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The recently launched UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme in Belarus (SGP) was presented in the regional towns of Grodno and Brest during the course of two information seminars held on 11 and 12 August.
The European Union's Neighbourhood Programme Poland, Belarus and Ukraine INTERREG/TACIS was also presented during the seminars.
Representatives of Grodno and Brest regional executive committees, regional committees of natural resources and environmental protection and representatives of NGOs and the scientific community have taken part in these events.
SGP National Coordinator in Belarus, Mr. Alexander Levchenko outlined the SGP strategic objectives, geographical and thematic priorities, and provided explanations on the preparation of applications for SGP grants. Particular emphasis was placed on the possibility of coordinating efforts and co-financing potential joint projects under SGP and the EU Neighbourhood Programme.
"Local communities play a crucial role in the successful implementation of both programs and, therefore, the programs would only benefit from closer coordination," Mr. Levchenko said.
Representatives of Grodno and Brest regional executive committees have expressed the regional authorities’ interest in the implementation of regional ecological projects, and have confirmed their readiness to render necessary support to NGOs in project implementation.
"We are interested in any initiatives be it EU or UNDP/GEF – which assist us in tackling the numerous issues related to improvements of people's lives through implementation of specific projects, including those in the area of environmental protection," noted Deputy Head of International Department of Brest Oblast Executive Committee Mr. Denis Timokhin.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by UNDP, the SGP provides grants of up to US$ 50,000 to non-governmental and community-based organizations working in the sphere of environment. The disbursement of grants is overseen by the National Steering Committee and day-to-day management is executed by the SGP National Coordinator. The main goal of the programme is to conserve and restore the environment while enhancing local communities' well-being and livelihoods.
For further information, please contact Alexander Levchenko, National Coordinator of the Small Grants Programme in Belarus, at +375 296 89 38 88, email: [email protected] or Dmitry Goloubovsky, UNDP Programme Officer on Energy and Environment in Belarus, at +375 17 227 45 27.
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