Pa Ousman Jarju, chair of the Least Developed Countries group made the following statement at the 12th Least Developed Countries Fund / Special Climate Change Fund Council Meeting at the Global Environment Facility,

Washington, DC on 7 June 2012.

Madam co-chair

Council members

Representatives of GEF implementing Agencies

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen

I would like to thank the GEF for giving me the opportunity to attend this meeting on behalf of the LDC Group.

Let me express the LDCs sincere gratitude to all council members for your efforts in the governance of the LDCF/SCCF.

As you are aware, a total of 47 NAPAs with over 540 projects have been completed and forty-two countries have received approval for the LDCF financing for their NAPA implementation projects.

Currently about sixty-four projects have already been approved:

• to identify the informational, institutional, policy, capacity and market barriers that need to be overcome to help advance towards climate-resilient development
• to ensure on-the ground measures are taken in sectors such as water, agriculture and infrastructure, to ensure climate compatible development
• to scale up priority actions for Climate Resilient Development at national and sub-national levels and seeking dual benefits with on-going mitigation

The LEG is working on the provision of further specification on each of the elements of the least developed countries work programme other than the national adaptation programmes of action, in consultation with the GEF. The LDCs acknowledges the results of these deliberations, in particular the proposals that have been made on how the GEF could support these activities.

The COP decision for “A process to enable least developed country Parties to formulate and implement national adaptation plans, building upon their experience in preparing and implementing national adaptation programmes of action” is important in our strive to develop climate resilient strategy in the medium and long term.

We look forward to GEF support in facilitating the formulation process without impeding on the NAPA implementation.

While we need about three Billion US Dollars to implement all NAPA projects, we are appreciative of the work of the GEF and in particular Ms Boni Biagini the manager of the LDCF.

Boni has significantly improved the relationship between the GEF and the LDCs by engaging in a proactive dialog supporting the creation and implementation of the LDCF.

She has consistently been supportive of our priorities as LDCs, in particular our vulnerability to climate change and need to access resources for the preparation and the implementation of the NAPAs. Her commitment to mobilize resources for the LDCF, has been critical to its success to date with over half a billion dollars.  As highlighted above, these funds are of crucial importance to promoting climate resilience in our countries.

We are also thanking the implementing Agencies for their support in the implementation of the NAPAs.

The Group is appreciative of the financial contributions and technical support of donors. We encourage other Parties and organization in a position to do so, to contribute to the fund to enable the implementation of all NAPAs

In conclusion, I would like to thank the out-going GEF CEO Madam Monique Barbut for reforming the GEF and creating a climate of trust between recipient and donor countries.

We wish her all the best in her new engagements and look forward to a positive collaboration with her successor.

Thank you