Notwithstanding its continued relevance to efforts of GMS member countries to pursue growth and poverty reduction, the start of a new decade is an opportune time for the GMS Program to assess its longer-term strategy going forward. The current GMS Strategic Framework ends in 2012 and work on the preparation of the new framework has now started.

This paper provides information on the elements of the strategic framework emerging out of work undertaken to date, including comprehensive consultations with member countries. It is important to clarify that this paper is by itself not a draft of the new Strategic Framework, but comprises the views of the member countries on the new Framework. This paper will be presented to the 16th GMS Ministerial Conference, and serve as the background paper for the Ministerial Retreat at the Conference, which will focus on the new Framework. Guidance from the GMS Ministers following their retreat will be used to develop a first draft of the Framework towards the end of 2010, which will be discussed again amongst the member countries in both national and regional consultations.