Programme of Catalytic Support to Implement the UNCCD in West Asia and North Africa

1
Programme of Catalytic Support to Implement the
UNCCD in West Asia and North Africa

• Findings
• of the
• Mid-Term Review
• April-May 2004

2
Objectives of the review

• Assess the extent of achievement of intended
  results.
  
• Identify opportunities, challenges and lessons
  learnt during implementation.
  
• Assess the relevance of continuing Finish support
  after June 2005 (end of funding agreement).
  

3
Review issues

• Relevance
• Effectiveness
• Impact
• Efficiency
• Sustainability
• Programme organisation, personnel and management
  procedures
  
• Replicability
• Feasibility of the work-plan for the remaining
  program period.
  

4
Methodology of the review

• Briefings at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in
  Helsinki and at the UNDP Dryland Development
  Centre in Beirut.
  
• Desk review of monitoring and reporting
  information.
  
• Field visits and meetings with national partners
  and local stakeholders (UNDP country offices,
  relevant national institutions, local
  cooperatives and NGOs) in 3 programme countries
  Lebanon, Syria and Morocco.

5
Major findings
6
Relevance

• The DDC-AS programme is relevant and compatible
  with
  
• Major global and regional commitments related to
  the sustainable development of drylands (UNCCD,
  WSSD)
  
• National development priorities of the countries
  in the region and
  
• Finlands international environment and
  development policies and strategies.
  
•  

7
Relevance

• The programme is contributing to the achievement
  of the Millennium Development Goals
  
• MDG 1 Poverty/drylands linkages.
• MDG 7 Mainstreaming and reverting environmental
  degradation.
  
• MDG 8 Innovative partnership for programme
  implementation.
  

8
Relevance

• The relevance of programme activities to the
  various stakeholders in the region is
  continuously checked by participatory and
  transparent planning and continuous monitoring
  and evaluation.

9
Effectiveness

• Extent of progress towards the achievement of
  intended results

10
Phase I (Jan 2001-April 2003) Objectives

• Establishment of a Technical Assistance Unit to
  support CCD implementation in programme
  countries.
  
• Provision of support to NAP processes.
• Elaboration of a resource mobilization strategy.

11
Phase II (June 2003-June 2005) Intended outcomes

• Support to national dryland development processes
  provided through capacity building, advocacy,
  resource mobilisation and innovative
  programming.
• Support to Arab/regional and sub-regional
  drylands development processes provided through
  policy advice, technical assistance and knowledge
  networking.

12
Effectiveness

• Achievements at the national level

13
NAP Process

• Significant progress has been achieved in the
  implementation of the CCD in programme countries
  (mid-term review report, 2004).
  
• At the start of the programme, the NAP process
  was either not initiated or in its early stages
  in most countries.
  

14
NAP Process

• Today (Phase I countries)
• Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Syria have
  elaborated their NAPs.
  
• In Jordan, the process is in its final stages.
• In Yemen, the process remains slow due to limited
  institutional capacities.
  

15
NAP Process

• Phase II countries
• Project documents to channel programme assistance
  have been formulated in Iran (support to
  nomadic/pastoral systems) and Tunisia (support to
  NAP implementation in 4 governorates).
• In Palestine a project document is being
  formulated (building local capacities in natural
  resource management in the West Bank).

16
Achievements at the national level(contd)

• Building capacities of local institutions towards
  better land management (local governance for NRM
  in Yemen, participatory approaches in Lebanon,
  improved land management practices in Morocco and
  Syria)
• Poverty alleviation and the promotion of
  sustainable livelihoods (major poverty / dryland
  programme in Morocco emerging pastoral
  initiative in Iran).

17
Achievements at the national levelResource
mobilisation

• The programme has been very effective in
  mobilizing significant resources for UNCCD
  implementation in partner countries (mid-term
  review report, 2004).
• Core resources of UNDP country offices and
  national contributions are used for supporting
  the implementation of programme activities at the
  national level.

18
Achievements at the national levelResource
mobilisation

• The catalytic resources of the DDC-AS allocated
  for national programmes, amounting to 805,000 USD
  (excluding the funds earmarked for Palestine
  where project formulation is still underway), are
  channelled into a programming portfolio of about
  USD 5.5 million (mid-term review report, 2004).

