Thursday 14 August 2008

Bhutan : 2nd GEF meeting for South Asia Constituency

August 13: Bhutan is hosting the second Global Environment Facility (GEF), South Asia Constituency meeting. The two day meeting began yesterday morning in the capital. The operational and political focal points of Global Environment Facility from Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka are attending the meeting.

The GEF is a partnership among 178 countries, international institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.

The meeting is being organized to provide a platform for the Global Environment Facility operational and political focal points to come together and discuss issues affecting the effective utilization of GEF resources.

The meeting is also to provide opportunities for the participants to familiarize themselves with issues of GEF in South Asia constituency.

According to Karma Tshiteem, the secretary for the Gross National Happiness Commission and the GEF operational focal point of Bhutan, the meeting is in preparation for the GEF Council meeting to be held in November this year. He also spoke on the benefits of the grant.

Bhutan received its first GEF grant of US$ 10 million in the 7th five year plan for Bhutan Trust Fund for environmental conservation.

So far Bhutan has received more than US$ 29 million under the GEF grants in the areas of climate change, biodiversity and land degradation activities.

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