Two Decades (1991 – 2011)
of GEF investments in Africa
Highlights of Country Investments
Note: This is overall
summary of the
trends on the main
map!
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The Biodiversity and Climate Change focal
areas are the two most dominant in the
majority of countries
The Climate change focal area is more
dominant in the North Africa region, while
the Biodiversity focal area dominates
Eastern and Southern Africa
The Land Degradation focal area is most
strongly represented in the dryland
countries – mainly the Sahel and Eastern
Africa
Countries in the Central Africa region and
the Indian Ocean have mostly focused on
the Biodiversity focal area
Countries with relatively small portfolios
have invested in only one or two GEF focal
areas, while those with larger investments
have a diversified portfolio
Africa’s share of the overall GEF and
Focal Area Investments
The GEF resources have been programmed
across all focal areas, reflecting the continent’s
crucial importance for ensuring a healthy and
sustainable Planet. The continent utilized more
than 60% of the Land Degradation focal area
resources, even though the total amount is
smallest of all focal areas.
Since its inception, $2.6 billion or
one third of all GEF resources has
been invested in Africa.
Trends in GEF Focal Area Investments
Since inception, programming of GEF resources in Africa has increased consistently for
the Biodiversity and Climate Change focal areas. The International Waters focal area
showed the greatest gain from the Third Replenishment Phase (GEF-3), reflecting a
shift from foundational activities during the earlier phases toward implementation of
Strategic Action Plans developed by cooperating countries.
Breakdown of GEF Investments between
Country and Regional Initiatives
Investments in Biodiversity Conservation
and Climate Change account for the largest
share of overall GEF programming in Africa.
Investments under International Waters,
Land Degradation, and Persistent Organic
Pollutants are also significant.
Two thirds of GEF resources have been
programmed directly by individual
countries, while the other third is
through investments targeting multicountry, transboundary, or regional
initiatives.
Share of GEF Focal Area Investments in
Country and Regional Initiatives
The Biodiversity and Climate Change focal
areas represent the largest share of GEF
resources utilized by individual countries. The
share of International Waters and POPs focal
areas is low because the priorities are being
addressed through joint efforts and
collaboration by African countries.
The share of GEF focal area resources in
regional, multi-country, and transboundary
initiatives is highest for International Waters,
but also important for the Biodiversity and
Land Degradation focal areas. The POPs focal
area has a larger share than in single country
investments.
Africa’s share of Regional Investments
in the GEF Focal Areas
Africa’s share of GEF resources for regional, multi-country, and transboundary initiatives is highest for
the POPs focal area, reflecting the commitment of African countries toward collective action for this
important agenda. A similar commitment is evident for the Biodiversity, International Waters, and
Land Degradation focal areas.
Breakdown of Investments in Climate
Change Adaptation (LDCF/SCCF)
Other LDCF
and SCCF
$333.27 million
(40%)
40%
60%
Africa Total
Over 36% of LDCF/SCCF projects in Africa target
agriculture and food security systems, one of the
most vulnerable sectors to climate change on the
continent. Other major areas of LDCF/SCCF
programming in Africa include Climate Information
Services, Water Resources Management, Disaster
Risk Management and Coastal Zone Management.
$490.56 million
(60%)
LDCF/SCCF Africa Portfolio
Breakdown by Sector
The GEF finances adaptation through the
Least Developed Countries Fund and the
Special Climate Change Fund, with the
mandate to finance concrete adaptation
actions to achieve climate resilient
development in developing countries. Today,
about 60% of funds under the LDCF and SCCF
have been directed to programming in Africa.
5.2%
1.1%
0.5%
Agriculture and Food
Security
Climate Information
Services
8.9%
36.8%
11.6%
Coastal Zone
Management
Water Resources
Management
Natural Resources
Management
13.9%
22.0%
Disaster Risk
Management
Infrastructure
Regional and Transboundary Basin Investments
under the International Waters focal area
Biodiversity Focal Area
Major Regional Flagship Initiative
Reducing Biodiversity Loss at Cross-Border Sites in East Africa
Total GEF Grant: US$12.6 million; Co-financing: US$5.2 million
GEF Agency: UNDP/GEF; Implementation: 1998 - 2003
This initiative was designed to help catalyze biodiversity conservation
in the East Africa Region. The project engaged both traditional local
and conventional perspectives on a range of activities to create an
enabling environment for safeguarding biodiversity. As a result, there
was good vertical integration of conservation concerns into policy and
planning processes, including appreciation of the value of forests by
policymakers and directors of ministries of finance and planning. In
pastoral communities, the project also enhanced development and use
of the strong link between catchment forests and the availability of
water in order to promote forest conservation.
