Description: Several countries face the challenge to effectively mobilize and use the national and international funding that are available in the forest and climate change sectors. Such challenge is exacerbated by weak cross-sectoral coordination of investments and finance opportunities within the Government as well as weak monitoring and evaluation of financing flows and impacts. The consequences of such weaknesses are inefficiencies, gaps and duplications in funding efforts. Objective The main purpose of the orientation and planning session is to enhance understanding and knowledge on: 1. the needs, importance and uses of country investment plans as a way to align policy and institutional frameworks for policy implementation at the country level, 2. the concept of country investment plan and its preparation process, 3. collaborative and gender balanced approaches to investment planning and strategic interventions. To meet this objective, the training will cover these main topics: • What are Country Investment Plans (CIP), what are their uses and how do they link to policy development; • The process of CIP development; • Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) aspects and systems in CIPs; • Institutional capacities needed for CIPs; • Governance principles and mechanisms of financing instruments for climate change and forests.

Description: Objectives of the Expert-Meeting are to:  1. Share knowledge and experiences related to establishing and managing NFFs or similar funding mechanisms and discuss lessons learned;  2. Assess the effectiveness of NFFs in promoting SFM;  3. Identify potential strategies (policy, legal, and institutional) needed to effectively establish and manage identified NFF models; and  4. Assemble information on best practices for the development of a Practical Guide on NFFs.