19
Effectiveness

• Achievements at the regional level

20
Achievements at the regional level

• SRAP-WA
• Support to national NAP processes, a necessary
  prerequisite for SRAP processes.
  
• Signature of a framework of cooperation with
  UNEP/ROWA to support SRAP-WA process.
  
• Support to the implementation of pilot SRAP-WA
  activities in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

21
Achievements at the regional level

• 2. Monitoring desertification and CCD
  implementation
  
• The DDC-AS programme has explored on-going
  efforts in the field
  
• GTZ is developing such a system in Lebanon and is
  building the capacity of ACSAD to serve as a
  service provider in this field in the Mashreq
  region
• In the Maghreb region, a similar initiative is
  undertaken by UMA/OSS with the support of the EC
  
  
• The programme will seek to promote networking and
  exchange of experience among these two
  initiatives
  

22
Achievements at the regional level

• 3. Thematic and Challenge Papers and Other
  Publications
  
• The DDC-AS programme contributed to the
  preparation of two challenge papers for the
  Global Drylands Imperative on 1) Pastoralism and
  Mobility in Drylands, and 2) Land Tenure Reform
  in Drylands.
• The two papers were presented at the CCD/COP6 in
  Cuba and served as a basis for the development of
  two global GEF projects on pastoralism and land
  tenure.

23
Achievements at the regional level

• 4. Support to emerging initiatives COP-SL
• The COP-SL (Community of practice on Sustainable
  Livelihoods in Drylands) was launched in January
  2003 - with funding from the Mediterranean
  Development Forum (joint financing of the World
  Bank and the UNDP) in response to a need for
  gathering collective knowledge related to dryland
  livelihoods.

24
Achievements at the regional level

• 4- Support to emerging initiatives COP-SL
• COP-SL is managed by the Environment and
  Sustainable Development Unit of the American
  University of Beirut.
  
• It provides a discussion forum for research and
  development practitioners in the MENA region.
  

25
Achievements at the regional level

• 4-Support to emerging initiatives COP-SL
• DDC-AS organised a Regional Capacity Building
  Workshop on Integrated Drylands Development in
  Lebanon in October 2003 - with the COP-SL
  
• About 30 representatives from programme countries
  participated.
  
• Participants endorsed the integrated approach to
  drylands development promoted by the DDC-AS and
  the mandate of the COP-SL.

26
Achievements at the regional level

• 4-Support to emerging initiatives COP-SL
• Major recommendations of the regional workshop
  were
  
• 1- Elaboration and dissemination of case
  studies
  
• 2- Supporting knowledge sharing and experience
  exchange among members
  
• 3- Development of a proposal for a regional
  project with the objective of improving marketing
  of dryland products and services

27
Achievements at the regional level

• 5- Support to emerging needs Marketing of
  Dryland Products
  
• DDC-AS will address this need by developing a
  regional project to promote the marketing of
  dryland products through a variety of ways
  
• - Promotion of organic agriculture
• - Building capacity for the production of
  quality products (e.g. Geographical Indications
  )
  
• - Building and promoting eco/agri-tourism
  networks.
  

28
EffectivenessMain achievements

• Fully-functional, cost-effective,
  technically-credible TAU
  
• Major progress in UNCCD implementation in
  programme countries
  
• Strong network of national and regional
  partners
  
• Substantial amounts of financial resources
  mobilized
  
• Increasing contribution to regional/sub-regional
  initiatives
  
• Emerging drylands development knowledge network.
  
  

29
Efficiency

• The programme has used its modest resources
  very efficiently (mid-term review report, 2004)
  

30
EfficiencyFacilitating factors

• Programme builds on well-established UNDP
  network technical, management and administrative
  support by country offices and knowledge
  management services of Sub-Regional Resource
  Facility (SURF-AS).
• Integration of CCD/drylands in UNDP Country
  Cooperation Frameworks and contribution of core
  resources for programme implementation.
  
• Strong substantive guidance by the Centre through
  policy advice, technical backstopping and
  knowledge management (Integrated Drylands
  Development Programme guiding framework).

