Welcoming remarks by Ms. Christine McNab
Resident Representative of United Nations Development Programme

Launch of “101 Local Initiatives to Protect the Global Environment”

Local Initiatives in Sustainable Development

Thursday, 27 January 2005

Your Excellency Dr. Yousef Al-Shouriqi

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a pleasure to be present at an event which celebrates the work of communities and Civil Society Organisations across Jordan.  I am, of course, referring to the work that has been done, and continues to be done, at community level with the support of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) through its Small Grants Programme.   The programme has so far supported 101 projects in Jordan and this is surely something that we should celebrate together.

The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, works in three key areas within Jordan: poverty reduction, good governance and environment. In all areas we look to see how the needs of women and youth can be incorporated into the work, as well as how we can use ICT for development and use the projects to encourage good governance and respect for human rights.

Our work has a large span, from macro analytical work, for example supporting the development of the National Human Development Reports and the National Milllennium Development Goals Report, to working at community level.

The area of environment is a good example of this:

At macro level UNDP assists the Government of Jordan to work within the framework of global agreements and conventions such as biodiversity and stopping the spread of deserts.

At large project level, we work with national partners to establish people-friendly, sustainable conservation areas such as Dana and Dibeen, and work with more technical projects such as the production of bio-gas from landfill areas.

And at local level, we work closely with communities and Civil Society Organizations who have been awarded GEF small grants and use them for improvement of livelihoods and community solutions to poverty eradication.

 The GEF’s Small Grants Programme is very special. What makes it different from many other programmes are the following characteristics:

It is:

Ø      Decentralized and country driven.

 Ø      Works directly with local communities addressing their priorities and real needs.

Ø      Reaches the remotest areas and “unconventional” target groups (glass boaters, fishermen, Bedouin communities in Wadi Rum and Disi, women farmers in the Jordan Valley and Badia).

Ø      Includes considerable national contributions by official institutions and local communities, as well as the beneficiaries themselves.

Ø      Has flexibility in dealing with all phases of the project cycle, ensuring participation of project partners.

And last, but certainly not least

Ø      The pivotal role is not that of donors or government , but of the National Steering Committee (NSC).

We will be using this occasion to show our appreciation by handing appreciation certificates to the dedicated members of the NSC.

 My thanks to all who participate in the GEF’s Small Grants Programme, in whatever capapcity, and my best wishes for our future cooperation in the field of environment.