At the fourteenth Conference of Parties of the UNCCD (COP 14), through the Decision 23/COP.14, Parties called for the establishment of an intergovernmental working group (IWG) on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under the UNCCD, with a view to presenting its findings and recommendations to Parties for their consideration at the fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15). The IWG is further requested to consider options for appropriate policy, advocacy and implementation measures at all levels for addressing drought effectively under the Convention, in the context of a wider holistic and integrated approach to disaster risk reduction and enhancing the resilience of communities and ecosystems.

COP 14 further requested the GM identify potential and innovative financing instruments, based on clearly identified added value, for addressing drought, such as but not limited to, insurance products, bonds and microfinance, and to make available related information and guidance for facilitating the access of Parties to these instruments (Decision 23/COP.14). Against this backdrop, the GM and the secretariat have provided a range of tailored support programs to country Parties, including the development of the National Drought Plans; further upgrading and expanding the Drought Toolbox; facilitating the consultations between the members of the IWG on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under the Convention; expanding collaboration and partnerships with relevant agencies, and; the development of regional projects, including the Regional Project on Drought Risk Management for Southern Africa Development Community, and Regional Project on Drought Risk Management for Central Asia.

The GM is also developing technical documents to identify potential and innovative financing instruments for addressing drought facilitate Parties’ access to these instruments. Concurrently, the GM is leading the development and implementation of the support programs under the Drought Initiative for Parties in transitioning the national drought plans into robust implementation. The objective of this consultancy is to 1) develop and implement the GM corporate strategies to support country Parties in accessing drought risk finance at a national level; and 2) design and implement transformative projects piloting drought risk financing options at a national level.

The consultancy is expected to promote synergy with several ongoing GM projects under the Drought Initiative, including 1) A technical document that presents the options for institutional mechanisms for financial instruments for drought under the Convention; 2) GM support to the development of national drought management plans under the Drought Initiative; 3) a new GEF Enabling Activity on drought, particularly its component 3 on enabling the implementation of the national drought plans; among others.