The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat, in collaboration with the Lao Ministry of Agriculture & Environment, will convene a GEF-9 Planning Workshop for Asia, September 29 – October 2, 2026 in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Participating countries include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
The workshop aims to engage and build capacity of key stakeholders and enhance knowledge of the GEF strategies, programs, and policies. It also provides a platform to raise visibility of the GEF and for countries to share experiences and lessons learned from projects. The event brings together GEF Operational and Political Focal Points; selected representatives from civil society organizations; youth networks; Indigenous Peoples and local communities; GEF Agencies; the private sector; among other key stakeholders.
Specific Objectives
- Provide participants with up-to-date baseline information on activities financed by the GEF family of funds, including the GEF Trust Fund, Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund, Special Climate Change Fund, and the Small Grants Program
- Disseminate information on the GEF’s integrated programming approach to maximize impactful, scalable, and sustainable outcomes across focal areas (biodiversity, climate change, chemicals and waste, land degradation, and international waters
- Facilitate the exchange of lessons learned and good practices on cross-cutting themes, including gender equality, stakeholder engagement, private sector participation, and results monitoring
- Offer opportunities for bilateral discussions between GEF Secretariat staff, Agencies, and participating countries to review national priorities and adaptively manage GEF portfolios
- Deliver targeted capacity-building sessions for GEF Operational and Political Focal Points to strengthen coordination, portfolio management, and strategic engagement
Documents
- Agenda
- Logistics Note
- GEF-9 Programming Directions Presentation
- Background Note - GEF-9 Focal Areas
- Background Note - GEF-9 Integrated Programs
- Background Note - The Whole-of-Society Approach: GEF Partnerships
- Background Note - Blended Finance
- Background Note - Policy Coherence and Whole-of-Government Approaches
- Background Note - GEF-9 STAR
Videos
- GEF-9 Programming Directions
- GEF-9 Integrated Programs
- GEF-9 Focal Areas
- Blended Finance in GEF-9
- GEF Family of Funds