Global Environment Facility Representatives analyse projects to improve global environment

“Global Environment Facility has invested a lot in the African region, bringing together different themes of environmental governance into integrated strategies that cross local, national and regional boundaries while meeting and respecting our respective development agenda, national policies and programs,” said Minister of Natural Resources, Stanislas Kamanzi.

Kamanzi made the remarks while opening the Global Environment Facility Expended Constituency Workshop, held in Kigali, from 14^th – 16^th May 2013.

GEF is an international workshop organized by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the largest public funder for projects to improve the global environment, especially projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants.

According to Mrs. Susan Matindi Waithaka, GEF country relations Officer in Sub-Saharan Africa, a lot of work has been done in terms of environmental protection but there is a need to do a lot more and to allocate more funds for the environment.

“We need to do a transformational change, we need to do business in a different way, more money needs to be allocated for the environment and countries also needs to work much closer with other agencies and the private sector in order to be able to address the challenges of the environment,” she said.

This workshop’s discussion focused on how country stakeholders  among them Rwanda, get involved in GEF, the GEF 2020 strategy, the new GEF fee policy and GEF procedures for Civil Society Participation in GEF programs and projects, among other subjects.

As noted by Dr. Rose Mukankomeje, Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority and GEF national focal point, Rwanda has been working with GEF to protect wetlands and forests.

“We have been working with GEF to protect wetlands so that water reserved in wetlands can be used in agriculture and energy production.”

“Most of you know how the Kamiranzovu and Rugezi wetlands were spoiled but with our funds and funds provided by GEF we solved these problems,” She noted.

The workshop brought together representatives from 14 countries mainly representatives from GEF secretariat based at Washington D.C, representatives from Civil Society and GEF agencies (UNDP, UNEP), GEF focal points from different African Countries, among others.

During this workshop session, participants had the opportunity to visit sites where project financed by GEF have been ran in order to see their achievements.

The sites included the Rweru-Bugesera Ecosystem complex done by the Integrated Management of Critical Ecosystems (IMCE) project, COOCEN (a women cooperative which produces “Briquettes”, in Nyarugenge District), just to say a few.

Established in 1991, the Global Environment facility (GEF) unites 182 countries (Rwanda included) in partnership with international institutions, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.