As early tests of the GEF model in Africa, Benin, Madagascar, and South Africa offer lessons on how global financing can support countries with diverse ecosystems and development pressures.

The first Annual Country Portfolio Evaluation Report reviews GEF support in Benin (1991–2007), Madagascar (1994–2007), and South Africa (1992–2007), three countries with large and varied portfolios. The evaluations drew on project document reviews, interviews, workshops, and site visits, combining qualitative and quantitative evidence to assess the relevance, efficiency, and results of GEF support.

The evaluation finds that GEF support in all three countries aligned closely with national priorities and the GEF mandate, particularly in biodiversity conservation, climate change, and international waters.

Results include expansion of protected areas, integration of environmental issues into national policy, and contributions to capacity development and convention reporting. At the same time, the sustainability of results remains uncertain, as projects often depend on external donor financing and institutional capacities remain uneven. Efficiency challenges include lengthy project preparation, coordination gaps among Agencies, and high transaction costs for governments and stakeholders. Country ownership was stronger when focal point mechanisms functioned well but weakened by high turnover and unclear institutional roles.

The report recommends greater use of trust funds to sustain environmental gains, creation of permanent interministerial committees to strengthen coordination, deeper Agency engagement to build country ownership, more diversified investment linking biodiversity, land management, and poverty reduction, and stronger systems for knowledge management and lesson learning to ensure good practices are shared and applied across projects.