When: 2.5 days in the week of 13 - 18 April 2026
Where: UNEP Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya
Meeting type: Hybrid
Interpretation: Simultaneous English and Spanish interpretation will be available
Background
The GEF-8 Integrated Programme (IP) Eliminating Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains brings together eight country child projects across Latin America and Asia focusing on the fashion and construction sectors, or both. The IP aims to drive transformational change by reducing hazardous chemical use, promoting circularity, and strengthening transparency and sustainability across global supply chains.
In 2026, the GEF Global Forum for Integrated Programmes (13–17 April 2026) presents an opportunity to convene the first Annual Programme Coordination Meeting of the Supply Chains IP alongside the broader GEF 8 IP community. Holding the meeting in conjunction with the GEF Global Forum will enable Supply Chains IP countries and partners to engage directly with other IPs, contribute to cross-IP dialogue, and increase the visibility of early experiences emerging from the programme.
The Annual Programme Coordination Meeting will be narrower in scope and attendance than the November Global Forum on Fashion and Construction. It is primarily an internal programme event, and will focus on programme delivery, learning, and coordination, rather than global advocacy. Key focus areas will include:
- Early implementation experiences and lessons from country projects
- Practical challenges related to thematic topics including lessons from participating partners
- Opportunities for joint knowledge products, pilots, and peer support
- Alignment with global processes, including the GFC and other relevant initiatives
The annual programme meeting will convene approximately 40–60 participants, including:
- Supply Chains IP Country Project Teams: (Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago)
- Executing Agency representatives (e.g. Project Manager or Technical Lead).
- Project’s National focal point to the Global project steering committee
- GEF Secretariat
- Implementing Agencies: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- Other key stakeholders: sister & cousin projects, Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), co-financing partners, global industry actors and other relevant stakeholders, including private sector, civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), development banks and research institutes already contributing to the Programme’s implementation.
Objective:
The objective of the First Annual Programme Coordination Meeting is to take stock of early implementation, strengthen programme-wide alignment and learning, and set shared priorities as the Supply Chains Integrated Programme moves into full implementation.
Outcomes:
- Reviewed progress and strengthened strategic alignment
- Assessed early implementation across country projects, recent and forthcoming project launches, and global coordination activities.
- Launched the programme-level monitoring and evaluation framework and agreed on baseline assumptions.
- Strengthened cross-country learning and collaboration
- Exchanged lessons on shared implementation challenges and emerging solutions across countries and sectors.
- Identified concrete opportunities for collaboration, replication, and joint problem solving.
- Priorities set and reinforced programme coherence
- Clarified operational and technical priorities for the coming year, including preparation for the November Global Forum, priority knowledge products, and coordination mechanisms.
- Strengthened shared ownership and coherence as the programme transitions into full implementation.
- Built capacity of executing agency project managers through a dedicated training component.
