The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Tuesday February 13, 2024 convened a four-day regional conference in Liberia, bringing together eight countries in West Africa, including four Anglophone and four Francophone nations.
The confab, which ends today, Friday February 16, 2014, is being attended by Anglophone countries like Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, and host Liberia, while the Francophone nations in attendance are Guinea, Benin, Ivory Coast, and Togo.
Speaking to reporters at the onset of the workshop in Monrovia, the Executive Director of the EPA, Prof. Wilson Tarpeh, said the confab brings together operational Focal Persons and staff members from countries in which GEF projects are being implemented.
According to him, the GEF is a financing mechanism that was put together under the Paris Accord, adding that it currently provides financing to five major projects in Liberia, including the Conventions on Biodiversity, Desertification, Persistent Organic Pollutant, and the UN Convention on Climate Change.
Each of the countries will make presentations on update on projects being financed by the GEF in their respective countries, how it is impacting the livelihood of their citizens, lessons learned, and how can such projects be improved upon. The gathering which ends Friday February 16, 2024 is also featuring lesson sharing to identify common problems and issues being faced by the eight countries implementing the GEF projects.
“The gathering is also aimed to ensure that all funding coming to GEF projects are being utilized to the benefit of the GEF programs, in line with the national development plan of the country. The workshop will avail participants the opportunity to know the new strategies and approaches the GEF has come up with,” Prof. Tarpeh revealed.
While declaring the regional workshop formally open, Liberia’s Agriculture Minister, J. Alexander Nuetah, indicated that the ongoing GEF Extended Community Constituency workshop demonstrates the GEF’s commitment in assisting Liberia address its environmental problems.
According to him, Government acknowledges the contributions by the GEF in improving the natural environmental, promoting and protecting biodiversity, and addressing climate change and responding to the environmental issues in Liberia, through the Small Arm program and the Least Developed Country Fund and Staff Allotment.
He applauded the GEF for funding provided to the Climate Induced Coastal Erosion project in Buchanan, and the recent endorsement of the grant of US$200,000 for the preparation of a US$10 million proposal to strengthen agriculture resilience activities in Liberia. The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) was established in 1992 and has since served as a catalyst for action in addressing environmental effected countries, mainly least developed countries.
