Assessing GEF support of countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean offers a chance to compare performance across diverse national and regional contexts.

The Fifth Annual Country Portfolio Evaluation Report (ACPER 2012) synthesizes evidence from portfolio evaluations in Nicaragua, Brazil, Cuba, and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), along with studies in El Salvador and Jamaica. In total, the assessment reviewed 145 projects initiated since 1992, representing $447 million in GEF funding and $1.43 billion in cofinancing.

The report finds that most projects delivered at least moderately satisfactory outcomes and often strengthened policy frameworks and institutions, though further progress is needed to sustain global environmental benefits. Replication and scale-up remain uneven, particularly in small island developing states, while monitoring data are inconsistently accessible and applied. Relevance to national priorities and convention obligations is generally strong, though some regional initiatives align imperfectly with OECS needs.

The report recommends strengthening sustainability and replication pathways, improving monitoring systems, and moderating overambitious designs while deepening country ownership.