MANAGEMENT OF THE GEF
OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT
FOR COTE D’IVOIRE
DAKAR - 21, 22 & 23 MAY 2007
Ms. Alimata KONE BAKAYOKO
GEF OFP for RCI
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I- Institutional Framework
It is important to note that the GEF Operational
Focal Point was instituted by way of Decree
No. 2001-702 of 7 November 2001, signed by
the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
Since 1 January 2007, it is housed under the new
Department of Sustainable Development
created at BNI.
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I-1- OPERATIONS OF THE GEF
OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT OFFICE
The operational costs of the GEF Operational Focal
Point Office are funded in part on resources from the
National Environment Fund (FNDE) obtained
through taxes and fees paid by corporations and
industries conducting business in the country and
by the National Investment Bank (BNI).
.
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I-2- COMPOSITION OF THE GEF
OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT OFFICE
The Operational Focal Point is supported in
the performance of his/her duties by:
- an environmental assistant,
- a bilingual secretary, and
- a messenger/driver.
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I-3- TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT
The Office of the Operational Focal Point is provided support by a small
committee called Technical Secretariat consisting of the following
three representatives:
•
The Representative of the Technical Ministry in charge
of Environment,
•
The Representative of a development institution in the country
called the National Office of Technical and Development
Studies (BNETD),
•
The National Coordinator of the GEF Operational Focal Point.
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I-3-1- ROLE OF THE TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT
•
Its role is to review the project based on the criteria for GEFfunded projects and the national environmental policy.
•
It reports to the Monitoring Committee by submitting revised
project proposals to its chairman, who is the representative of the
Political Focal Point (the Minister in Charge of Environment).
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I-4- MONITORING COMMITTEE
This Committee and representatives of all
ministries concerned with the GEF meet on a
monthly basis.
However, it does intervene whenever there is a
new project or an important GEF-related event.
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I-4-1- MONITORING COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
The institutions involved in the Monitoring
Committee include :
• The Ministry in charge of Environment which
elaborates the country’s environmental policy, the
GEF Political Focal Point,
• The Representative of the National Office of
Technical and Development Studies (BNETD),
• The Ministry in charge of Economy and Finance,
represented by the National Investment Bank, the
GEF Administrator in Côte d’Ivoire,
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I-4-1- MONITORING COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP (cont’d)
•
The Ministry in charge of Foreign Affairs,
•
The Coordinator of the GEF Operational Focal Point,
•
The Representative of the coordinators for projects being
currently funded by the GEF,
•
The Coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Unit.
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II- STAKEHOLDERS
Within the National Coordination structure, the
stakeholders include :
•
•
•
•
•
The Project proponent;
The GEF Implementing Agency for the project;
The Coordinator of the GEF Operational Focal Point;
The Political Focal Point;
Other representatives of parties concerned by the
project;
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs);
• Grassroots Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).
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III- STAGES OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
(PROJECT CYCLE)
• The process begins with the project concept.
• Submission to the Implementing Agency by the
project proponent.
• Preparation of the project document by the project
proponent and the Implementing Agency selected.
• Submission to the GEF Operational Focal Point for
review.
• Preparation of the letter of endorsement by the
Operational Focal Point in agreement with the
Political Focal Point.
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IV- ACTIVITIES OF THE OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT
•
Review of project documents;
•
Drafting of the support or endorsement letter by the GEF Operational Focal Point Coordinator
in collaboration with the Political Focal Point and the GEF Administrator in Côte d’Ivoire
(BNI CEO)
•
Transmittal of the support letter together with the project document to the Executive
Coordinator of the GEF Implementing Agency selected,
•
Copies to:
- The Minister in charge of Environment
- GEF Secretariat
- CEO of the National Investment Bank
•
Organization of an information workshop on GEF
•
Visits to project sites; monitoring and evaluation of GEF-funded projects
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v- OTHERS GEF PARTNERS IN COTE D’IVOIRE
•
•
•
•
•
Convention Focal Points,
NGOs,
Other civil society representatives
Women, Youth, and
Representatives of other government ministries
involved in project design, development,
implementation and monitoring of
environmental projects.
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VI- COORDINATION FOR VARIOUS CONVENTIONS
CONVENTION FOCAL POINTS
Each of the UN Environmental Conventions -i.e. Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention
on Climate Change, Convention to Combat Land
Degradation and the Stockholm Convention on
POPs, International Waters, and Protection of the
Ozone Layer -has its own Focal Point, who is generally the National
Coordinator of a GEF project being implemented.
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VI-1- RELATIONS BETWEEN GEF FOCAL POINTS
AND CONVENTION FOCAL POINTS
• Relations between the GEF Operational Focal Point
Coordinator and Convention Focal Points are very
limited, as contact is established mainly via letters of
support or endorsement of the projects.
• The GEF Operational Focal Point Coordinator is
frequently invited to attend workshops or seminars
organized by Convention Focal Points as well as the
meetings of the projects’ National Steering Committees.
• Contacts also occur within the framework of project
Monitoring and Evaluation during project site visits
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VI-2- RELATIONS WITH THE NCSA PROJECT
At the request of Côte d’Ivoire, this project was
developed around all of the Convention Focal Point,
other GEF thematic areas, the National Project Director,
the National GEF Operational Focal Point Coordinator
(office housing the project) and all other institutions
involved in sustainable development.
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VII-SUGGESTIONS
• It is necessary and desirable to establish
and maintain close relationships between
Convention Focal Points and the GEF
Operational Focal Point Coordinator.
• The GEF should allow its Operational
Focal Point Coordinator to participate in
important convention meetings so as to
enable him to become familiar with the
conventions.
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VIII- NATIONAL COORDINATION FOR ISSUES
PERTAINING TO THE GEF COUNCIL
In Côte d'Ivoire, the main GEF actors include:
• Representatives of the Ministry in charge of Economy
and Finance,
• The Ministry in charge of Environment,
• The Ministry in charge of Foreign Affairs.
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VIII-1- Representation of Côte d’Ivoire on the GEF Council
• Representation used to be ensured by the
Ministry in charge Economy and Finance, as
Côte d'Ivoire is one of GEF donor countries.
• The representative of the Ministry in charge of
Environment used to participate in Council
meeting in his/her capacity as Council Member.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs helped create the
two constituencies currently representing all
West African countries.
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VIII-2- ROLE OF THE OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT
WITHIN THE GEF COUNCIL
• The GEF Operational Focal Point Coordinator, at the time when Côte
d'Ivoire was a Council Member (Administrator), used to prepare
Council documents.
• The Operational Focal Point still acts as a Council Member pour
financial and environmental issues.
• Technical issues in the environmental area used to be entrusted to the
representative of the Ministry in charge of Environment.
• The GEF Operational Focal Point Coordinator used to be responsible
for drafting the minutes of the meetings.
• The GEF Operational Focal Point Coordinator used to translate some
Council documents for members of his/her constituency.
Note: All minutes of the meetings were communicated to other
countries in the constituency via DHL
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IX- SUGGESTIONS
As regards the Council, emphasis should
be placed on the translation of documents
for French-speaking countries. Assistance
for Internet connection would be welcome,
in order to allow ready access to GEF
documents prior to various GEF meetings.
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THANK YOU
Presentation by
Ms. Alimata KONE-BAKAYOKO
GEF Operational Focal Point
COTE D’IVOIRE
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