The evaluation of the International Waters (IW) focal area has reviewed and synthesized available evaluative evidence on the relevance, effectiveness, coherence, impact, and sustainability of 277 projects across GEF-5 to GEF-8, covering more than 140 countries. The total GEF grant for these projects was over $1.7 billion, with expected co-financing of nearly $17 billion.
The evaluation found that the IW focal area remains relevant to national, regional, and global priorities, with GEF-5 and GEF-6 projects showing improved performance. However, key challenges persist, including delays in developing sustainability plans and limited tracking of transboundary and socioeconomic co-benefits. The evaluation underscores the importance of keeping transboundary cooperation—the core mandate of the IW focal area—at the center of all investments.