GEF Agencies

Although the GEF is an independent financial entity, from its inception it has avoided creating a large bureaucracy by implementing its projects and programs through the following agencies:

GEF Agencies play key roles in managing GEF projects on the ground. Through them, the GEF has quickly amassed a diverse project portfolio serving the developing world, Eastern Europe, and the Russian Federation. Moreover, GEF teamwork by these partners reinforces their individual efforts to mainstream or incorporate global environment concerns into all of their policies, programs and projects.

More specifically GEF Agencies assist eligible governments and NGOs in the development, implementation, and management of GEF projects. They are the channel between countries and the GEF for the project approval process and participate in the GEF governance as well as in the development of GEF policies and programs.

GEF Agencies are requested to focus their involvement in GEF project activities within their respective comparative advantages. In specific cases of integrated projects that include components where the expertise and experience of a GEF agency is lacking or weak, the agency is invited to partner with another agency and to establish clear complementary roles so that all aspects of the project can be well managed (GEF Instrument, Paragraph 28).