Background

The proposed Cross-Cutting Capacity Development Project (CCCD) provides an opportunity to strengthen Somalia’s institutional capacities to meet and sustain Rio Convention obligations. This project directly addresses three main categories of articles under the three Rio Conventions. The project will be implemented through three strategically linked components, each of which contains a set of outputs with their respective activities. At the end of the project, each of the three components will result in an expected outcome, namely: 1) Environmental governance is improved through strengthened policy coordination, 2) Global environmental governance is decentralized, and 3) Environmental attitudes and values for the global environment are improved.

The project will also assist the Government of Somalia to achieve the national priorities as set out in its Compact (2014-2016). Somalia’s Compact provides a strategic framework, which builds on existing plans and strategies (such as the Six Pillar Programme), for coordinating political, security and development efforts for peace and state-building. More specifically, the Compact defines aid policy and principles. One aim of the compact is to strengthen the mutual commitments between the Federal Government and international partners. The Compact is made up of five strategic objectives, including a) Inclusive Politics, b) Security, c) Justice, d) Economic Foundations, and e) Revenue and Services.

Response

The expected outcome of the project is that Somalia will be able to achieve global environmental benefits at a lower transactional cost as well as being able to respond faster and more appropriately to conservation needs. While the expected outcomes of the project from a GEF perspective are improved capacities to meet and sustain global environmental priorities, the expected outcomes from a national socio-economic development perspective are improved capacities to plan and make decisions that will meet and sustain sustainable development priorities. The project will achieve this by mainstreaming global environment into planning and decision-making process (i.e., integrating environmental-development best practices).

At the end of the project, activities will have resulted in a set of improved capacities to meet and sustain Rio Convention objectives. This project will have strengthened and helped institutionalize commitments under the Rio Conventions by ensuring a flow of assistance and information between the state, national, and global level.