 will focus on developing descriptions, implementation arrangements, work-plans and budgets for each of the agreed demonstration activities, as well as defining mechanisms to support cost-effective and sustainable replication of the lessons learned from each demonstration activity. The analysis will also review the demonstration activities in relation to the recently adopted NEPAD responsibilities to determine whether other high priority demonstration activities should be implemented.

In furtherance of the African Process for the development and protection of the coastal and marine environment of Sub-Saharan Africa, an environmental component of NEPAD, and to enable early implementation of the resulting project proposals in the Programme of Intervention, the PDF B/2 would carefully consider some of these proposals for implementation as demonstration projects under the full GCLME project phase. Funds will be included under the full GCLME project phase to enable countries within the region that were not part of the initial 11 country GEF MSP under the African Process to undertake the integrated problem analysis for identification of hotspots and identification of project proposals for subsequent implementation. The integrated problem analysis (encompassing causal chain and root cause analysis) methodology as a tool for hotspot identification will also be validated during the full GCLME project phase.

There are two basic types of demonstration activities anticipated as a result of this process:

Initiatives within the coastal zone of one or more countries. These will consist of such activities as transboundary pollution prevention, control and abatement, the establishment of protected areas, and integrated coastal-zone management initiatives.
Regional initiatives covering a large part of the LME itself. These may cover such issues as holistic fisheries management, recovery of depleted fish stocks, restoration of damaged habitats including mangroves, and control of coastal pollution

During the earlier PDF-B, an initial series of demonstration projects were already identified that cover some of these types/criteria. The prior initial identification of these sites will help to design the definitive portfolio. However, it is important to examine each proposed project, both existing and new, in the context of the agreed common criteria incorporating those of the GEF. The demonstration projects mirror the principal objectives of the Pilot Phase Project and contribute directly to the operationalization of the modular assessment and management approach, including Productivity, Fish and Fisheries and Other Living Resources, Pollution and Ecosystem Health, Socio-Economics, and Governance in the assessment and management of the GCLME. The identified national and regional demonstration projects are as follows:

A: List of Country identified Demonstration Projects Approved by the Stocktaking Workshop for Implementation in the six pilot phase countries

1. Benin : Establishment of Coastal and Marine Protected Areas.

Objective: To conserve and protect marine and coastal biological diversity, strengthen public awareness related to coastal resources management policies and capabilities, promote institutional arrangements leading to multi-sectoral planning approach to coastal resources development and provide technical solutions to coastal resources issues in conflictual situations.

2. Cameroon : Integrated Coastal Areas Management of Kribi-Limbe.

Objective: To enable creation of new regulations and set up mechanisms among the different sectors involved in the use of the coastal Area, generate mechanisms to resolve differences, provide adequate scientific and technical information for decision-making and establish simple and realistic policies for education and citizen participation. The Project will also provide a vantage platform for Cameroon (and by implication, other participating countries) to test the effectiveness of the ICAM concept and to verify the veracity of the provisions of the draft National Integrated Coastal Areas Management Plan formulated by the country through a nation wide consultative process during the Pilot Phase Project

3. Cote d’Ivoire : Application of Low Cost, Low Technology Coastal Erosion

Defense Measures.

Objective: To explore low technology and low cost coastal defence measures that recognize the intimate relationship between longshore drifted sand sustained by the flow of the Guinea Current and the stability of the coasts of countries influenced by the Guinea Current. The replicability of this project makes it a high priority not only for Côte d'Ivoire but, indeed, for the entire region and the developing world.

4. Ghana : Establishment of the Waste Stock Exchange Management

System.

Objective: To establish an independent self financing and fully functional Waste Stock Exchange Management System in Ghana through:

· Identification, characterization, and quantification of tradable waste.

· Development of mechanisms to facilitate the functioning and autonomy of the Waste Stock Exchange.

· Creation of environmental awareness of market and economic incentives for environmental pollution control.

· Minimization of pollution from land based activities (LBA).