Climate Change Focal Area
Major Regional Flagship Initiative
Strategic Program in West Africa - Energy Component
Total GEF Grant: $36 million; Co-financing: $96.5 million
GEF Agencies: The World Bank, UNDP, UNEP and UNIDO;
Implementation: 2008 - 2015
The program includes 22 projects designed to address the diverse nature of energy
needs in West Africa with projects ranging from large scale urban transport to minigrid systems for isolated rural areas. The program covers a total of 18 countries in the
region: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
and Togo. The largest project in the program is the World Bank implemented project
Nigeria Urban Transport. Several of the UNIDO implemented projects focus on
renewable energy powered mini-grids in rural areas for productive use in countries
like Gambia, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea, Chad and Cote
d’Ivoire.
International Waters Focal Area
Major Regional Flagship Initiative
Lake Victoria Environmental Management
Total GEF Grant: $46.3 million; Co-financing: US$ 181 million; GEF
Agency: The World Bank; Implementation: 1996 – 2005; 2007 - 2015
The Lake Victoria Environmental Management Program supports
riparian and basin states by catalyzing transboundary management of
the Lake Victoria ecosystem, which is the lifeline for 30 million people.
With GEF support, the countries have created two important entities
to facilitate this effort: the Lake Victoria Fisheries Commission, and the
Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Through these institutional
frameworks, the program is helping to improve management of
fisheries, and mitigate threats to water resources from invasive species
and pollution.
Land Degradation Focal Area
Major Regional Flagship Initiative
Strategic Investment Program for Sustainable Land Management in SubSaharan Africa (SIP/TerrAfrica)
Total GEF Grant: $140 million; Co-financing: US$ 1 billion
GEF Agencies: The World Bank, AfDB, FAO, IFAD, UNDP, and UNEP
Implementation: 2007-2015
The SIP/TerrAfrica initiative aims to optimize natural resource use at the
landscape level in Sub-Saharan African countries by integrating and
implementing SLM across sectors, with knowledge, analytical, and policy
support. This initiative is directly linked to Pillar 1 of the Comprehensive
African Agricultural Development Program of the Africa Union, and reflect the
shared vision of partners involved in the TerrAfrica platform hosted by the
NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency. In addition to recipient countries,
the partnership includes GEF Agencies, bilateral donors, and Civil Society
Organizations, who together leveraged nearly US$ 1 billion in co-financing.
Persistent Organic Pollutants Focal Area
Major Regional Flagship Initiative
Africa Stockpiles Program
Total GEF Grant: US$28 million; Co-financing: US$44.1 million
GEF Agencies: The World Bank, FAO; Implementation: 2005 - 2010
This program was designed as a partnership with seven African
countries to eliminate inventoried publicly held obsolete pesticide
stocks and associated waste, and implement measures to reduce and
prevent future related risks. Throughout the continent, an estimated
50,000 tons of obsolete pesticides were poorly stored posing risks of
environmental contamination and poisoning for people. The program
helped to train personnel and strengthen institutions to address these
threats in a systematic manner.
Multi-Trust Fund
Major Regional Flagship Initiative
The Sahel and West Africa Program in Support of the Great Green
Wall Initiative
Total GEF Multi-Trust Fund Grant: US$108 million; Co-financing: US$1.7
billion; GEF Agency: The World Bank; Implementation: 2011-2017
The initiative will efforts by twelve countries to expand sustainable land
and water management in targeted landscapes and in climate vulnerable
areas in the Sahel and outlying ecosystems. Integrated approaches will be
catalyzed to help secure ecosystem services and reduce vulnerability to
climate change and variability. The multi-trust fund investments cover a
range of sectors including agriculture, food security, forestry, disaster risk
management, rural development, and water resources management.
Multi-Focal Area
Major Regional Flagship Investment
Strategic Program for Sustainable Forest Management in the Congo
Basin
Total GEF Grant: US$54.7 million; Co-financing: US$145.9 million
GEF Agencies: World Bank, AfDB, FAO, UNDP, UNEP;
Implementation: 2008-2015
The objective of this program is to strengthen sustainable
management of forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin, which represent
the world’s second largest with 1.7 million km2 across six countries.
The initiative will support efforts of the countries to link high level
political commitments to on-the-ground forest management
interventions for safeguarding the ecosystem. The multi-focal area
investment will foster integrated approaches for conservation of
biodiversity, sustainable land management, and climate change
mitigation.