The Project Management Structure is illustrated in the Figure. Implementation institutional arrangements is based on an adapted and streamlined set-up from the previous PERSGA GEF project Strategic Action Program of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The SEM Project shall be implemented by PERSGA as the executing agency and implementing counterpart of the World Bank. The project implementation design has been setup to be simple and affective avoiding multi-level committees and complicated administrative procedures. The project will be managed at PERSGA through a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and the work will be facilitated in the countries by project National Coordinators (NCs) who are supported by National Steering Committees (NSCs). The PCU will report regular progress to The Project Regional Steering Committee.
Project Regional Steering Committee (PRSC)
The Regional Steering Committee of the Project (PRSC) consists of PERSAG National Focal Points (PNFP) and the Secretary General. The roles of the PRSC is to oversee the Project Progress, discuss and approve the annual plans and to provide guidance on how some specific activities could be conducted in respective partner countries.
Project Coordination Unit (PCU)
The PCU is housed in PERSGA located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia headed by the Project Manager (PM). It is responsible for the management of day-to-day activities and the timely and verifiable attainment of project objectives. The PCU formed of PERSGA staff assumes the following roles: (i) prepare annual workplans and budgets; (ii) manage, monitor and evaluate implementation of project components; (iii) ensure liaison, communication, collaboration and joint settlement of disputes at the pilot sites; (iv) report implementation progress and financial management performance to the Steering Committee and the World Bank in quarterly reports; (v) ensure timely external auditing of project accounts; (vi) ensure appropriateness of procurement and FM activities as per agreed terms; (vii) ensure adherence to and implementation of approved safeguard instruments; and (viii) ensure timely midterm and final review. The PCU will have the right to hire specialised consultants through short term consultancy if needed to carry out specific tasks. Project management shall adhere to the guidance provided in the "Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants”, dated October 15, 006, and updated January 2011
The PCU has been formed at PERSGA by a Secretary General decree. The current structure of the PCU is present under the heading People, which summarises names of the PCU members, their expertise and their role within the PCU. Any change in the PCU during implementation will be communicate to the World Bank for update through the Project Manager. It will also be updated in the PIM. The PCU will inform the PRSC / PNFP of project progress and receive their directions during regional annual meetings and in ad hoc meetings.
National Steering Committees (NSC)
NSCs are formed in participating countries as collaborating partners to the PCU during project implementation. In every country PERSGA Focal point assigns a National Coordinator responsible for initially establishing the NSC with representation of project stakeholders such as community leaders, local administrations, NGOs and from the scientific community. The PCU confirms NSC composition to ensure proper representation of all community and stakeholder groups. The NSC, chaired by the National Coordinator, has three primary objectives (i) to advise on the specific activities to be carried out under the Project, taking into account priorities of various stakeholders; (ii) to meet regularly to review project progress on the ground; (iii) and to communicate progress and key issues to the PCU and the national PERSGA Focal Point.
National Coordinators (NC)
The national project coordinators are senior specialists with experience in project implementation and actively engaged in the project area to support the PCU and chair the NSC and to follow-up on project activities in the country. As such, the National Coordinator is responsible for facilitating activities at the local level, coordinate national stakeholders meetings and activities. The NC is a public official whose time is considered part of the national in kind contribution.
Implementation of Project Activities
Activities on the ground are implemented through instruments of subcontracts between PERSGA and project partners, consulting firms, NGOs, scientific research centers, etc. who has substantive experience in EBM based approaches and community organization for community driven design of livelihood activities. PERSGA PCU is responsible for ensuring quality and enabling the generation of knowledge collation and exchange between participating countries from the experiences on the ground.