· Institutionalization of integrated pollution prevention and control strategies and actions.

5. Nigeria : Nypa Palm Clearance / Mangrove Replacement Scheme in

south-eastern Niger Delta.

Objective: To clear the invasive Nypa Palm species that has invaded the Niger Delta and degraded its ecosystem and simultaneously restore the original mangrove vegetation as a civic duty to preserve the integrity of this ecosystem with all the promises this action holds for the shared International Waters and Resources of the GCLME. The Nigerian Authorities put a high premium on this Demonstration Project which has attracted support from Federal and Coastal State Governments, Private Oil and Gas Companies, NGOs and local communities.

6. Togo : Controlling Leachate Pollution from the Phosphate Mines

around the Lagoon System.

Objective: To address the impact of phosphate pollution on the lagoon and estuarine ecosystem with view to controlling both the discharge and deleterious impacts through the establishment of low cost, low technology measures for reversing the negative trend.

B : Regional (Ecosystem-wide) Demonstration Projects Approved by the Stocktaking Workshop for simultaneous execution with national demonstration projects

1. Assessment and Sustainable Management of Fisheries and Conservation of Biodiversity in the GCLME.

Objective:

· To collect fisheries specimens necessary to determine fish stock levels, quantify biodiversity (including species diversity) as well as assess contaminant loading in fish tissues through quarterly region-wide communal marine resources survey.

· To Assess compiled data in the context of the substantial extent to which local and foreign fleets are exploiting the fishing resources in order to identify major resource management concerns and to develop recommendations for regional and national management interventions by all pertinent agencies and institutions, be they national, regional or global in nature.

2. Determination of new and emerging productivity patterns in the Guinea Current LME with regard to its carrying capacity for living resources.

Objective:

· To build a comprehensive picture of the new and emerging productivity patterns on an ecosystem wide level through continuous collection of data by Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) Tows using Ships of Opportunity (SOP).

· To analyse and integrate the collected data and assessments of the sub-systems of the GCLME to develop and apply indices of diagnostics (e.g. biological diversity, productivity, resilience) of the status of the GCLME and to translate the results of this Demonstration Project into a usable form for living resources managers and planners.

3. Integrated Regional Data and Information Management System for Decision-Making

Objective:

· To strengthen environmental and living resources management capacity in the Guinea Current LME by setting up decision-making support tools which link all relevant socio-economic sectors.

· To build on a regional environmental information management system set up during the Pilot Phase Project and which included a Geographical Information System (GIS) serving primary functions of compilation, analysis and communication of data collected, systematised and archived using a common architecture. The GIS data base, to be devolved to national level, will serve as a management decision-support tool for national coastal and marine resources management and planning, selection of sites for industrial facilities, delineation of critical environmentally sensitive areas, identification of other sources of environmental degradation, and designation of particular living resources and human populations at risk.

(d) Preparation of an approach for a Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities that would lead to the development of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention.

UNIDO as the executing agency will work closely with GEF-UNEP, the GPA, and the secretariat of the Abidjan convention to ensure complementarity between project objectives and the wider Abidjan Convention work programme

(e) Organization of Donors’ Conference

It is the intent of the project to hold a Donors’ Conference toward the end of the PDF-B/2 implementation. The AfDB has indicated that it may be willing to host such a Conference, subject to further discussion and approval within the AfDB. The Project RC will maintain liaison with the AfDB to realise this Activity

(f) Development of the GEF Project Brief and IA Project Documents

Items (a) – (e) above will enable the basic strategic components of the full-sized project to be developed. Integration of these components into the final project brief and project document will require a careful exercise of joint planning and costing (including a clear analysis of incremental costs). Some of the items will benefit from the contributions of other partners (e.g. NOAA will contribute to the preparation of region-wide demonstration activities and to the overall issue analysis). The project core group (see next section) will prepare the draft project brief and initiate a wide consultation on its contents prior to its submission to the GEF Secretariat for eventual approval.

