Seychelles Country Presentation

The GEF Portfolio In the Seychelles: Planning for success

May 2009

On behalf of the Political and Operational Focal Points

The Biodiversity Portfolio - Biodiversity and the Seychelles The Coordinating Unit - Introducing new synergies On Going - Constraints, Successes , Plans

Rich biodiversity calls for a coordinated approach in its protection and conservation.

The Portfolio Features several projects: -Biodiversity Mainstreaming-Biosecurity-Sustainable Land Management (cross-cutting with Biodiversity)-Protected Areas (early stages)

Biodiversity Programme BD Mainstreaming and Bio security - Ongoing

Sustainable Land Management – Ongoing

Climate Change - Second National Communication

Future Projects - Protected Areas, Capacity Building, Regional waters...

A National Dialogue was established to help the country as a whole establish a focus on productive sector on biodiversity

projects.

Projects

The Programme Coordination Unit

New and innovative for the Seychelles - Biodiversity under one roof - Cross-linkages between focal areas - Project Managers - Shared Space and experience - Overall Coordinator and Operations - A platform on which to develop

The Biodiversity portfolio and collective objectives

- Invasive Species, Tourism Development, Land use planning initiatives, permanent officers

Mainstreaming as an overall challenge- Acknowledging the importance of building rather than

duplicating Building Capacity between Projects- Managers exchanging information

How the PCU is working toward Biodiversity Mainstreaming

- Stakeholder involvement – NGO’s, Gov, private sector

- Steering Committees – Expert Sharing

- Combining local and Technical Knowledge – (Fishers

Association Praslin Island) - Instating Trust between various stakeholders - Pushing the Policy issue

.....all into the Mainstream....

Government, PCU, Stakeholders

Critical Learning at Early stages

Achieving Project objectives Moving in one collective direction :

coordination improved through PCU Seychelles continues to move on innovative

approaches to Biodiversity.... Engaging Civil society Sharing Experiences... Constraints – Capacity issues,

Administrative procedures, Coordination between sectors