Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism - WEDNESDAY,
30 AUGUST 2006: The hosting of the 3rd Global
Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has been an
important milestone for South Africa. This has
provided us with yet another opportunity to showcase
our African hospitality and our capacity to host
major international events.
The conference has involved
1934 people, including delegates, staff, NGOs
and the media. 56 government ministers have attended
the conference, and 130 countries were represented.
In addition to the prestige this brings to the
country, the contribution of this event to the
national economy is estimated to be R16.3 million.
The Fourth GEF replenishment
will see US$ 3.13 billion pledged by 32 countries,
dedicated to environmental projects over the next
four-year cycle. We have seen increased South
– South cooperation in GEF, with developing countries
taking the lead in ensuring that principles of
good governance are carried through in the technical
instruments of the organisation. Besides South
Africa, Nigeria, India and China have all assumed
leadership roles as contributors to GEF.
At this assembly, progress has
been achieved in gaining political support for
issues that are important for developing countries
in general, and for African countries and small
island developing states in particular. African
countries seized the opportunity to caucus and
achieve synergy in their positions and contributions.
This increased our overall impact and influence.
We are pleased that issues highlighted
in the South African statement were given prominence
in other national statements and during the plenary.
GEF is an important institution and we intend
to continue working together as they address the
serious concerns raised at this Assembly. Concerns
have been raised regarding the adequacy of GEF
resources to address the massive global environmental
concerns that have persisted and in some cases
deteriorated since the last Assembly in 2002.
The GEF Resource Allocation Framework was also
placed under scrutiny. Dissatisfaction was expressed
at the lack of equity in the RAF, and the relevance
of the indicators that are used to determine country
allocations. Appeals were made for a comprehensive
and participatory institutional review to be conducted
two years from now. GEF governance was also a
recurrent theme, with many countries articulating
the need for a governance review in order to strengthen
the organisation’s representivity. There were
calls for the GEF Assembly to be the highest GEF
authority and for the reform of the existing constituency
system.
In addition, requests were made
to ensure that land degradation, an issue of deep
concern to Africa, received more serious attention
and commitment in the official legal and contractual
documents of the GEF. Appeals were made for the
specific inclusion of the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD) in the GEF instrument
– without which, the financing of its implementation
would not be guaranteed. This issue has been formally
referred to the GEF Council to develop a proposed
amendment for consideration by the next Assembly.
South Africa is putting GEF
funds to good use in a number of projects. These
include the Maluti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation
Area, which is receiving US$ 15 million; the Cape
Floral Kingdom, which is receiving US$ 11 million;
the Wind Energy Programme, which is receiving
$2.2 million; the Renewable Energy Market Transformation,
which is receiving US$6 million; and the Greater
Addo Elephant National Park Project, which is
receiving US$ 5.8 million.
The Addo project has numerous
areas of impact such as conservation planning,
governance, economic development and community
development, and the expansion of marine &
terrestrial areas through various mechanisms,
including contractual agreements with private
land owners. There have been tangible benefits
to ordinary South Africans through this project.
As part of SMME development activities, R4.6 million
has been awarded to 48 small, medium and micro-enterprises,
which employ 661 people. The park has already
exceeded its target of increasing employment by
30% from the year 2000 baseline. Whereas there
were 106 jobs in 2000, this figure had reached
225 by the end of the 2005/6 financial year.
A new development was negotiated,
which extends the benefits of the existing GEF
Small Grants programme. The DBSA will now be issuing
matching grants on a dollar-for-dollar basis to
community based organisations, NGOs and civil
society in South Africa.
Despite the high-level and technical
nature of the deliberations, it is clear that
ordinary people stand to benefit from interventions
that are made possible through the grants issued
by GEF. We therefore hope that between now and
the next Assembly, we see more resources dedicated
to the implementation of multilateral environmental
agreements, and that these are managed and allocated
in a more equitable manner.
Mava Scott (Director: Communications)