1.3 Overall implementation plan

The PDF/B-2 will work within a very tight budget and efficient use of funding is extremely important. A practical strategy is outlined below for achieving the objectives indicated in section 1.2. This involves a six-month programme of activities involving wide stakeholder consultations. It is focused within the region and makes maximum use of regional expertise with the technical assistance of the partner collaborating agencies. The project will be coordinated by a regionally recruited specialist (Regional Consultant) who will work in close association with the countries, EA and IAs.

A high level of stakeholder consultation is an important feature of this approach. By taking a stepwise approach, an agreement will be constructed at each stage. The final products of the PDF-B/2 will satisfy the GEF requirements for a Project Brief and UNDP and UNEP Project Documents and provide a clear strategy for the future. Maximum synergy, which was begun under the PDF B/1, will be ensured with other donor initiatives and with GEF International Waters projects in river basins draining to the GCLME as well as those of the neighbouring Benguela and Canary Current systems.

The complexity of travel in the region makes it expensive and difficult to hold frequent meetings of the various stakeholders. For this reason, the role of the Regional Consultant (RC) is stressed as an active gatherer of information and negotiator. He/she must have a clear understanding of the process and pay an early visit to each of the 16 countries in the region to share this information with government officials, technical institutions and civil society organizations in the region. This initial mission will be framed in the context of a formal stakeholder consultation and must follow an appropriate methodology that ensures objectivity. A combination of this consultation and consolidated reports from previous studies and interventions by GEF and other donors will provide the background for working meetings between specialists from the 16 countries and finally by formal governmental representatives.

In order to support the PDF implementation, two ad-hoc consultation mechanisms will be used:

(a) The Regional Scientific/ Technical (TDA) Task Team – consists of a government appointed project focal point and an expert from each of the 16 countries broadly representative of the stakeholders in the region but acting in their individual capacity and would review existing data/ information, complete the TDA, prepare the regional environmental and living marine resource quality objectives and the regional demonstration activities. Two meetings of this group are envisaged.

(b) PDF-B/2 Steering Committee consisting of government appointed project focal points, GEF Implementing Agencies, Executing Agency, Abidjan Convention Secretariat, other donors. A meeting of the PDF-B Steering Committee will be called in order to finalize and endorse the regional Environmental and Living marine Resources Quality Objectives and the strategic components of the GEF Project Brief. Final endorsement of the Project Brief will be by the GEF Operational Focal Point in each of the countries.

The workplan for the PDF-B/2 phase of the project is summarized as follows:

Step	Description	Responsible parties	Time from start (weeks)
1	Appointment of project staff. Briefing and installation of regional consultant[1] (RC into regional office	UNDP/UNEP/UNIDO	0-2
2	Preparatory consultations and First Steering Committee Meeting/ Establishment and consolidation of National/Regional Coordination Structures The consultation will also include the validation of the official project focal point and key technical experts.	RC/IAs/Governments/ EA/ donors	2-4
3	Constitution of a Regional Scientific/ Technical (TDA)Task Team – consists of a government appointed project focal point and an expert from each of the 16 countries to review existing data/ information and complete TDA and to formulate proposals for: 1. Regional environmental quality objectives 2. Capacity building needs for achieving the agreed regional objectives	Technical experts identified in (2) plus donor representatives and focal point representatives together with IA/EA technical advisors (plus the RC ).	4-8
4	Analysis of proposed demonstration activities, including costs and benefits and incremental costs.	RC, Task team.	8-11
5	Core group/Task Teams to assemble strategic report and an incremental cost assessment of all identified options for intervention.	Core group/Task Teams with additional expertise on incremental costs (or benefit/cost assessment)	11-14
6	Preparation of an approach for a RPA/LBA to lead towards formulation of new Protocol on LBA under full project.	STC/UNEP/UNIDO/RC/GPA	14-16
7	Preparation and holding of a Donor’s Conference hosted by the AfDB	UNIDO/AfDB/RC/IAs	16-18
8	Meeting of project focal points and key stakeholders to agree on the key elements of the project brief (including the pilot demonstration projects)	High level government representatives and technical advisors, RC, IAs, EAs, other donors, neighbouring GEF projects	18-20
9	Preparation of the Project Brief by Regional Consultant and a Short Term Consultant (STC) familiar with GEF processes	UNIDO/IAs/TDA expert/RC and STC	20-22
10	Completion of the draft Project Brief with TDA and EQOs and circulation for signature.	Technical (TDA) Task Team with additional –expertise as required, circulation through GEF Country Focal Points	22-26

