GUYANA yesterday signed a multi-donor fund for the conservation and sustainable development of the unique ecosystems of the Guiana Shied countries.
The Guiana Shield Facility (GSF) was set up by the UNDP and the European Union to provide incentives for the conservation of the ecosystems. During the launch of the GFS held at the Promenade Gardens in the city, head of the EU delegation in Guyana, Robert Kopecky, stated that some 1.6M euros went to the 2010-2011 initial phase, while its contribution for the 2012-2014 remainder of the project is 1.5M euros, provided by the Government of Netherlands. He further stated that the EU currently has 517M euros to support initiatives such as the Guiana Shield worldwide from 2011 to 2013. The implementing agency for the facility is the UNDP.  Kopecky, highlighting the EU’S role in the GFS project, said it is an important aspect of Guyana’s visionary Low Carbon Development Strategy.
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, in his address at the launch, said the GSF provides a sound approach for payments for eco-services, while pledging Guyana’s full support. The fact that it provides a sound approach; it is the belief that over time will win much more support in payment for eco services. Further, it makes the case that developed countries should not only be providing aid, but should also look at arrangements where payments can be made by the global community to countries and to regions where there are challenges in maintaining or managing its ecosystem, the Minister added.
“Our recent experience at the international community level sometimes has not been too encouraging, but certainly having this type of arrangement here would certainly serve the type of approaches that we hope to develop resulting from this type of facility,” Persaud said.
The GSF, Persaud said will also allow the government to deal with some of the issues that are not in sync with sustainable development such as illegal mining.

The Guiana Shield will not only complement the implementation of the LCDS, but will contribute to both the regional and international effort.
“At our national level, we have over many years been promoting the sustainable use and management of sustainable resources,” the environment minister said. In addition, focus has been placed on the country’s indigenous people, who are considered a primary source of the forest, and many aspects of the Guyana’s natural resources.
“What we intend to do with some of our eco-services payment would show the importance we place on the development of the indigenous population”, he further explained.
Reference was made to the recently launched community based Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Project with several partners, aimed at involving and integrating communities to get them involved in the National MRV programme, with regard to eco-services.
Guyana is working very aggressively with the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organisation (ACTO) member states on implementing its agenda, but particularly looking at developing common position with regard to forest management and REDD + Mechanism, the minister added.
According to Minister Persaud, UNDP has been a reliable partner and has shared a long history of cooperation in the field of environmental and natural resources management. This was attributed to UNDP’S recognition of the importance of the issue.
While the recent experiences at the international level sometimes are discouraging, such a partnership arrangement will serve the type of approaches Guyana is hoping to develop, resulting from the Guiana Shield Facility.  All has recognized that the model is forward-looking and will advance the programmes and initiatives that Guyana has had in terms of developing a sustained model, encouraging compensation for eco-services.
Guyana is therefore looking forward to the UNDP  and other partners in terms of sustained support for not just the GSF, but also the battles that it is fighting internationally, to have a viable and long term REDD + financing mechanism, if that facility and others are to be sustained.
Four countries have formally endorsed the GSF, among which are Amapa State, Brazil, Suriname and Colombia, while efforts are being forged to pursue a memorandum of understanding with French Guiana.
The Guiana Shield regions, which cover 2.5M kilometers, play an important role in the fight against climate change, and according to resident representative Chisa Mikami, the UNDP remains committed to ensuring that other states in Venezuela and Brazil come on board with the project.
A major feature of the GSF initiative, which was officially launched in 1993, is the establishment of a series of payment mechanisms, which will defy threats to the areas from large scale agriculture, mining and other forms of land cultivation.
Meanwhile, the visionary eco-regional initiative was also endorsed by the Representatives of Amapa State, Brazil, and Suriname.