PROJECT BACKGROUND
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and global and regional partners have launched a global programme to promote electric mobility in developing countries from 2021. The programme will be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
As the Lead GEF Implementing Agency for the e-mobility programme, UN Environment Programme has been entrusted by participating countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia to oversee and guide the development of the GEF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Endorsement Documents, a comprehensive set of project proposal documents that are required for funding approval.
TYPE AND SCOPE OF SERVICES
In this context, Arepo has been commissioned by UNEP to (i) provide guidance and consultancy in preparing of a customized project design and proposal development process, (ii) review the CEO Endorsement Documents for the overarching Global Project Component as well as for four country projects, and (iii) develop the e-mobility project and prepare the related GEF CEO Endorsement documents for Côte d’Ivoire.
For the first part of the assignment, Arepo first supported the development of the project proposal templates which were later used by UNEP and its consultants. The main task here was to provide in-depth guidance on the content to ensure that all documents would pass GEF-specific criteria. Arepo also supported the preparation of a two-day workshop for UNEP and its consultants, co-hosted this workshop at the headquarters of UNEP in Nairobi and lead several work sessions.
For the second part of the assignment, Arepo has reviewed the CEO Endorsement Documents of the mentioned Global Project Component and for four child projects for the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Togo and Burundi in view of their appropriateness and fulfilment of GEF requirements.
Lastly, Arepo was responsible for the development of one of the country projects, which will introduce electric vehicles in the public transport sector in Côte d’Ivoire’s capital Abidjan. Arepo conducted a scoping mission incl. a stakeholder workshop in the country, carried out research about the transport sector in the country and designed the project in cooperation with UNEP as well as key national transport sector stakeholders. The design comprised the analysis of the public transport sector policies and market especially in Abidjan, the development of a Theory of Change, a project intervention logic, a results framework, a project implementation schedule and budget, a gender action plan, etc. This process included negotiations with key stakeholder (Development Banks, line ministries, national transport sector stakeholders like fleet operators, etc.) to coordinate national and international initiatives with the proposed project and to identify and secure co-financing.