1.4 Alternative approaches considered

There are two basic approaches that can generate a technically viable Project Brief:

(a) The expert group/consultant-based approach. A team of qualified experts is appointed or consultant team hired. They assemble all inputs and complete a technically sound TDA and Project Brief as well as a portfolio of demonstration projects.
Advantages: technically sound, predictable outcome;
Disadvantages: does not develop very strong ‘buy-in’ from the stakeholders and will inevitably lead to implementation difficulties for the full-sized project.

(b) The participatory approach. Based on small steps that seek consensus and consult widely. Requires good facilitation and excellent regional expertise. Given the enormous developmental advantage of a participatory approach, this is recommended as the best mechanism. However, the project is starting from an advanced stage and much existing information can be injected into the process. Given the constraints on available PDF-B funding and the complexity of a 16-country region, a hybrid approach has been devised. This uses a stakeholder consultation based on a carefully conceived initial fact-finding mission followed by the use of a blend of consultant time and broad-based consultations where regional opinions are required

2. Outputs of the PDF B

These should include the following:

1. Consolidated Mechanisms for consultation and coordination among various Stakeholders through a Regional Steering Committee, Country Inter-Ministerial Committees, national and regional Scientific/ Technical Task Teams, and a Regional Support and Coordination Centre;

2. Completed sixteen-country Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis supported by consolidated technical reports, causal chain analysis and an analysis of the barriers to resolving the identified transboundary land and water-related issues of the GCLME. Based on agreements reached during the Stakeholders Workshop, among the high priority issues to be resolved and implemented (in the full project) are the recovery of depleted fish stocks, the restoration of damaged habitats and the control of coastal pollution;

3. A clear agreement on intermediate and long-term environmental and living resources quality objectives and a timeframe for their achievement as well as a preliminary SAP as a contribution to a future Strategic Action Programme to be completed within the initial six months of the full project phase. Also, actions will be taken by the countries to establish a GCLME Compact for fisheries assessment and management;

4. To accelerate SAP implementation, a portfolio of 9 fully defined pilot demonstration activities including projects addressing priority transboundary concerns through coastal zone activities and those involving the understanding and use of the offshore areas of the LME. The projects will be replicable and sustainable and will include an analysis of their benefits, incremental costs and co-funding

5. An Approach for developing a RPA/LBA to facilitate formulation of a new Protocol on LBA for the Abidjan Convention;

6. A final Report of the Donor’s conference;

7. A project brief and respective IA project documents for the full-sized GEF IW project. This should include full justification of specific interventions (9 initial demonstration activities) based upon the TDA and EQO’s and a preliminary benefit/cost analysis expressed in terms of the incremental costs and benefits of the interventions including any proposed demonstration projects.

3. National Level Support

A background to the project development is provided in Annex 3. National and regional support is very strong and there has been a major revitalization of the Abidjan Convention process. Parties to the Abidjan Convention endorsed the proposed project at its most recent meeting in Abidjan in May 2002.

