PROJECT Development Facility

Request for PDF Block B Approval

Agency’s Project ID:

GEFSEC Project ID:

Country: Mediterranean (12 countries): Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Serbia and Monte Negro, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey[1].

Project Title: Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Large Marine Ecosystem – Regional Component: Implementation of agreed actions for the protection of the environmental resources of the Mediterranean Sea and its coastal areas.

GEF Agency: UNEP

Other Executing Agency(ies):UNEP/MAP FAO, UNESCO, UNIDO, ICS-UNIDO, METAP/WB, WWF Mediterranean Programme Office

Duration: 14 months

GEF Focal Area: International Waters and Biodiversity

GEF Operational Program: OP 9 and OP 2

GEF Strategic Priority: IW-1 Catalyzing Financial Resources for Implementation of Agreed Actions; BD-1 Catalyzing Sustainability of Protected Areas and BD-2 Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Production Landscapes and Sectors.

Estimated Starting Date of PDF-B: November 2005

Estimated WP Entry Date: FY 2007

Pipeline Entry Date: November 2004

Financing Plan (US$)
GEF Allocation
Project (estimated) / $15 million
Project Co-financing (estimated) / To be identify during PDF-B
PDF A*
PDF B** / 700,000
PDF C

Sub-Total GEF PDF

/ 700,000
PDF Co-financing (details provided in Part II, Section E – Budget)
GEF Agency / 30,000
National Contribution / 240,000
Italy / 100,000
Others / 1,631,000
Sub-Total PDF Co-financing: / 2,001,000
Total PDF Project Financing: / 2,701,000

* Indicate approval date of PDFA

** If supplemental, indicate amount and date of originally approved PDF


Record of endorsement on behalf of the Government:

Country / Name / Title / Date of Letter Endorsement
Albania / ABESHI, Pellumb
(Operational Focal Point)
/ Secretary General
Ministry of Environment
Rruga e Durresit, No. 27
Tirana, Albania
TEL: (355-4) 270623
FAX : (355-4) 270623
E-mail:
Algeria / ECHIRK, Djamel
(Operational Focal Point) / Inspector General of Environment
Ministere d´Menagement de
Territoreles et l´Environnement
47 rue Mohamed DOUAR
Alger, Algerie
TEL: (213-21) 561986
FAX: (213-21) 561439
E-mail:
Bosnia and Herzegovina / DOKO, Dragon
(Operational Focal Point)
/ Minister
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations
Musala 9
71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzigovina
TEL: 011 387 33 47 31 23
FAX: 011 387 33 44 59 11
Croatia / RUKLIC, Gordana
(Operational Focal Point) / Expert Advisor
Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction
Ulica Republike Austrije 16
10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
TEL: 385 1 3782 160
FAX: 385 1 3782 157
E-mail:
Egypt / KHALIL, M.S.
(Operational Focal Point)
/ Chief Executive Officer
Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA)
P.O. Box 955
Maadi Post Office
Cairo, Egypt
TEL: (20-2) 52 56 445 / 52 56 450
FAX: (20-2) 52 56 454
E-mail:
Lebanon / KHOURY, Nancy
(Operational Focal Point) / Public and International Relations
Ministry of Environment
P.O. Box 70-1091
Antelias, Lebanon
PHONE: (961-4) 522222
FAX: (961-4) 525080
E-mail:
Libya / AMER, Mohamed M.
(Operational Focal Point)
/ Head Office of Planning and Emergency
Environmental General Authority (EGA)
PO Box 83618
Tripoli, Libya
TEL: (218-21) 4840043
FAX : (218-21) 4839991
E-mail:
Morocco / BALAFREJ, Taha
(Operational Focal Point) / Directeur du Partenariat
Ministere de l'Amenagement du Territoire, de l'Eau et de l'Environnement
Quartier Administratif
Rue Quarzuzute Hassan
Rabat, Moroc
TEL: 212 7772759
FAX: 212 7772640
E-mail: ,
Serbia and Monte Negro / VUCINIC, Boro
(Operational Focal Point) / Minister
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Physical Planning of Montenegro
PC Vektra
81000 Podgorica
Montenegro, Serbia and Montenegro
TEL: 381 81 482 169
FAX: 381 81 234131
E-mail:
Syria / HASSOUN, Imad
(Political/Operational Focal Point) / Deputy Minister
Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs
Tolyani St.
P.O. Box 3773
Tolyani Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
TEL:963 11 3333246
FAX :963 11 3335645
E-mail: ,
Tunisia / DALI, Najeh
(Alternate Member for constituency: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia) / Director International Cooperation for the Environment
Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources
Tunis Alain Savary
Tunis 1001, Tunisia
TEL: 216 71 284 230
FAX : 216 71 799 171
E-mail:
Turkey / SARIKAYA, Hasan Z
(Operational Focal Point) / Undersecretary of Environment and Forestry
Eskisehir Yolu
No:98
Iskitler 06060, Turkey
TEL: 90 312 34 67 22
FAX: 90 312 384 60 8
This proposal has been prepared in accordance with GEF policies and procedures and meets the standards of the GEF Project Review Criteria for approval.

