GEF Country Dialogue Workshops Programme (CDW)

Each workshop is being hosted by the country and organized by the national GEF Operational Focal Point with assistance provided by the UNDP country office and, where applicable, the local offices of the World Bank and UNEP. The workshop organizers make use of Workshop Facilitation Materials, guidance documents, a variety of helpful reference materials, and methodologies designed to foster multi-stakeholder dialogue, prepared especially for the GEF CDW Program.

CDW Structure

Each workshop is being organized around a series of core CDW sessions developed by the Programme. The core sessions are adapted by each country to ensure that their national GEF interests are addressed. They include:

GEF Awareness Briefing Session;
Project Development Training Session; and
Country Level Dialogue Session (to help country GEF focal points be effective coordinators of, and advocates for their country's GEF programme).

Additional sessions may include:

Private Sector Session;
Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) Session;
Small Grants Programme (SGP) Session.

These sessions have been designed to:

Improve knowledge and a common understanding of the GEF in recipient countries, particularly by reaching out to senior decision-makers and the national media;
Equip a diverse group of national stakeholders with a thorough understanding of the GEF’s operating principles, project eligibility criteria and project processing arrangements;
Strengthen the functional capacity and operations of the national Operational Focal Points through a targeted OFP empowerment component;
Increase understanding of, and GEF response to country priorities; and
Promote country ownership of GEF-financed activities.

To ensure that all countries have ready access to the Programme’s learning resources, the CDW materials developed for each of the above sessions are available to all interested stakeholders through this Web site and in CD-ROM format (upon request). Countries are welcome to utilize these materials in organizing workshops using other sources of financing (Government, bilateral, UN agency, NGO, etc.) in consultation with the GEF Implementing Agencies.

Additional materials such as the individual GEF Country Dialogue Workshop reports have also been posted to this site so that countries can share experiences as the Programme develops.

Target Beneficiaries

The target beneficiaries comprise a broad group of stakeholders from recipient countries identified through an initial needs assessment process. Specifically, beneficiaries could include national and local government representatives, GEF national focal points and Council members, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, scientific communities, bi- and multi-lateral donor organizations including regional development banks, the private sector, and the media, as well as resource persons from the GEF Secretariat and its Implementing Agencies.