This GCLME proposal is supported by the 16 countries that participated in the first part of the Block-B/1 Process. This initiative had its origins in the recommendations of the First Working Group Meeting of the Pilot Phase GOG-LME Project in Abidjan, 14-16 August, 1995 as confirmed by the First Steering Committee Meeting in Abidjan, 17-18 August 1995. The results of these meetings stressed the urgent need to extend the coverage of the GOG-LME project to coincide with the natural limits of the GCLME, if the full benefits of the undertaking are to be realised. This recommendation was echoed by subsequent high level meetings including Project Steering Committee Meetings and Tri-Partite Review Meetings attended by senior scientists and managers from the GOG-LME project countries, as well as international scientists and representatives from various technical co-operation agencies active in the region. It was later approved by the Committee of Ministers of the GOG-LME Project through a Ministerial Declaration, "The Accra Declaration", which was endorsed by ministerial letters from the additional 10 countries.

Each of the countries which have endorsed this submission, define it as a national priority, and affirm that it is in keeping with their respective national policies. In addition, the proposed GCLME program has strong support from two very important continent wide organizations, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the African Development Bank (ADB). Furthermore, it was endorsed as part of the Report of the December 1998 Cape Town Meeting Of African Environmental Ministers. It had earlier received the enthusiastic support of African Ministers of the Environment during the PASCICOM Meeting in Maputo in July 1998.

Recent demonstrations of support include the 2001 Stocktaking meeting, organized with the support of the PDF-B/1 funding (see Annex 3), the meeting of the 6^th Conference of Parties to the Abidjan Convention in May 2002 and the outcome of the ACOPS-implemented GEF MSP for Sub-Saharan Africa which further defined actions that could be taken to protect the marine and coastal environment at the National and regional level. The project portfolio produced under the ACOPS MSP will be examined during the PDF-B for its potential to serve as possible GCLME demonstrations under the aforementioned criteria.

The specific support available for the implementation of the PDF-B/2 is at two levels, national and regional. At the national level, all participating countries will provide their experts for project meetings and consultations. They will also guarantee high level participation in the final high-level meeting to agree on the content of the Project Brief. The Regional Consultant and visiting project expert will work closely with the Abidjan Convention Secretariat the GPA, EA and the IAs in order to ensure full support to the joint fact-finding and goal setting exercises incorporated in the proposal.

4. Justification for PDF B/2 Grant

The PDF Block B grant is necessary because the proposed geographical scope of the project has changed considerably since the Pilot Phase activities. The inclusion of 16 countries in a single project is unprecedented in the IW portfolio. In the GC-LME however, it is well justified as all 16 countries occupy part of the same system and full cooperation between them is vital if a regional approach is to succeed. Previous interventions have not included the requirement to complete a TDA. It is important to count on a full regional agreement on priorities, environmental objectives and demonstration project criteria before undertaking a full-sized project.

5. Items to be Financed

· The PDF-B/2 request is for US$ 287,280, out of a total Project cost of US$ 727, 280. The grant requested includes an allocation of approximately 8% of the Executing Agency support costs. The GEF contribution was calculated consistent with the needs to complete a full project submission and undertake the requisite consultations for co-financing arrangements particularly at the country level.

· The direct value of the national/regional inputs is US$ 225,000 which includes salaries of the National Project Directors and National Experts assigned to Scientific/Technical Task Teams of the project both at national and regional levels, the provision of national offices and facilities, organisation of meetings, etc.

· The US$ 248,000 in-kind contribution from collaborating Agencies cover staff salaries, travel costs to meetings, report preparation, reviews, etc.

5.1. Overall budget allocations (indicative)[2]

PDF Activity	GEF (n.i. support costs)	Gov't.	Others
(a) TDA development	96,000	60,000	80,000
(b) Agreement on Environmental Quality Objectives	40,000	60,000	55,000
(c) Development of pilot demonstration projects	74,000	60,000	90,000
(d) Development of the Project Brief/Document and support to the Regional Coordination Centre	56,000	45,000	23,000
Total	266, 000	225,000	248,000

5.2 GEF budget breakdown by spending area

The budget to cover the items above is estimated as follows:

