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Protected Areas Conservation Trust’s (PACT) Accreditation by the Adaptation Fund Board: Our Experience. tners. By Kerry Belisle (PACT) Dr. Colin Young (Government of Belize) 11 th November, 2011. Outline Belize and Climate Change Profile of the PACT The Accreditation process/Timeline

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  1. Protected Areas Conservation Trust’s (PACT) Accreditation by the Adaptation Fund Board: Our Experience tners ByKerry Belisle (PACT)Dr. Colin Young (Government of Belize) 11th November, 2011

  2. Outline Belize and Climate Change Profile of the PACT The Accreditation process/Timeline What Accreditation means for PACT Next Steps as NIE tners

  3. Belize and Climate Change Demographic data As a SIDs, Belize very vulnerable to effects of climate change Largest Barrier reef in western Hemisphere (role in economy) 26% of National territory protected (13% marine and 36% terrestrial) tners

  4. THE PACT Public Trust dedicated to conservation and protected areas Established in 1996 as Statutory Body by Act of Parliament Governed by a 11 member Board of Directors; government minority Revenues from a conservation fee and commission from cruise tourism head tax Grant program portfolio ( 10 grant types) Fiduciary Management services to other funding agencies and Government of Belize Celebrating 15 years of grant making- + $US11 million; +400 projects tners

  5. How PACT Works Conservation Fee (USD$3.75) 20% of Cruise Ship Passenger Head Tax Other (investments, donations, fiduciary services ) Protected Areas Conservation Trust Trust Fund Endowment Fund Operations Programme

  6. The Process and Timeline • October 6 2009 – AFB invitation to nominate NIEs • April 8 2010 – AFB invitation to nominate Designated • Authority (DA) • Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) focal point for UNFCCC • Cabinet endorsed MNRE (CEO) as DA decision and PACT as • NIE • NIE identification and selection process relatively straightforward because of PACT’s credibility of good governance, transparency and accountability tners

  7. The Process and Timeline cont May 11: Endorsement of PACT as NIE June 22: Formal application by PACT to be NIE July 11: Formal information request by AFB Aug 9: Teleconference with AFB Sep 19:Notification to PACT of accreditation by the AF Board Total time after endorsement = 3months! tners

  8. Accreditation Process – key features • Internal Control Systems: • Governance Structure: • PACT ACT sections 11 and 16 • Board of Directors manual • Financial Control Systems: • External Audits and Management Letter; • Accounting Manuals tners

  9. Required Documentation Legal status and mandate Audited Financials & Management Letter Foreign funds handled over last 2 years Audit Committee Terms of Reference Accounting Software Manuals (accounting, procurement, grants manual Budget tners

  10. Financial Controls • Approved Annual Budgets • Review of budget vs. actual performance • Review of budget process and features • Budget management/adherence • External audit • Legislative support • Finance Committee Charter • Finance Committee review (role) • Development of an internal audit • function tners

  11. Financial Controls cont’d • Additional Control Features • Independent external evaluations: • Institutional assessment – 5 years commissioned by PM • Grant evaluations – 3 years • National Strategic PACT plan- 5 years tners

  12. Anti - Corruption • Evidence of anti-corruption efforts • Review of all fraud cases in last five years (Include minutes of meetings) • Review of procedures addressing : • Conflict of interest • Code of ethics / misconduct • Capacity for self investigation and address • Board oversight • Office of contractor general • Capacity to contract investigative resources tners

  13. Risk Mitigation PACT Endowment Investment and use of funds Grant Programme policies Counterpart funding Organizational capacity assessment Logical framework Stakeholder participation/ publicity tners

  14. Recommendations from AFB • Development of an internal audit function • Finance committee charter has been adjusted • Risk management should be separate and focused part of various manuals • Adopt policies to address wrongdoing/fraud • Public zero tolerance tone/internal control document • Internal capacity to investigate and address fraud tners

  15. General Notes Existence of policy is not assumed to demonstrate proper execution or effectiveness (policy versus practice) Independent external review and public disclosures are important Willingness to adjust and strengthen controls is necessary at the top. Process requires extensive and detailed disclosure. Close collaboration/feedback mechanism with AFB assigned advisor (informal feedback was key) tners

  16. Adaptation Projects Proceed to access $30K from AFB to develop national adaptation programme Focal areas may include: food security water security climate resilient infrastructure Programme with aligned with national adaption priorities and consultative tners

  17. Conclusion • Accreditation of PACT by the AFB is noteworthy for the following reasons: • Increase image of PACT globally • Brings notable distinction to the region/country • Allows PACT to leverage additional resources • PACT fiduciary management capabilities strengthened • Improved national stakeholder confidence in PACT tners

  18. Thank You! Visit us at… www.pactbelize.org

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