OVERVIEW OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The Project main goal as specified in the Project Proposal was to ensure efficient operation of the Belarus Program Management Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee).

According to the above Project Proposal the specific objectives embraced the following activities:

• Ensure coordination of efforts among Committee members;
• Ensure cooperation between the Committee and the IDRC;
• Establish communication with organizations that submit financing proposals to help them develop project proposals in accordance with IDRC requirements and to check the quality of project technical reports;
• Provide organizational/ administrative support for IDRC representatives, consultants and experts visiting Belarus;

In addition, the Project Proposal defined in detail methods of running the Committee and providing organizational/ administrative support for IDRC specialists visiting Belarus, which were followed by the Committee Executive Secretary, namely:

• arrange communication with organizations that submit financing proposals to help them develop project proposals in accordance with IDRC requirements and to check the quality of project technical reports;
• organize annual meetings of the Joint Program Management Committee in the Republic of Belarus which involves preparing meeting materials;
• participate in the development and periodical updating of the Program work plan;
• participate in the quality audits of technical reports on projects being implemented under the program;
• ensure that technical and financial reports are submitted to the IDRC regional representative office in a timely manner;
• on behalf of the Committee assist in the preparation of materials on progress achieved under projects being implemented under the Program. These materials will form an integral part of the IDRC report to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA);
• participate in the review and assessment of the Program final report;
• assist and consult project subcontractors/ executors on how to develop and implement projects in accordance with the IDRC and UNPD requirements;
• encourage partnerships at all Program phases and help create informal communications networks;
• help disseminate information on the Program activities among national and international partners;
• help coordinate Program activities with other nature conservation technical assistance programs being implemented in Belarus;
• coordinate payments made by the UNDP (Minsk office) under the program;
• assist in the preparation of all Program progress reports in accordance with the requirements established by the Ministry, UNDP and IDRC, including the preparation of payment orders, financial reports, budget auditing, collection, analysis and submission of data on the Program results in accordance with UNDP and CIDA indicators;
• provide administrative support for IDRC representatives, consultants and experts visiting Belarus;
• assist Canadian nationals arriving in Belarus with visa formalities;
• prepare translations, minutes, proposals, reports, etc.;
• meet visiting experts and IDRC representatives at the airport and take them to the airport;
• arrange hotel accommodation for visiting Canadian nationals;
• make domestic travel arrangements for Canadian nationals (meet them at the railway station, local airport and provide them with transportation means in the city of Minsk);
• arrange for interpretation services for Canadian nationals involved in the Program;
• organize business trips of Belarus nationals to Canada;
• assists Belarus nationals with visa formalities;
• help clear equipment and goods imported into Belarus under the Program from customs;
• provide Canadian specialists with telephone and fax communications facilities and Internet access during their stay in Belarus;
• bank services;
• establish communication among Belarus and Canadian partners;
• provide Internet access;
• prepare a draft of routine Office budget;
• carry out such other activities that fall within his/ her competence as are necessary to ensure effective implementation of the Program.

The above methods of implementing the Project depend on uninterruptible communication via the telephone, fax and Internet with all Committee members, IDRC regional office, institutional project proposal drafters and executors of projects being implemented under the Program for the purpose of obtaining, processing and disseminating information about the Program.

The processing of information and documents was carried out with the aid of a PC and other office equipment (scanner, copier, etc.). Program-related information as well as other useful information relating to this field was retrieved from/ posted on the Internet via Internet connection. IDRC specialists and Committee were provided with transportation means.

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