• Cancún, Quintana Roo, will host the V Assembly of the GEF, from May 25th - May 30th , 2014.
  • The GEF is one of the most important international financing mechanisms for projects aimed at improving the global environment. Since its inception, Mexico has received $457 million dollars in donations from the GEF to finance 54 projects. 
Mexico will host the V Assembly of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in Cancún, Quintana Roo, from May 25th till the 30th, 2014. This is stated in a Memorandum of Understanding signed today by Fernando Aportela, Undersecretary of Finance and Public Credit, and Naoko Ishii, CEO and President of the GEF. Juan Manuel Gomez Robledo, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, and Rodolfo Lacy Tamayo, Undersecretary of Planning and Environmental Policy of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, also attended the signing of this Memorandum.

The Assembly is the governing body of the GEF and is integrated by its 183 member countries. It is held every four years and is responsible for reviewing and evaluating general policies and the operational structure of the institution. Previous Assemblies have taken place in India (1998), China (2002), South Africa (2006) and Uruguay (2010).

Next year Ministers of State, high-level government delegations, as well as prominent environmentalists, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs, scientists and non-governmental organizations will meet in Cancún to review international environmental challenges for financing projects.

Since its creation, the GEF has allocated an estimated of $8.6 billion dollars – and leveraged cofinancing of over $36.1 billion dollars for more than 2,400 projects in 165 emerging countries.

Mexico is a founding member of the GEF and has received $457 million dollars to support 54 projects in the areas of: biodiversity, climate change, persistent organic pollutants, land degradation and international waters. Additionally, Mexico has been involved in 31 regional projects financed by the GEF that have improved intra-regional coordination for environmental issues.

During the V Assembly, Mexico will have the opportunity to describe successful financed-GEF projects, such as: the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, the Protected Natural Areas Program and the development of a program for bio diversity and sustainable productive systems.

This Meeting is an opportunity for Mexico to reaffirm its role as a leader in environmental issues and its commitment towards the environment. For additional information, you can consult the GEF at www.thegef.org