Actors involved in project development and implementation

Consultants: Consultants hired by the Executing Organisation for specific technical purposes.

Convention secretariats: coordinate the activities of the five international conventions involved with the GEF. These are: The Convention on Biological Diversity; The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification; The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants; and The Montreal Protocol of the Vienna Convention on Ozone Layer Depleting Substances. These conventions provide broad strategic guidance to the GEF Council.

Donors: Organisations contributing, or potentially contributing, to project funding. The Steering Committee normally agrees who is eligible to attend its own meetings as observers. As well as the normal individual donor involvement, the SAP process aims to encourage donor partnerships. An effective donor partnership will act as an incentive for commitment to the SAP and will also avoid duplication of efforts by the donor community.

Executing agencies (EAs): contribute to the management and execution of GEF Projects. Executing agencies are chosen on their relative merits in order to ensure efficient operation of the project and appropriate technical support.

Facilitator: a trained and experienced expert capable of providing technical assistance to the IA for the initial stages of the project including the stakeholder consultation; he/she should be entirely neutral within the process, culturally sensitive and with proven negotiation skills.

GEF CEO: Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Global Environment Facility.

GEF Council: The GEF Council functions as an independent board of directors, with primary responsibility for developing, adopting, and evaluating GEF programs. Council members representing 32 constituencies (16 from developing countries, 14 from developed countries, and two from countries with transitional economies) meet twice each year for three days and also conduct business by mail. All decisions are by consensus.

GEF OP Focal Points: persons appointed by GEF member states to act as their empowered representative to the GEF Council. Some countries also have GEF technical focal points who act as advisors to their political counterparts.

GEF Secretariat: A staff of 40 based in the USA that reports to the GEF Council and Assembly, ensuring that their decisions are translated into effective actions. The secretariat coordinates the formulation of projects included in the annual work program, oversees its implementation, and makes certain that operational strategy and policies are followed.

GEF-IA task manager:

Global Environment Facility (GEF): is an independent financial organisation that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities.

Implementing Agency (IA): GEF implementing agencies are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank. They play the key role in managing GEF projects on the ground.

Interministry Committees: Current systems of government are normally sectoral, with a different Ministry for each key sector. To develop an active TDA/SAP programme, direct participation of each involved ministry in each participating country is needed, but the interests of each have to be harmonised. To achieve this inter-sectoral policy building, it is advisable to form National Interministry Committees (or NICs), where each sector has both government representatives and other stakeholder representatives relevant to the sector.

IW Representative: the official in the Implementing Agency responsible for GEF International Waters projects

NAP Formulation Team: Team of technical experts in each participating country, appointed by the National Inter-ministry Committee and reflecting a similar mix of specialists as the SAP formulation team.

Project Management Unit (PMU): comprises of supporting staff members engaged by the Executing Agency to work with the PM under his/her supervision.

Project Manager (PM): Sometimes known as the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA). The person responsible to the Executing Agency for project implementation at the local level.

SAP formulation team: Team of technical specialists appointed by the PM with the agreement of the Steering Committee in order to undertake the technical studies for the SAP. It should include specialists in technical, legal, financial and public policy issues. The SAP formulation team should also include members of the TTT for continuity.

Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP): provides strategic scientific and technical advice to the GEF on its strategy and programs. STAP has fifteen members who are internationally recognised experts in the GEFs key areas of work. STAP also maintains a roster of experts who advise on individual projects. Its work is supported by a secretariat based at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi.

Stakeholders: Anybody with an involvement in, or affected by the problem or its potential solutions. This may include Government Ministries, Non-Governmental Organisations, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Fisheries, Religious bodies, the local population and any other affected member of civil society.

Stakeholder representative: a person with the authority to act as spokesperson for a group of stakeholders.

Steering Committee: Typically, the central group formed to oversee the project. The committee is a body consisting of project focal point representatives (and technical advisors where appropriate), representatives of the donors and implementing and executing agencies, plus other stakeholder and civil society representatives.

Technical task team (TTT): a regional body formed by the OP Focal Point to provide technical advice on the initial project formulation and subsequently to undertake the technical process of TDA formulation and proposals for long-term EcoQOs. The team should be broadly representative of stakeholders but entirely technical in nature.