International Union for Conservation of Nature Countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone Mano River Union West Africa PROJECT DOCUMENT Final version Mano River Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management (IWRM) Project Brief Description of the project The proposed GEF-funded “Mano River Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management (IWRM) Project” will be implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It targets the conservation and sustainable use of the transboundary water basins and their biodiversity resources within the Mano River Union member states. These resources are of highest importance for the sub-region, seriously affected by socio-political problems with displaced and suffering populations, and demand support under these very difficult contexts. The project seeks to promote holistic approaches to integrated ecosystem management and to design participatory and community–based strategies, which will lead to in-situ conservation and sustainable use of soil, water and biota in the river basins and on their watersheds. The project will be implemented in the Upper Guinea forest covering Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire with the objective of strengthening the management of transboundary natural resources for sustained ecological benefits and improved livelihoods for the forest adjacent communities. Therefore, the project will play a transformational role in the livelihoods of the communities living in the forest area covered by the project, enabling them to benefit from the ecosystem while not threatening it. The proposed project is consistent with GEF 5 focal area strategies for biodiversity (BD), land degradation (LD), and international waters (IW) as it will contribute to the conservation of the Upper Guinea Forest ecosystem through the sustainable management of transboundary water basins. The Upper Guinea Forest is degrading and disappearing at an alarming rate, with adverse consequences for the quantity and quality of linked ecosystem services that underpin productivity of the land (LD), forests (BD) and water resources (IW). This has a direct impact on human well-being. As a consequence of the degradation, forest-dependent people struggle to sustain their livelihoods, often using non sustainable techniques (including poaching, logging, slash and burn agriculture, and illegal mining). The project will support local communities in developing alternative means of income generation, which will lead to an increase in forest coverage and its related benefits both at the local (ecosystem services) and global (biodiversity, enhanced carbon sinks) levels. It will enhance local stakeholders’ involvement in the management of transboundary ecosystem. The project will also Mano River Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management – Project Document reinforce regional coordination among countries with a particular focus on selected ecosystems. Thus strengthening the regional regulatory framework on management of transboundary natural resources under the auspice of the Mano River Union. Through its international waters component the project will support foundational capacity building and institutional reinforcement for regional ecosystem management of transboundary water systems. National inter-ministry committees would contribute to the development of a regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and subsequently to the preparation of a preliminary Strategic Action Plan. Benefits of collaboration on transboundary basin and adoption by cooperating states in a Transboundary Water Resource Management approach contribute to improve community livelihoods, targeted in component 1, and to address environmental issues. Results will lead to a net gain in forest area (including the recovery of degraded forests) as well as increased transboundary water consideration and management in regional policies. The transboundary nature of the water resources will also entail regional collaboration resulting in enhanced regional cooperation and community interactions. 2 Mano River Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management – Project Document List of Acronyms AfDB African Development Bank; ANADER Agence Nationale d’Appui au Développement Rural; BMZ German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; BRIDGE Building River Dialogue and Governance; BRLi Consultant Company BRLi; CEO Chef Executive Officer; CEPF Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund; CI Ivory Coast; CSO Civil Society Organization; CSSL Conservation Society of Sierra Leone; DFID UK governmental Department for International Development; ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States; ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment; ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan; ESMS Environmental and Social Management System; EU European Union; FACE Farmers Associated to Conserve the Environment; FDA Forest Department Agency; FLEGT Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade mechanism; FPCF Forest Carbon Partnership Facility; FPIC Free prior informed consent; FLR Forest Landscape Restoration; GEF Global Environment Facility; GGO IUCN’s Global Gender Office; GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit; GN Guinea; HYCOS Hydrological Cycle Observation System; IFC International Finance Corporation; INDC Intended Nationally Determined Contributions; ISLA Initiative for Sustainable Landscapes; ISP Institutional Strengthening Plans; IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature; IWMP Integrated Water Management Program; IWRM International Water Resources Management; KfW German government-owned development bank; LB Liberia; MARFOP Mano River Forest Ecosystem Management Program; MINEF Ministry of Water and Forest (CI); MRU Mano River Union; NAPA National Adaptation Programme of Action; NBA Niger Basin Authority; NFP National Forest Policy; NGO Non-Governmental Organization; NPAA National Protected Areas Authority; NPCU National Project Coordination Unit; OIPR Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves OI-REN Ivorian Observatory for Natural Resources Sustainable Development; OMVS Office de Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Sénégal; 3 Mano River Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management – Project Document PAAS Project Appraisal and Approval System; PACO West and Central Africa Program; PCMS Project Complaints Management System; PGS Project Guidelines and Standards; PIF Project Identification Form; PNECI National Water Partnership in Ivory Coast; PPG Project Preparation Grant; PRE Ecosystems Restoration Project; PTF Funding and Technical Partners; RA Rainforest Alliance; RBA Rights-based approach; REDD+ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation; RICCE Rural Integrated Center for Community Empowerment; RPMU Regional Project Management Unit; SAP Strategic Action Plan; SL Sierra Leone; SLBCP Sierra Leone Biodiversity Conservation Project; SODECI Water Supply Company of Ivory Coast; SODEFOR Forest Development Company (CI); STEWARD Sustainable and Thriving Environments for West African Regional Development; TDA Transboundary Diagnosis Analysis; ToR Terms of references; UNEP United Nations Environment Program; USAID United States Agency for International Development; WA-BICC West Africa – Biodiversity and Climate Change; WB World Bank; WCF Wildlife Conservation Fund; WRCU Water Resources Coordination Unit; 4 Mano River Ecosystem Conservation and International Water Resources Management – Project Document Table of contents 1 Project Profile .................................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Project title ............................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Project Number (GEF ID / IUCN ID) ....................................................................................... 7 1.3 Project type (FSP or MSP) ...................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Trust Fund ............................................................................................................................... 7 1.5 GEF strategic objectives and focal areas ............................................................................... 7 1.6 IUCN programme priority ........................................................................................................ 7 1.7 Geographical scope ................................................................................................................ 7 1.8 Project executing agencies ..................................................................................................... 7 1.9 Duration of project (including expected start and end dates) ................................................. 7 1.10 Project cost (Summary) ........................................................................................................... 7 2 Project Results Framework ............................................................................................................. 8 3 Background and situation analysis (Baseline course of action) .................................................... 14 3.1 Background and context ....................................................................................................... 14 3.2 Global environment problem ................................................................................................