Ahmed Djoghlaf

IA/ExA Coordinator / Project Contact Person
Date: (Month, Day, Year) / Tel. and email:254-20-623886

PART I - Project Concept

The Project Concept (Annex 1) describing the background, environmental concerns and the two main elements (Regional Component and Investment Fund) of the proposed Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Sea LME was approved for GEF pipeline in December 2004. The present PDF-B request is prepared in order to fully design the activities, timeframe and budget for the implementation of the Regional Component under the Strategic Partnership. Another PDF-B request to develop the Investment Fund component of the Strategic Partnership will be developed and submitted by the World Bank.

PART II - Project Development Preparation
A - Description of Proposed PDF Activities

The PDF-B is designed to complete a Project Brief and the IA Project Document with detailed budget, description of anticipated actions, a costed work plan for the project, and the necessary planning and stakeholder consultations for the successful implementation of the Project. The PDF B resources will be used to:

1.  Fully define all components for the full size project;

2.  Define execution arrangements, including coordination mechanisms among partner agencies and the Investment Fund component;

3.  Develop a stakeholders/public involvement and M&E plan;

4.  Enable the preparation of the Project Brief and respective IA Project Document; and

5.  Mobilize co-financing for the Full Project implementation.

I Definition of the final design of all components of the Full Project

Component I. Facilitation of policy and legislative reforms for SAP MED and SAP BIO

(UNEP/MAP through MED POL, CP/RAC, PAP/RAC, REMPEC and SPA/RAC) (GEF-$100,000; co-financing - $50,000)

The development and implementation of policies and legislation reforms aimed at addressing transboundary causes of environmental degradation of the Mediterranean Sea, as established in the SAP MED and SAP BIO, will be one of the objectives of the Project. Adequate capacity will be developed in the countries for legal/institutional set up, reforms and harmonization of policies needed to reverse degradation trends and living resources depletion, following the priorities established by the SAP MED and SAP BIO.

Expected outcomes of the full project:

·  Legal, institutional and policy reforms in order to achieve the targets, set by the two SAPs, implemented at the national level.

·  Policies and legislation aimed at addressing sectoral causes of environmental degradation of the Mediterranean Sea developed and implemented.

·  Multi-stakeholder participation in the implementation of the NAPs and SAPs strengthened;

·  Strengthened planning and management capacities for Integrated Coastal Management –(ICM) at national and local levels in the Mediterranean countries, and identification and management of MPAs; and

·  A sustainable management regime capable of coordinating regional actions to overcome the key transboundary issues facing the Mediterranean Sea, and improvement of long term sustainable financing for the implementation of the Sap-MED.

PDF-B Activities:

The PDF-B activities will have two main objectives:

(i) Allow the detailed design of this component of the full project, including relevant process – stress reduction indicators;

(ii) Assist the countries to reach consensus at the inter-ministerial level on their needs for reforms and the commitments emerging from each country’s National Action Plan and SAP BIO National Action Plans, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and other relevant protected areas planning documents.

Activities will include the following preliminary assessments:

·  Assess countries needs in the development and implementation of policies and legislation aimed at addressing sectoral causes of environmental degradation of the Mediterranean Sea;

·  Assessment of the permit, inspection and compliance systems of discharges in the countries and preparation of a programme of action according to countries’ needs;

·  Assess the feasibility of the application in the region of the differentiated responsibility approach for pollution reduction including the indication of each country’s proposed share;

·  Preparation of an assessment of the present national monitoring programmes as tools for the SAP/MED pollution reductions measures implementation;

·  Preparation of an assessment of the status of countries’ laws and regulations related to illegal discharges by ships including the identification of gaps, country needs and priority actions;

·  Identify countries’ needs in legal, policy, and institutional reforms to strengthen the management of existing Marine Protected Areas;

·  Assess countries’ needs in strengthening of planning and management capacities for Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) at national and local levels and the development of a methodology for the selection of demonstration projects for effective management of coastal areas;

·  Review of relevant regional and national legal instruments, programmes and institutional arrangements in order to identify gaps and needs in coverage of Marine Litter and make proposals for changes, if appropriate; and

·  Assessment of relevant capacity building needs for implementation of policy and legislative reforms in the countries.

