During June 2 to 4, 2015, the 48th Council Meeting of GEF was held in Washington, D.C., United States. Mr. Chen Liang, Director General of FECO was invited to attend the meeting where he introduced FECO to the Council members. FECO initiated the GEF agency accreditation at the end of 2010. Over four-year efforts, it finally passed the review of GEF accreditation panel in April and was formally approved to join the big family of GEF agencies by GEF Council at this meeting, becoming one of the 18 GEF agencies globally and the only one in China.

On the afternoon of June 3, at the welcome meeting, Mr. Chen Liang, as the representative of FECO, gave the keynote speech in the first place. He briefed the 25 years’ development of FECO and its acquired “Six Ones” fortune during its development. He introduced FECO’s breakthroughs and achievements in implementation of the Montreal Protocol, the Stockholm Convention, the Minamata Convention and the Convention on Biodiversity. In addition, while he foresaw the development direction of International Technical Exchange Platform and the Environment International Cooperation Think Tank established by FECO, he expressed the will of FECO, as a GEF agency, to contribute to the protection and care of our common homeland in collaboration with other international agencies. Mr. Chen Liang’s speech won a wide praise from Council members, the GEF Secretariat and other agencies.

Becoming a GEF agency reflects widespread recognition from the international community of FECO’s achievements and capability, and it is also a solid step for FECO to broaden its business and to move towards internationalization.

During the meeting, Mr. Chen Liang talked with the GEF Secretariat, Council members and GEF agencies and this helped to lay a sound foundation for FECO to launch its business in the future.