English - Global Environment Facility

c. Creating the conditions for up-scaling and replication is at the heart of the project strategy
and will contribute to its cost-effectiveness: a) while the project will concentrate its specific
field activities on the most promising of the 9 pilot PAs, improvement of the policy and
regulatory framework under component 1 will create an enabling environment for further
public and private investment in the SINAP as a whole; b) lessons learned from applying
specific tools in the PAs (PUPs, business plans, monitoring protocols, etc) will be swiftly
integrated into normative work and channeled to other PAs as additional financing becomes
available.
PART III: INSTITUTIONAL COORDINATION AND SUPPORT
A. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT:
1. The institutional framework in which the current project will act is composed of the following
elements:
2. Environmental Authority of Panama (ANAM) as the national authority responsible for the
management of the country`s biodiversity. ANAM was created by the General Environmental
Law (Ley 41, 07.01.1998), which also established the National Protected Areas System
(SINAP). Within ANAM, the Division of Protected Areas and Wildlife (DAPVS) is the division
responsible for managing the network of protected areas in the country. With respect to other
sectors that have specific interests in natural resources, ANAM has established relationships with
the Maritime Authority of Panama (AMP), the Aquatic Resources of Panama (ARAP) and with
the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).
3. Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) as the national authority responsible for matters of tourism
and responsible for the implementation of the national tourism law, recently created (Ley N. 4,
02/27/2008). The main objective of ATP is: (i) to develop, promote and regulate tourism as a
national public and social priority; (ii) to identify and protect the tourism attractions of the
country and promote their use in a responsible and ecologically friendly manner; and, (iii) to
promote tourism quality and accreditation and harmonization with international tourism
standards. Tourism Councils operate at the local level and are integrated by representatives of the
local tourism sector organizations. Although there is a mandate to promote sustainable tourism,
there is no legal instrument to facilitate collaboration and coordination between ATP and
ANAM. This deficiency has been identified during the preparation of the National Tourism
Master Plan. The GEF project proposed here is a key step to addressing this situation, as it is
aimed at emphasizing and facilitation such collaboration between ANAM and ATP.
4. Local governments. Panama has a decentralized system, with 4 indigenous areas, 9 provinces, 74
municipalities and 588 “corregimientos.” The provincial government deals with the
infrastructure of the province and Municipalities manage key elements of local development
such as water supply, sewers, solid waste, and tourism. Municipalities can contribute to protected
areas management through the provision of basic infrastructure and public services to the
selected protected areas.
B. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENT:
1. The Executing Agency will be the Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (ANAM), which will
assume full responsibility for project coordination, administration, financial and accounting
management, including procurement and the preparation of annual operating budgets and
progress monitoring and evaluation reports. Specific responsibilities of the Executing Agency
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