GEF Large Marine Ecosystem project on its way

The First Strategic Partnership Co-ordination Group met for the first time on 16-18 September 2009, in Athens. All implementing partners and agencies attended this sort of a kick-off meeting after the approval of the project by the GEF Council. PAP/RAC, together with the Global Water Partnership (GWP), UNESCO and ex-METAP of the World Bank, are partners in the Component 1 of the project, i.e. Integrated Approaches for the implementation of the SAPs and NAPs: ICZM, IWRM and Management of Coastal Aquifers. Specifically, PAP/RAC will implement the Sub-component 1.2 Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

At the meeting the work programme for 2010 was presented and discussed in detail as well as many other common issues, such as the format for the Inception Report, financial and administrative issues, the review of complementary new programmes, projects, etc. Partners had a series of separate meetings to discuss joint activities and organisation of work in order to guarantee better integration and synergies among themselves and joint projects they are going to implement.  

The Inception Report is envisaged to be completed by the end of November and the first Steering Committee meeting to take place in the second half of January 2010, most likely in Montenegro.