As part of the GEF-CSO Network, the REC Caucasus, represented by Ms. Sophiko Akhobadze, actively participated in the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Forum held during the 54th Meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council in Da Nang, Vietnam, from June 24th to 26th, 2018.
This three-day gathering convened over 500 delegates from governments, international organizations, and civil society entities.
During the meeting, the Council sanctioned the seventh replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund (GEF-7) totaling US$4.1 billion. Additionally, pivotal decisions were made regarding the GEF Gender Implementation Strategy, Co-Financing Policy, GEF Partnership, System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR), and the 2019 GEF Business Plan and Corporate Budget.
Following the Council session, the sixth GEF Assembly convened on June 27th and 28th, 2018, attracting more than 1,100 participants. Parallel roundtable sessions were conducted, addressing urgent matters such as food security, sustainable urban development, marine conservation, and the circular economy.
The Council resolved outstanding issues and scheduled future meetings. Participants hailed the conclusion of the Council meeting as “historical.”
Simultaneously, on June 26th, the CSO Forum convened, emphasizing the transition phase of the GEF-CSO Network and advocating for financial support from GEF to ensure its continuity.
The Forum spotlighted the significance of storytelling in elucidating systems transformations, featuring 18 presentations and group discussions on GEF-SGP project implementations.
In her opening speech, Ms. Sophiko Akhobadze underscored the imperative of altering community mindsets regarding land degradation, climate change, and drought in Georgia.
During the closing session, discussions centered on effective collaborations for systemic change, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable transformation. The importance of fostering an enabling environment for community voices was emphasized, and inputs were solicited for the Civil Society Call for Action document, incorporating feedback gathered from numerous CSOs over the preceding months.
More details on the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Forum are available at the following link:
Featured Image: Sophiko Akhobadze (REC Caucasus) and Sana Taktak Keskes (Association of Continuity of Generations, Tunisia)
Photo Credits: Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu
