Project Context

The aim of this project is to finalise the OP6 Samoa Country Programme Strategy (CPS). This will involve a review of the multi-stakeholder consultations held with key stakeholders and relevant reports including a draft CPS strategy to be finalized through this consultancy, identification of further meetings required, the development of baseline assessment(s) of priority identified landscape(s)/seascape(s) to be annexed to the CPS, and elaboration of the Country Programme Strategy (CPS) for OP6 to be reviewed and endorsed by the National Steering Committee/National Focal Groups.

Key steps in the OP6 Country Programme Strategy elaboration process are as follows:

i) Step 1. OP6 Country Programme Strategy consultations and Scoping exercise
ii) Step 2. Selected Landscape/Seascape Baseline Assessment
iii) Step 3. Country Programme Strategy Finalization

The primary objective of this project is to assist the Samoa Grant Program SGP of GEF in finalizing its country programme strategy for its 6th Operational Phase (OP6).

1. conduct a review of the multi-stakeholder consultations held with key stakeholders earlier in April 2015

2. implement baseline assessment(s) of priority identified landscape(s)/seascape(s)

3. finalize OP6 Country Programme Strategy

Specific Objective 1 : a review of the multi-stakeholder consultations held with key stakeholders earlier in April 2015

Activities:
1.1 conduct communications, outreach and capacity development about OP6 and its strategic initiatives
1.2 prepare for stakeholder consultations
1.2 conduct stakeholder consultations
1.3 prepare report on consultations
1.4 prepare final draft of CPS to be fully elaborated later


Key outputs Objective 1
i) a short report documenting the consultation and scoping process with key agreements on the CPS approach recorded,
ii) a final draft of the CPS already developed to the extent possible with the landscape/seascape approach still to be fully elaborated in Step 2

Specific objective 2: implement baseline assessment(s) of priority identified landscape(s)/seascape(s) to be annexed to the CPS

Activities
2.1 Prepare for workshop consultations for baseline analysis
2.2 Conduct baseline analysis
2.3 Develop a landscape/seascape strategy that will guide grant-making with typology of projects proposed, and sets of indicators for selected SGP strategic initiatives identified.
2.4 Propose modalities for implementation of CPS

Key Output
A report will be produced that will present
i) the baseline analysis,
ii) the elaboration of the SGP strategy within the landscape and seascape
iii) the modalities for implementation.
iv) the consultative process followed and the results of community consultations held.

Specific Objective 3 Finalise OP6 Country Programme Strategy
Activities
3.1 Produce Draft of completed CPS
3.2 Review and approval of Draft CPS by National Council, NSC and CPMT
3.3 Final Draft widely shared and posted online for public information
Key Output
Final Draft of CPS

The project takes into account the roles of men and women in the following way

i)the inclusion of women in the project team
ii) inclusion of both men and women with a strive towards gender balance in the composition of the consultation groups.
iii) ensuring that there is gender equity in all activities and strategies in the OP6 Country Strategy Programme

The capture, sharing, and dissemination of knowledge, lessons learnt, and good practices gained through the implementation of the project will be through the following avenues:
i)post project stakeholder consultations to share the findings of the project
ii) seminars and conference presentations
iii) various forms of publications such as the project report, newspaper articles ,publication in journals
iv) inclusion in the curriculum ? course content
v) dissemination in the form of posters, and on key websites

Rationale
The SGP OP6 Country Programme Strategy (OP6 CPS) initially began with a series of sub-regional stakeholders consultation in Samoa (April 2015), Niue (July 2015) and Tokelau (April 2015) that were led by the SGP Sub-Regional Coordinator and the National Focal Persons for Tokelau. The purpose of these earlier consultations was to take stock of the results and achievements of the SGP country programme and to identify the priority directions for programming in OP6 in line with SGP OP6 project document. The resulting OP6 project document based upon these consultations is in a draft form and covers the country?s national priorities, GEF 6 programming directions, and potential for synergy with UNDP and other partner agencies. This CPS consultation and scoping process will build and extend beyond what has been accomplished in order to finalize Step 1 through a re-engagement of
? the NSC and other key stakeholders from government,
? civil society,
? UNDP country office,
? sector agencies
? and other partners as necessary to review and further clarify the niche of SGP for programming in OP6. This will be for the purpose of ensuring that SSRP can deliver the strategic impact expected in terms of the OP6 directions and initiatives.
A Review of Step 1 of the draft CPS and its engagements of key stakeholders to date will be for the purpose of ensuring that the following broad elements with key stakeholders has been achieved by SSRP. It is also for the purpose of identifying further consultations with key stakeholders that will be needed to finalize the strategy for NSC and CPMT approval within the three month period:
a) Communications, outreach and capacity development about OP6 and its strategic initiatives. Such communications should serve to explain the need to focus SGP on landscape/seascape areas for achievement of greater strategic impact through clustering of projects and achievement of synergies. Note: Much of this has been done through the earlier consultations.
b) Multi-stakeholder consultations. This consultation process should include the NSC, TAG and other relevant partners from government, civil society, UNDP, partner agencies as needed to assure that a broad consensus on the country programme approach in OP6 has been achieved.
c) Selection of the landscape/seascape area(s) of focus, with consideration given to SGP?s niche, opportunities, challenges, and potential for synergies, etc. Through SSRP stakeholders consultations in 2015 in Samoa (April 2015), Tokelau (April 2015) and Niue (July 2015), the entire country was identified as one landscape or seascape ? therefore in such cases, the programme would need to identify a thematic focus or niche to ensure that SGP grant making is strategic and achieves greater impact.
d) Grant-making outside the selected landscape/seascape area(s). In OP6, up to 30% of grant resources could be allocated outside of the landscape/seascape areas, provided that these funds are utilized strategically. Criteria for prioritization of projects and a typology of projects may be identified in the General Evaluation and Scoping Exercise.
Specific Results or outcomes