Download Global Environment Facility 4th Assembly Punta del Este, Uruguay

Global Environment Facility 4th Assembly
Punta del Este, Uruguay, 25 May 2010
Statement by Constituency
representing Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Luxembourg, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Turkey,
delivered by Ms. Veronika Hunt Šafránková,
First Deputy Minister of the Environment of the Czech Republic
Ms. Chairperson, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour to address the fourth Assembly of GEF on behalf of our
constituency.
Let me thank the CEO/Chairperson, Ms Monique Barbut, for her capable
and determined leadership of GEF and wish her much success in the
coming years. As in the past, my constituency offers its full support to GEF
and is looking forward to continue working constructively on all GEF
matters.
The fifth replenishment of GEF was successfully completed earlier this
month with the highest ever replenishment level achieved in the history of
GEF. This signals a strong commitment and support by GEF members and
presents a strong vote of confidence in GEF. My constituent countries
1
strongly supported the replenishment and several of them increased their
contribution to GEF substantially. My constituency fully subscribes to the
unique GEF concept. My constituency also fully supports the policy
recommendations that were agreed in the context of the replenishment.
GEF has achieved great merits in enabling developing countries to gain
greater awareness and raise financial means to tackle a number of
environmental
problems.
Recent
examples
from
evaluations
have
demonstrated that the increased efforts to better integrate GEF activities
into national strategies have indeed improved the scope and quality of GEF
programs. Thus, we welcome the national dialogue initiative to further
strengthen country level coordination and capacity as well as country
ownership. In this context, let me also acknowledge the valuable
contribution of GEF evaluation office to improve the quality of GEF portfolio.
After the disappointing experience with the Resource Allocation Framework
(RAF) during GEF 4 we have much hope that the new allocation system
(STAR) will play a better role in allocating GEF resources in a more effective
and equitable way among the countries and regions.
We note with satisfaction that GEF has continued to leverage substantial
amounts of co-financing and broadened the partnership with additional
organizations. We encourage GEF to continue its work towards an
enhanced engagement with the private sector and developing innovative
financing models to mobilize more private sector resources for the benefit
of global environment.
2
We place a particular importance to the well functioning of the GEF network
that includes the development of an interactive system of knowledge and
lesson sharing as well as information management. We encourage GEF to
further explore on the role of Implementing and Executing Agencies based
on their knowledge and experience.
While we appreciate the progress that has been made to improve the
relationship with the Conventions, we look forward to an enhanced
collaboration with all the Conventions for which GEF is the financial
mechanism.
The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference was an exceptional event.
Climate Change and Climate Finance were discussed at the highest political
level. The outcome is reflected in the Copenhagen Accord that contains
important provisions on scaled-up finance, both in the short and in the long
term. We are confident that, with the collective commitment by developed
countries on scaled-up funding, GEF will play an increasingly important role
in the coming years and look forward to a strengthened cooperation
between GEF and UNFCCC.
GEF plays an important function for the implementation of the Convention
on Biological Diversity. We wish to draw particular attention to the ninth
session of the Parties of the CBD that submitted a four-year framework of
programme priorities for the period 2010 - 2014 as input to the 5th
replenishment of GEF. We regard this as a very useful exercise that is in
3
line with the GEF strategy and supports efforts for streamlining guidance to
GEF. By this, we create a more active dialogue between the two fora that
allow for maximum response to the needs of developing countries and
avoid any potential duplication of efforts.
Our constituency attaches a great importance to the negotiations of a
regime on access and benefit-sharing that would be finalised by COP10 in
Nagoya in October this year with further specification of GEF role.
GEF should keep proactive approach when responding to the challenge of
aligning national action plans of the UNCCD with the Ten-year UNCCD
strategic plan implementation.
GEF providing a focal area for persistent organic pollutants has significantly
contributed to the implementation of the Stockholm Convention. We
appreciate the constructive cooperation between GEF and the Convention,
in particular an increasing recognition of chemicals in general that are
receiving under GEF and its policy reforms. We consider this as a valuable
support of the UN policy to enhance cooperation and coordination, and it
also strengthens the role of GEF as recognised financial mechanism.
Finally, I would like to thank the people and the government of Uruguay for
their hospitality and the excellent organization of the meeting. My thanks
also go to the GEF Secretariat for their hard work to make this meeting a
success.
4