The business objective of the CGIAR Secretariat is to facilitate the efforts of the CGIAR System to fulfill the CGIAR mission, in keeping with the needs and aspirations of partners and beneficiaries. In this light the key accomplishments of the CGIAR Secretariat have been:

1. Support to the Governance Organs of the CGIAR
In 2003, the CGIAR Secretariat continued to provide support to governance organs of the CGIAR, namely ExCo (including its Finance and Program Sub-committees), who met two times, in Paris and Washington. The CGIAR Annual General Meeting '03 was held in Nairobi and attracted over 800 participants. Furthermore, the CGIAR Secretariat coordinated system-wide financial planning and reporting to ExCo and the CGIAR, managed CGIAR trust funds of several member countries and disbursed a total amount of about US$ 160 million, including US$ 50 million from the World Bank.

2. Support to the CGIAR Reform Program
In the past year the CGIAR Secretariat has focused on supporting the CGIAR Reform Program and helped initiate a second wave of reforms. Key reform initiatives include:

• ISNAR Restructuring
  As a follow-up to the ISNAR EPMR and subsequent decisions by the CGIAR the Secretariat helped to establish and backstop the ISNAR Restructuring team, and coordinated the implementation of decisions reached by CGIAR and the ISNAR Board.
• Establishment of Science Council
  The CGIAR Secretariat backstopped the work of the Search and Nomination Committee for the Science Council (SNC-SC) and facilitated the selection of seven eminent international Scientists to the Science Council.
  
• CGIAR Charter
  At the request of the CGIAR the first volume of the CGIAR Charter was drafted, and the second volume is in the final stages of drafting. The two volumes are: Vol. 1. Roles, Responsibilities, and Functions of the Main Organs of the CGIAR, and Vol. 2. Rules of Procedure of the Main Organs of the CGIAR.
  
• Establishment of and support to the CGIAR Working Group on Performance Measurement
  At the request of ExCo, the CGIAR Secretariat helped to establish a CGIAR Working Group on Performance Measurement (WGPM). Selçuk Özgediz, serves a SO designate and Maria Iskandarani (both staff at the Secretariat) as resource person to the WGPM. The CGIAR Secretariat drafted a Sourcebook on Performance Measurement in Research Organizations and Programs as a background document for commencing the work of the WGPM. A report conceptualizing performance measurement in the CGIAR was sent to the CGIAR for comments.

3. Strategic Communication and Resource Mobilization
With the support of the Marketing Group an "Integrated Resource Mobilization and Communications Strategy" was developed and implementation commenced. This three year strategy offers a way forward to coordinate activities and maximize impact. Key Secretariat activities and accomplishments in 2003 within this strategic framework are:

• Membership expansion and strengthening
  One new member, the Gulf Cooperation Council, was admitted to the CGIAR in 2003 and outreach activities continue with several potential members. Extensive liaison work with existing Members - including Canada, UK, Italy and Japan contributed to increased contributions in some cases and reduced cuts in others.
  
• Second Robert McNamara Seminar
  The Second Robert McNamara Seminar and supporting activities were held in Tokyo during July 2003. The seminar was developed with the objective of strengthening relations with Japan at Ministerial and institutional levels, and addressing the downward slide in Japanese support. Robert McNamara and senior CGIAR management visited the Japanese Prime Minister, Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, and leading parliamentarians with an interest in international affairs. The Robert McNamara Seminar was addressed by HE Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, Former Prime Minister of Japan, Member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of GLOBE Japan, Robert McNamara, Ian Johnson, Joachim Von Braun, David Kaimowitz, Adel El-Beltagy and Francisco Reifschneider. The round of activities would not have been possible without the support of the World Bank's Tokyo Office. Outcomes included a reduction in the size of the proposed funding cut and the formation of the Japan - CGIAR Fellowship Program.

CGIAR Secretariat in collaboration with other SO units in 2003

In its role as a partner, sponsor and client to other System Office units, the CGIAR Secretariat is involved in a number of collaborative activities across SO units. Some highlights include:

• The Internal Audit Unit (IAU) and staff at the CGIAR Secretariat staff worked together to set up the IAU's web site, which is linked to the CGIAR web site. The site has been successfully tailored to include a public area as well as a restricted password protected area for IAU staff and Centers only. The CGIAR Secretariat maintains and updates the site, in collaboration with the IAU Director. A CGIAR Secretariat representative continued to chair the IA Sponsors Group.
  
• CIO and G&D have been collaborating with the CGIAR Secretariat in its role as sponsor and client to both units. In practice this entailed in 2003 the provision of financial and strategic guidance to CIO and G&D (a CGIAR Secretariat representative continued to serve on the G&D Advisory Board) and the joint conceptualization of a Management and Leadership Training by G&D and the CGIAR Secretariat.
  
• Five Centers and the CGIAR Secretariat collaborated in designing the operational framework for the Strategic Advisory Service on Human Resources (SAS-HR) - a new System Office unit. The Secretariat facilitated the foundation of the new unit, which started its operation December 1, 2003. A Secretariat representative serves on the SAS-HR coordination group.
  
• Traditionally the Science Council Secretariat and CGIAR Secretariat collaborate on matters of external Center reviews and the consolidation of CGIAR Center medium-term plans. External Program and Management reviews (EPMR) are jointly managed by both Secretariats - the SC Secretariat being responsible for the program and the CGIAR Secretariat for the management aspects of the review. In 2003, the IPGRI EPMR and the ICRISAT EPR/EMR were jointly conducted and the 2004 CGIAR medium-term plan prepared.
  
• The Secretariat, guided by the System Office Steering Committee, has been taking the lead in coordinating the functioning of the System Office. This included the organization of a System Office Planning Workshop in September 2003 and the drafting of a new Integrated Operating Plan for 2003. These activities involve continuous communication and consultation with all units.