Opportunities for the Arab Region

Workshop on Alignment and Implementation of National Action Programmes within th context of the UNCCD 10-year Strategy

in the Arab Region

19 June 2014, Dubai, UAEInes Chaalala & Wafa Essahli

The Global Mechanism of the UNCCD

1. To reach a common understanding on the Arab region priority areas of

intervention and activities related to SLM that can be taken up at the regional

level to support the national efforts

2. To identify opportunities for support to such a regional intiative: key

actors/institutions/countries, regional financing institutions, etc…

3. To come up with recommendations on the way forward, based on country input

and start discussions on the establishment of a partnership and resource

mobilisation platform

Objectives of this session

Part I: Introductory presentation

Financing SLM: a comprehensive approach to resource mobilisation The concept of partnership: definition and principles Selected Examples of partnership platforms

TerrAfrica (www.terrafrica.org)The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative

Global Donor platform on Rural Development (www.gdprd.org)

Global Island Partnership (www. glispa.org)

Part II: Brainstorming on the establishment of an Arab region partnership and resource mobilisation platform

Outline

The Global Mechanism

Financial mechanism of the UNCCD Tasked to mobilise resources for sustainable

land management (SLM) Promoting synergistic implementation of the

Rio Conventions Supports developing countries in designing

Integrated Financing Strategies (IFS) leading to multi-year SLM investment frameworks

Increasing recognition of the multiple values and functions of land (e.g. environmental, cultural, social, economical services)

But: many of these services are not traded in markets or accounted for in national budgets, and land owners and managers do not receive any returns for them

This creates conditions for exploiting land unsustainably

The challenge: financing SLM

Demonstrating the benefits of SLM

People’s livelihood is not only dependent on land in isolation, but on the availability of healthy soils, clean water, food production and the safeguarding of biodiversitySustainable forestry, land, water management, climate change and biodiversity need to be addressed in an integrated manner.

The challenge: financing SLM

Adopting an integrated approach

Tools to increase resources for SLM

Integrated approach such as the IFS, leads to an SLM integrated investment framework (10-YS)

• Domestic, external and innovative sources of finance • uncovers potential barriers to resource identification, allocation

and disbursement. 

Mainstream SLM as a national priority• Strengthen inter-sectoral coordination at all levels• Strengthen institutional and legal frameworks

Regional cooperation• Partnership

• Partnership: Is a “slippery concept” because there is no one agreed definition. Terms such as collaboration, cooperation, coordination, coalition, network, alliance and partnership are often used interchangeably

For our purpose:

• An arrangement where two or more entities/organisations/countries make a commitment to work together on something that concerns both (or all); to develop a shared sense of purpose and agenda, and to generate joint action towards agreed targets

Simplified: An arrangement where two or more parties agree to advance their mutual interest.

• Financing Partnership Platform can mean different things;

– A set of principles on which a group of “persons/entities” conduct their affairs

– Space for public discussion (physical, virtual, etc..)– … Or both

Concept of Partnership

Characteristics of partnerships Successful partnership:• Respect and trust between different

interests. • Leadership of a respected individual or

individuals. • Commitment of key interests

developed through a clear and open process.

• The development of a shared vision of what might be achieved.

• Time to build the partnership. • Shared mandates or agendas. • The development of compatible ways

of working, and flexibility. • Good communication, perhaps aided

by a facilitator. • Collaborative decision-making, with a

commitment to achieving consensus. • Effective organisational management.

Failed partnership:• Conflict among key interests. • One partner manipulates or

dominates. • Lack of clear purpose. • Unrealistic goals. • Differences of philosophy and ways of

working. • Lack of communication. • Unequal and unacceptable balance of

power and control. • Key interests missing from the

partnership. • Hidden agendas. • Financial and time commitments

outweigh the potential benefits.

Principles of Partnership

• Equality: Requires equal respect between members irrespective of size and power

• Transparency: Emphasis on early consultations and early sharing of information

• Result-Oriented Approach: Reality-based and action- oriented (effective capabilities and concrete operational capacities

• Responsibility: Ethical obligation to each other to accomplish tasks responsibly (sense of ownership)

• Complementarity: Building on comparative advantage and complement each others contribution.

• Subsidiarity: Action should be handled at the appropriate level

Selected Examples of Partnership Platforms

TerrAfrica (www.terrafrica.org)

• A regional Platform on SLM for SSA countries• A partnership between: All governments of SSA

countries, AUC/NEPAD; and– multilateral organizations (WB, AfDB, EC) – bilateral partners (Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, France,

etc.). – CSOs, – UNCCD bodies (GM and the Secretariat); – UN agencies (FAO, UNDP, UNEP, IFAD, etc..), and – the RECs (IGAD, SADC, ECOWAS, etc.)– A budget of over 3 Billion USD

The Great Green Wall Initiative

GGWSSI is a pan-African programme launched in 2007 by the African Union (AU).

Over 20 countries of the Sahara and Sahel   Goal: to address land degradation and desertification in

the Sahel and Sahara, boost food security, and strengthen local resilience of communities to adapt to climate change.

More than planting trees, the initiative has evolved into a regional sustainable landscape programme.

 Vision: a mosaic of sustainable land uses and community-based land management practices.

 A budget of over 1 Billion USD

global donor platform on rural

development

• what: membership platform formed in 2003

• who: 37 member organisations (bilaterals, multilaterals, international financing institutions, intergovernmental organisations and development agencies

• doing: networking for partnership and knowledge with the aim to enhance quality of development assistance in Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD)

GLISPA

Mission  The Global Island Partnership promotes actions for island conservation and sustainable livelihoods

Goals•Support successful implementation of partner commitments•Catalyze new commitments to address critical island issues•Establish and maintain a flexible and efficient Partnership responsive to its partners’ needs and aspirations

SupportGLISPA supports participating countries and organizations that share in its mission by:•inspiring and recognizing commitments•strengthening implementation•mobilizing resources•promoting collaboration•increasing visibility and communications•tracking progress

Lessons learned

Ensuring sustainable and predictable financing flows requires a holistic, comprehensive and integrated approach approach

Lack of financing not always the issue: enabling environment key for resource mobilisation, including diversification of partnerships

Challenge to develop projects and programmes that cut across sectors

‘First door’ of finance: domestic budgets and national investments

Regional approach is useful to support efforts to promote the regional agenda, raise the regional profile, and mobilise partners and resources.

Brainstorming

A. What could be the form and function that this Arab Partnership Platform?a. Define a common vision, identify the objectives and expected

resultsb. Identify Priority areas of intervention/thematic areasc. Identify members and their rolesd. Identify the target audiences

 B. Mapping: Which key actors/institutions/countries, regional financing institutions, foundations, mechanisms can support such a regional initiative?

C.  Road map for the establishment of an Arab platform : What should be the priority activities to set up the regional platform?

Thank you