Costs : 000 US Dollar

Activity			GEF	GOVT	OTHER	TOTAL
1. Regional Project Office			-	10	-	10
2. Regional Consultant (6 months) including travel costs			48			72
3. Regional Staff (1 Personal Asst.)			6	-	-	6
4. National Offices			-	40	-	40
5. National Staff			-	60	-	60
6. Regional Scientific/Technical Task Teams Meetings (activity 3 & 5)			40	10	98	75
7. National Scientific/ Technical Task Teams (activity 3)		For the 6 Pilot Phase Countries	24	35	50	79
8. Regional Office (Running costs including Communication, Translation, hosting meetings and Project brief/project document Production)			13	10	10	33
9. National Co-ordination Costs (Creation of Structures, IT Improvement, Data Archiving, Report Preparation)	For the 10 new countries		50	50	30	115
10. Regional Travel Costs including 2 Steering Committee Meetings and 1 Donors’ Conference			45		40	45
11. Short Term International Consultant 1 m/m including travel costs			22	10	20	45
UNIDO Travel			18	-	-	16
Total including 8% AOS			287.28	225	248	760.28

6. Expected Date of Preparation Completion

Starting date: 1 January 2003

Completion date: 30 June 2003

Submission of Project Brief to GEF Council: June 2003.

7. Special Features

This PDF B/2 will facilitate the development of a full-sized project involving a very large number of developing countries. The PDF-B/2 must provide an appropriate technical and consultative basis for the project to operate in an efficient and effective manner. Fortunately, there is a wealth of existing information to support the design process. The strategy developed for the PDF B/2 features a wide cross-sectoral stakeholder consultation, which had already been initiated under PDF B/1 designed as the first step in a joint fact-finding and project development process. The country consultations leading to country reports for the 16 countries with a regional synopsis carried out by the PDF B/1 UNEP Task Manager resulted in the elements of a draft 16 country TDA. The inclusion of a causal chain analysis, although not a new development in the region, was further refined and consolidated through the Sub-Saharan Africa MSP implemented by ACOPS thus assuring the availability/ strengthening of regional capacity/ expertise.

The PDF process also identifies intermediate and long-term region-wide environmental and living marine resource quality objectives that will underpin the development of a Strategic Action Programme in the full-sized project. These objectives will serve as the main indicators for an adaptive management strategy.

The PDF-B will confirm and codify demonstration activities to address the identified transboundary environmental quality objectives and catalyse initial implementation of the SAP. By establishing transparent criteria for demonstration projects based on relevant transboundary environmental benefits, indicators of sustainability, replicability, cost sharing and incrementality, it will be possible to obtain early on-the-ground, measurable results from the full-sized project.

8. Implementation Arrangements

This project will be jointly implemented by UNDP and UNEP. This arrangement has been made in order to benefit from the comparative advantages of both organizations, each of which has large GEF International Waters portfolios utilizing the TDA/SAP approach to the protection and remediation of transboundary waterbodies.

UNIDO, with close cooperation with Abidjan Convention Secretariat and in partnership with US-NOAA, will execute the PDF-B and full project and will seek to build capacity of GCLME countries to work jointly and in concert with the regions’ other GEF projects, as well as bilateral and multilateral donors to define and address transboundary priority environmental issues within the framework of their existing responsibilities under the Abidjan Convention and within the framework of relevant components of NEPAD.

During the Preparatory Phase the Project office will continue to be in Abidjan, where the Ivorian Government has made excellent arrangements and provided suitable facilities at the Oceanographic Research Centre. Costs for office equipment during the PDF-B implementation will be minimal.

UNIDO, in consultation with UNDP and UNEP, will recruit a full time Regional Consultant (RC) for the period of the PDF-B. The RC facilitates the successful execution of the PDF-B Activity and, with assistance from the STC, and in close consultation with governments, IAs, EA and donors, will finalise the Project Brief and, subsequently, the Project Document for submission to GEF. He/She will be responsible for the co-ordination of the day-to-day project activities and will assist governments of participating countries to provide expeditiously their respective inputs to the project. A Personal Assistant to the Regional Consultant will be employed to assist in the management of the project.

