The Tropical Biology Association, in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is hosting a two-day training event for Operational Focal Points (OFPs) from across West Africa, in Accra, Ghana, from April 10 to 11, 2025.
The training will showcase real-world solutions and offer participants the opportunity to participate in field visits to selected projects. Featuring key sessions designed to enhance the oversight and strategic management of environmental projects by OFPs across West Africa, ensuring greater financial accountability and strategic alignment with national priorities.
This event brings together environmental leaders and policymakers from 13 countries and seeks to foster stronger collaboration and knowledge sharing across the region. Participating countries include Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin
This initiative is part of GEF’s broader strategy to build capacity, promote accountability, and ensure greater impact from its environmental investments across partner countries. It supports countries in delivering on climate targets, biodiversity goals, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This initiative strengthens the Operational Focal Points’ capacity for project oversight and monitoring, enabling them to take greater ownership of their portfolios and maximize the impact of GEF resources,” said Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF.
“By investing in the capacity of our partners, we can drive impactful environmental outcomes that benefit both people and nature. By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing through training activities and field visits, we create an opportunity for these focal points to learn from one another and optimize the management of GEF-funded projects.”
Dr Peter Justice Derry, the OFT for Ghana, said,
“I am optimistic that the discussions will shape the policies and actions that determine how we achieve environmental sustainability with GEF resources. “
“We must work collectively – government, private sector, civil society and academia, to ensure that the decision-making processes in GEF reflect national priorities critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), national climate targets, Global Biodiversity Framework targets, and the aspirations of “the Ghana we want” and in general the Africa We Want under the African Union Agenda 2063.”