31
EfficiencyChallenging Factors

• Financial resources are modest for a regional
  programme of this nature (i.e. support to nine
  programme countries, regional initiatives and
  knowledge sharing)
• Shortage of human resources in DDC-AS relative to
  the tasks required provision of sufficient
  support for the implementation, monitoring and
  evaluation of national programmes, and the
  response to emerging needs (e.g. development of
  GEF/OP15 projects)

32
Impact

• The programme has contributed to the
  establishment of a firm basis for UNCCD
  implementation in partner countries
  
• (Mid-term review report, 2004).

33
Major impacts

• The programme mobilised significant resources for
  UNCCD implementation in partner countries.
  
• The programme introduced an innovative approach
  to UNCCD implementation linking it to poverty
  alleviation and the promotion of local
  governance.

34
Major impacts

• 3- The programme promoted the mainstreaming of
  UNCCD implementation into national policy and
  planning frameworks (e.g. national development
  plan in Syria, decentralisation and local
  governance programme in Yemen, rural development
  strategy in Morocco, and agricultural policy in
  Lebanon).

35
Major impacts

• 4- The programme promoted the mainstreaming of
  UNCCD implementation into UNDP Country
  Co-operation Frameworks (CCF) in partner
  countries.
•  

36
Major impacts

• 5- The programme enhanced the quality and pace
  of National Action Programme (NAP) elaboration
  processes (including the promotion of
  participatory approaches and local level
  involvement).
• 6- The programme supported awareness raising,
  capacity building, and partnership building.
  
•  

37
Major impactsLinkage to Arab HDR (2002)

• Additionally, the programme addresses the three
  deficits impeding human development in the region
  namely governance, empowerment of women and
  knowledge by supporting
• 1)    Decentralization efforts using natural
  resources management as an entry point (i.e.
  local governance for NRM)
  

38
Major impactsLinkage to Arab HDR (2002)

• 2)    Gender-sensitive programming aiming at
  building the capacities of women stakeholders
  (e.g. 45 of participants in regional workshop)
  and supporting local development initiatives led
  by women (e.g. Lebanon and Morocco).
• 3)    Acquisition and effective utilization of
  knowledge to promote the development of
  marginal/drylands (e.g. community of practice,
  challenge papers, etc.).

39
Sustainability

• The programme has made important steps towards
  improving the sustainability of UNCCD
  implementation in partner countries at many
  levels institutional, financial, environmental,
  political and social (mid-term review report,
  2004).

40
Institutional sustainability

• 1-At the programme level
• The programme has been institutionalised into
  the regional Arab States Programme of the DDC,
  with the Regional Programme Manager and the
  Regional Programme Associate having now
  fixed-term positions with UNDP/DDC.

41
Institutional sustainability

• 2- At the partner country level
• The programme is promoting the mainstreaming of
  UNCCD implementation into national development
  frameworks and UNDP Country Cooperation
  Frameworks.
• Challenge
• more support to most of the partner
  countries for such mainstreaming and integration
  is likely to be needed (mid-term review report,
  2004)

42
Financial sustainability

• By mainstreaming UNCCD implementation into
  national development and country cooperation
  frameworks, the programme has succeeded in
  mobilizing significant resources and in
  establishing fruitful partnership arrangements.

43
Financial sustainability

• Challenge The possibilities to strengthen the
  role of the private sector in financing NAP
  implementation and to utilise the UNFCCC
  financing mechanisms, particularly the Clean
  Development Mechanism (CDM), will need to be
  explored (mid-term review report, 2004).

44
Environmental sustainability

• The programme is promoting the sustainable
  development of the drylands through awareness
  raising, capacity building, resource mobilization
  and the search for opportunities to improve the
  livelihoods of dryland people.

45
Political and social sustainability

• To a considerable extent, the programme has
  raised the awareness of political decision makers
  in partner countries on the problems of
  desertification and land degradation, their
  driving forces and their and socio-economic
  repercussions (mid-term review report, 2004).

46
Political and social sustainability

• The programme has also strengthened the
  capacities of various stakeholders for the CCD
  implementation at the (sub)regional, national and
  local levels (mid-term review report, 2004)

47
Political and social sustainability

• Challenge
• Affected countries are continuously confronted
  with a number of challenges. The DDC-AS programme
  will need to address these challenges through
  facilitating dialogue, exploring context-specific
  solutions and disseminating experiences at the
  local, national, (sub)regional and global
  levels(Mid-term review report, 2004).

