A Grant Agreement for the Project entitled ”Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management”, which was prepared by the Ministry of Forestry in collaboration with the World Bank and financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), was put into effect as of August 1, 2000 with the signature of the Tresuary of the Prime Ministry and the World Bank. The original project deadline was extended from the end of 2006 to the end of 2007.