Covering more than 1,300 completed projects, the 2017 APR reviews portfolio performance while, alongside OPS6, highlighting issues for the IEO’s forward agenda.

The Annual Performance Report (APR) 2017 reviews the performance of the GEF completed portfolio, drawing on terminal evaluation reports validated by GEF Agency and Independent Evaluation Offices. The analysis covers 1,372 projects completed since 2000, representing $6.1 billion in GEF funding and $30.1 billion in realized cofinancing, including 188 projects in the APR 2017 cohort.

Eighty percent of projects cumulatively and 76 percent of the 2017 cohort achieved outcomes in the satisfactory range, though performance varied by context, with lower ratings in Africa, small island developing states, least developed countries, and fragile states.

Sustainability ratings improved over replenishment periods and were broadly comparable to other multilateral organizations, with stronger results linked to sound preparation, government support, and realized cofinancing. Project implementation and execution quality remained high, cofinancing mobilization generally met expectations, and M&E design and implementation ratings showed steady improvement, particularly in later cohorts. Gender-relevant information in evaluations increased substantially following the 2011 Gender Mainstreaming Policy.

APR 2017 does not present new recommendations, as most areas for improvement were addressed in the Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF, but it highlights issues for the IEO to address going forward.