48
Programme organization and management

• The programme is implemented by the competent
  but small staff of the DDC-AS
  
• The DDC-AS programme has robust and transparent
  management procedures based on the UNDP rules and
  regulations.
  
• (Mid-term review report, 2004)

49
Programme organization and management

• Support provided by TAU through UNDP COs
  (programme and admin/finance staff) projects
  executed nationally according to UNDPs NEX
  modalities
• Adoption of results-based management for
  programme delivery (Programme Results Framework).
  
  
• Programme countries submit semi-annual progress
  and financial reports. Annual review by UNDP and
  national partners.
  
• Personnel include Programme Manager, Assistant
  and JPO (till April 2004) supported by network
  of key consultants.
  

50
Programme organization and management

• Projects in partner countries are nationally
  executed (NEX national execution as opposed to
  DEX or direct execution by UNDP).
  
• The advantages of NEX arrangements are
• 1) they foster national ownership
• 2) they secure co-financing by national
  partners.
  

51
Programme organization and management

• Challenge
• NEX arrangements have an inherent weakness
  related to the management capacities of national
  partners. Significant resources (time and money)
  should be invested to strengthen programme
  monitoring, reporting and evaluation in partner
  countries.

52
Programme organization and management

• Main recommendations
• There is an immediate need for recruiting a new
  Junior Programme Officer (JPO) who is technically
  experienced in the main fields of forthcoming
  activities (e.g. agriculture, soil conservation,
  water).
• 2. It is necessary to utilise increasingly
  national and regional consultant(s) on a retainer
  basis.
  
• 3. Finnish involvement in the planning,
  implementation and monitoring of the programme
  should be strengthened.
  
• (Mid-term review report, 2004)

53
Programme organization and management

• Main recommendations
• More detailed work planning and budgeting would
  provide a more solid basis for the monitoring,
  reporting and evaluation of the programme.
  
• 5. Increased specificity concerning the actual
  contributions of the programme towards the
  progress achieved in the national and (sub)
  regional processes.
• 6. Conclusions and summaries on the impacts of
  the programme activities and lessons learned
  would be useful. (Mid-term review report,
  2004).

54
Replicability

• The approach of the Programme has proved to be
  successful Partnership between Finland and
  UNDP
  
• Building on substantive track record of DDC and
  UNDP country office network and partners
  
• Strategic use of catalytic resources to leverage
  additional resources including national - for
  implementation
  
• Provision of policy and technical advisory
  services with support of network of
  experts/institutions from the region
  
• Well-established, results-based monitoring and
  reporting procedures.
  

55
Replicability

• Requests for assistance to replicate the approach
  for DDCs Africa/CCD Programme (funded by Norway
  and others), and for extension of support to
  Central Asia.
• Case studies/publications have been prepared to
  document good practices, lessons learned and
  policy implications (Aarsal Story, case studies,
  policy notes).

56
Replicability

• The successful approaches for regional
  co-operation developed in the DDC-AS programme
  would certainly benefit other regional programmes
  supported by the MFA, such as the Basel
  Convention Regional Centre of the Arab States,
  which is being established in Cairo University.
  Opportunities for exchanging experiences between
  these two regional centres should be organised
  (mid-term review report).

57
Replicability

• Challenge
• Additional efforts will be needed to support
  the dissemination, adoption and
  institutionalisation of the good practices
  (mid-term review report, 2004).

58
Main recommendations Summary

• Hiring of one or more regional/national
  consultants to support the human resource
  potential of the DDC-AS programme.
  
• Improving impact-based reporting through capacity
  building of national partners in NEX projects.
  
• Strengthening the role of Finland in programme
  implementation.

59
Major recommendations

• Continuation of Finnish support beyond the
  current phase.
  
• Conduction of a need assessment survey to design
  the next phase of the programme.
  
• Preparation of a draft programme document, for
  the next phase (e.g. July 2005 2008).
  
• Explore the feasibility of extending programme
  support to Egypt, Djibouti and Iraq.