1. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY « Prioritization and identification of national priorities under the RAF: the experience of Cameroon » By: Justin NANTCHOU NGOKO GEF Operational Focal Point Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection Republic of Cameroon

2. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY PLAN OF PRESENTATION A/ Background: WHY AND HOW CAMEROON DECIDED TO PUT IN PLACE A PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE AND IDENTIFY GEF PROJECTS B/ PROCESS UNDERTAKEN IN PUTTING IN PLACE THE PRIORITIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF GEF PROJECTS C/ ROLE OF CAMEROON’S COORDINATION MECHANISM IN PRIORITISATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF GEF PROJECTS D/ Key Lessons learnt

3. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY A/ BACKGROUNG : WHY AND HOW CAMEROON DECIDED TO PUT IN PLACE A PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE AND IDENTIFY GEF PROJECTS 1.Reforms undertaken within GEF with the institution of the RAF whose principle is essentially to henceforth make allocations according to results obtained on the field 2.These reforms enabled Cameroon to be aware of the need to be more organized on the field in order to obtain better results, get more impacts and avoid wasting time and resources put at their disposal by the GEF

4. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY A/ BACKGROUNG (continued) 3. The Dakar Subregional consultation on the RAF which enabled GEF Focal Points and other stakeholders to be acqainted with the RAF process: April 2006 4. The Country Support Program (CSP) is a framework which offer to countries an opportunity to be more active on the fields 5. The national information and training workshop on GEF mechanisms:April 2006  Partcipants: all national stakeholders (Public and Private sector, NGOs, the Civil society, local associations and groups  Objectives: training on priorities and strategies of GEF, explanation on the new system of resource allocation (RAF), relationship between GEF focal areas and environmental national priorities

5. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY

7. B/ PROCESS UNDERTAKEN IN PUTTING IN PLACE THE PRIORITIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF GEF PROJECTS 1. Identification of keys stakeholders 1.1 Principles of choice - Environment is a vaste and diversified area: water, forest, land, energy, transport, health, etc. the group must thus be heterogeneous

8. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY -The need to make the group as participatory as possible and to stimulate it towards obtaining results geared towards initiating project ideas 1.2 : Criteria for choosing key stakeholders - level of involvement and expertise in environmental issues (Ministries)

9. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY - field visits: to know number of projects or initiatives being carried out on the field, level of structural organization, activities carried out with respect to the various environmental areas and the fight against poverty (private sector and the civil society)

10. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY – Prospects of mobilisation of cofinancing (NGOs and the private sector) – Relationship with the GEF system (Implementing and executing Agencies)

11. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY 1.3: Role of key stakeholders : Public sector: - includes: Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection, Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of State Property and Land Tenure, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Breeding, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, Ministry of Plan and Regional Development, Ministry of the Economy and Finance, Ministry of Transport, Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Universities and other research Institutions, Conventions Focal Points (biodiversity, climate change, desertification, POPs, NEPAD, etc.)

12. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY –Their role: Ministry of Environment and Conventions Focal Points: Coordinate the process, check conformity of projects ideas with the environmental policy and initiate projects Ministry of Finance: mobilise national counterpart funding Other technical Ministries: Provide technical support and initiate project ideas Universities and Research Institutions: Provide expertise and initiate project ideas

13. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY Private sector and civil society: - include : SNV, 2 logging companies, WWF, ICRAF, IUCN, CARPE, CWCS, 6 national NGOs and local organisations - Their role: initiate projects in collaboration with local communities, provide support to mobilisation of cofinancing and support to the development and implementation of projects Regional organisation: COMIFAC

14. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY Executing and Implementing Agencies: - Include : UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank - Their role : Provide technical expertise, provide support to the drawing up of projects with respect to GEF priorities and strategies, provide support to the mobilisation of cofinancing

15. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY 2. The first phases of consultation with stakeholders 2.1. Collection of project ideas: letter of the Minister with outlines of concept paper to stakeholders 2.2. Meeting with members of the private sector and the civil society

16. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY 2.3. Meeting with GEF Executing Agencies and regional organisation Meeting with UNEP on 18 May 2006 Audience with UNDP at the beginning of June Meeting with COMIFAC, a sub regional organization

17. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY C/ ROLE OF CAMEROON’S COORDINATION MECHANISM IN PRIORITIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF GEF PROJECTS 1. The GEF National consultative Committee: composition and functioning 2. Essential role: Provide technical and financial advice on projects identified and validate those that meet the GEF priorities and strategies, and which are in conformity with national priorities, in order to enable GEF Focal Point to endorse them

18. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY 3. 14 September 2006: Technical workshop to validate the list of Cameroon’s environmental priorities to be submitted for GEF funding  Participants: Members of the GEF National consultative Committee and other identified stakeholders in the process  Objectives: a/ examination of technical eligibility:  GEF priorities and strategies  National priorities: relationship with the fight against poverty, sustainable development strategy, protected areas, conservation of endangered species,etc.

19. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY  Timing of projects with respect to the RAF process : After two years: Mid-Term Assessment For the first two years: Priority should be given to projects with respect to their capacity to absorb half of the funds allocated to Cameroon for four years Cofinancing: Piority should be given to projects for which cofinancing is guaranteed Projects would be more eligible if they meet these specific criteria

20. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY b/ Look for project ideas which have a common global objective in order to ensure synergy between the project initiators at the level of the development and implementation of this global objective

21. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY – Provisional list of project ideas before validation by the GEF National Committee and with respect to their relationship with sustainable development

22. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY RAF Focal Areas Projects underway New projectsTotal National projects Regional/ global projects National projects Regional/ global projects biodivers ity 0204160628 Climate change 01 030106 Enabling activities --02- total0305210736

23. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY 4. This is just the first list and this list has to be validated on 14 september 2006 according to the deadline given by GEF

24. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY D/ KEY LESSONS LEARNT 1. The consultation process: very difficult and complex; we need to go and meet people who are reticent to understand you and follow you for various reasons; we need to compel people to be available

25. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY D/ Key lessons learnt (continued) 2. Difficulties to understand the RAF: SGP-RAF; regional/global projects-RAF; etc. 3. The needs for more capacity building on how to built projects; It is important to put in place a simplified method or guidelines on how to built projects on RAF focal areas 4. Thus, the consultative process is a permanent process

26. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY D/ Key lessons learnt (continued) 5. It is an compulsory process for, it is where the real issues are raised and where sometimes unexpected solutions crop up; ideas are confronted and discussed 6. It is also compulsory because the consultative process is one of the means which will enable stakeholders to embrace and take hold of initiatives in the later phases

27. 3rd GEF ASSEMBLY Thank you for your kind attention