UNIDO will explore the possibility of developing an MOU with IW: LEARN during the PDF B/2 to assist the full phase GCLME in accessing GEF LME experiences and information and for dissemination of lessons learned to the wider GEF community. Under the MOU, IW: LEARN will develop a Technical Support Facility to provide knowledge products and distance learning tools to serve the GCLME and other GEF IW projects in the region. Joint Operational Agreements specifying workplan, sustainability, implementation and cost-sharing arrangements will be developed as necessary for execution of identified joint pilot demonstration activities.

UNEP will continue to support the preparatory process of the GCLME project through the Secretariat of the Abidjan Convention and the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Abidjan Convention. With regard to the Convention, UNEP will ensure complementarity between the specific targets of the project and the wider objectives of the WACAF Action Plan especially as it concerns the updating of elements of the Abidjan Convention in line with recent realities (e.g. New International Conventions, new memberships, etc) and the development of additional Protocols in support of the Convention. UNEP and UNDP will, in addition, ensure effective liaison between the GCLME, CCLME and BCLME Projects which together provide a coverage for the geographical area defined by the Abidjan Convention as well as be responsible for ensuring complementarity between, and leveraging necessary inputs from, pertinent ongoing GEF, World Bank, UNDP, UNEP, bilateral and multilateral regional and national projects within the GCLME including those being executed by NGO's and the organised private sector

US-NOAA will contribute scientific and technical assistance to the project in partnership with UNIDO, UNDP and UNEP. Participating US-NOAA staff will be sharing their considerable experience in ecosystem-based assessment and management practices with key persons from the recipient countries.

Given the financial constraint of the PDF-B, a ‘lightweight’ management structure has been devised. At the beginning of the project there will be an initial consultation and briefing on project implementation and management between the IAs, EA, key donors, Secretary to the Abidjan Convention, and the Regional Consultant. This group will form an ad-hoc inter-agency management committee to ensure adequate feedback on project implementation. The group will meet on three occasions (beginning, middle and end of the project) and it is hoped that the mid-term meeting may be arranged by teleconference to avoid excessive travel costs. It must be stressed that this is a management group and will not take decisions on the nature and content of the substantial outputs of the project.

The high-level meeting (activity workplan item 8) will also give an opportunity for an interim project steering group to meet and for discussions to take place on the management framework of the full-sized project. Additional resources have not been set aside for this meeting as it is assumed that it will be back-to-back with the high level meeting and will not require any additional actors. A Project Brief Drafting Group will be constituted to draft the project brief and will comprise of representatives of UNIDO, UNDP, UNEP, US-NOAA, Regional Consultant and selected Experts from the region.

The project envisages some use of consultants. Consultants will be recruited regionally where appropriate and possible and all appointments will be made in full consultation with the members of the ad-hoc management committee. A Short-term consultant (STC) will be appointed by UNIDO in close consultation with the UNEP-GPA, UNEP-DGEF and UNDP for 1 month to prepare an approach for a Regional Programme of Action on Land Based Activities and also review the Project Brief prior to submission to GEF and work with the Regional Consultant, the EA and IAs to finalize the respective IAs Project Documents. The STC will maintain close liaison with the EA and IAs during this work in order to review compliance with GEFSEC criteria.

Annexes

1. Letters of endorsement from GEF Operational Focal Points

2. Geographical Coverage of Expanded Second Phase

3. Background statement and overview of other programmes in the region.

4. Preliminary compendium of country identified and regional demonstration activities for simultaneous execution with the development and implementation of a SAP

5. Executive Summary of the Final In-dept Evaluation of the GOG-LME pilot phase

6. Letter of Request addressed to the UNDP Administrator by the six pilot phase countries in favor of an expanded second phase involving 16 countries.

7. The Accra Declaration

Short title: Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project

Full Project Summary

Project Outputs/Components and Expected Results

Expected Outcomes of full Project

Total

Annexes