In December 2020, the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank Group (WBG) launched the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF). The 3RF provides a costed and prioritized plan of key actions over the next 18 months across various sectors to support the recovery and reconstruction of Beirut following the tragic explosion of August 4, 2020.

The 3RF Institutional Architecture. The 3RF sets out institutional arrangements that comprise:

1. a Consultative Group (CG), to serve as a platform for overarching strategic guidance and direction on implementation and for high-level policy dialogue on 3RF priorities;
2. a Partnership Council as the governing body for the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF); and
3. an Independent Oversight Body to provide broad oversight on 3RF implementation progress and use of financing and aggregating citizen perspectives.

A dedicated Secretariat will provide support to the institutional arrangements and help facilitate 3RF implementation.

The inclusion of civil society in the governance and implementation of reform, recovery and reconstruction is a core principle of the 3RF. Civil society will therefore be represented in the Consultative Group as well as the LFF Partnership Council. The proposed Independent Oversight Body will be established once the CG has been constituted and will include opportunities for participation from civil society members or organizations.

This Call for Expression of Interest is being issued by the EU-UN-World Bank 3RF Technical Team and aims to facilitate the nomination of civil society and private sector representation (in short “Civil Society Organizations” – CSOs) in the CG.

CSOs are non-State, not-for-profit, voluntary entities formed by people in the social sphere representing a wide range of interests and ties. In the context of the 3RF, the CSOs component includes representatives of the professional associations and the private/economic sector.

CSOs need to take note that participation in the Consultative Group is not compatible with participation in the Independent Oversight Body. In case a CSO is selected for the Consultative Group and wishes to apply for a role in the Oversight Body, this CSO needs to withdraw from the Consultative Group.