Component II. Replication Strategies. SAP MED and SAP BIO

(UNEP/MAP – WORLD BANK), (GEF-$30,000; co-financing - $30,000)

The PDF-B will develop a replication strategy to ensure the replication of successful demonstrations, and the broader dissemination of the lessons learnt and results achieved under the Investment Fund, the Regional Project and the overall Strategic Partnership.

PDF-B activities:

1.  Development of the replication strategy for each project under the Investment Fund. The strategy will include, inter alia:

·  the replication context for each demonstration, i.e.: the number, location, areas/sites in the Mediterranean where the specific technology/practice could apply;

·  based on the above, a strategy aimed at promoting actual replication of each demonstration implemented under the Investment Fund Element of the Strategic Partnership, including ad hoc dissemination programs, site visits and exchanges, etc;

·  assessment of the value of demo projects replication;

·  evaluation of the overall expected impact should full replication occur.

  1. Development of the replication strategy for the Regional Project under the Strategic Partnership. This strategy will:

·  Establish intensive monitoring, learning, outreach and evaluation process;

·  Promote replication of project successes, and particularly its more innovative initiatives, during its own lifetime;

·  Develop aggressive and systematic awareness and results dissemination program;

·  Organize Annual Replication Workshops, to be conducted, coinciding with Steering Committee Meetings;

·  Organize/participate to regional and global conferences;

·  Develop Project and sub-project websites, according to IW LEARN standards;

·  Produce printed materials, etc. involving multiple partners.

Through these multiple mechanisms and partnerships, information on successful investment and policy reform promotion strategies, innovative financing modalities and new partnerships will be widely disseminated. This will promote replication of individual Investment Fund demonstration projects and of the Regional component activities as well as the Strategic Partnership itself.

Component III. Technical Assistance

Sub-Category 1. Implementation of the SAP MED and related NAPs (pollution reduction strategies). (UNEP/MAP thought MED POL and CP/RAC, UNIDO, ICS-UNIDO, UNEP/GPA, UNEP Regional Seas, METAP),

This Component of the full project will enhance the capacity of the countries in the implementation of the provisions and commitments contained in the regional SAP as translated into the NAPs. The expected outcomes of this component of the full project are:

·  Strategies of pollution prevention and reduction addressing the issues identified in the SAP MED introduced in the plans and policies of the Mediterranean countries;

·  Regional pool of well trained experts capable of addressing successfully the pollution prevention and reduction objectives of the SAP MED in the national plans and policies;

·  Enhanced capacity of the participating countries to address industrial pollution reduction in an integrated manner;

·  Increased use of environmentally sound technology at demonstration hot spots resulting in reduction of pollution loads from industrial hot spots in accordance with SAP-MED objectives; and

·  Improved sharing and dissemination of information on industrial best environmental practices in the Mediterranean Region.

The PDF-B will concentrate on the design of three major elements: management of marine litter; introduction of environmentally sound technologies; development of sustainable financing mechanisms for SAP MED implementation. Activities related to each of these elements are described below in more detail.

A. Marine Litter – (UNEP/MAP, UNEP Regional Seas), (GEF-$25,000; co-financing - $60,000)

The PDF-B activities will develop a regional initiative aimed at assisting countries to implement the “Guidelines for Management of Marine Litter for the Mediterranean Region” which were developed during and within the context of the SAP MED.

PDF-B Activities:

·  Collection and review of existing status, data and information on Marine Litter in the Mediterranean region;

·  Identification of potential partners of the civil society (Academia, private sector and NGOs);

·  Fully develop and cost the activities of the Full size project under this sub-category, and organize a regional workshop to agree on the technical proposal for the Full Size Project; and

·  Identify sources of co-financing for this element.

B. Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technology in the Mediterranean region – TEST MED – (UNIDO), (GEF-$70,000; co-financing - $95,000)

This element will replicate in the Mediterranean region the TEST methodology which was successfully piloted in the Danube region (UNDP-UNIDO).

PDF-B Activities:

The PDF-B will consolidate national and regional partnerships and strengthen the ownership of the initiative in the participating countries.

·  Preparation of analysis of existing information and gaps analysis in 4 eligible countries;

·  Review and tailor the TEST methodology for effective application at SMEs of the MED region;

·  Definition of the scope and terms of reference for project activities, including agreement of an appropriate Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, indicators, and milestones;

·  Identify appropriate and effective financing mechanisms/incentives to be put in place at national/regional level to facilitate private sector investments in Environmentally Sound Technology (EST);

·  Identify sources of co-financing for the activities of the full project; and