In 1999, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council approved expanded opportunities to undertake GEF projects for seven Executing Agencies (ExAs): the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Inter-American Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and United Nations Industrial Development Organization. However, their involvement in the GEF did not grow as expected.
The 2005 policy recommendations for the GEF Trust Fund's fourth replenishment stated that there remains significant potential for enhancing the involvement of these Agencies, and asked the GEF Evaluation Office to review their experience with the GEF. The GEF Council approved the evaluation as a special initiative in June 2006.