Environmental policy and administrative management

As for SGP itself it`s impossible to cover all of the remote areas and villages (both because of admin. budget limitations, lack of information about needs in remote villages, etc.), it was decided at the NSC to choose an NGO that has a regional partner network. According to the decision made, in 2004 the NSC approved ARGO (on a competative basis) as a partner for realization of the programme (8 NGOs are in the network). The first stage of the project is implemented . The research has been realized, the main directions in which local communities may participate to solve the environmental problems within the GEF/SGP framework and inprove livelihood have been identified. The nain idea of the second stage is development of the project proposals from the lcal communities and submission to the SGP for funding. The second planning grant transfer will be done not to each of the partner-NGOs (as it was at the first stage), but to ARGO directly. Then ARGO will tranfer the money to each of the 7 partner- NGOs (The agreement between ARGO and partner NGOs is already prepared and agreed with the partners). This was the request of ARGO`s partners (such scheme allows them to reduce some additional tax payments and save more money to project activities). Thus, the amount of 6500$ is transfered at once. The main idea of the 2-nd project is to arrange a research for identification of priority environmental problems at the local level (remote areas in different parts of the country) and revealing directions on how local communities may solve the environmental problems within the GEF/SGP framework. The research is going to be made with the help of Counterparts` regional centers in 8 regions.

Kazakhstan