The Steering Committee (SC) serves as the decision-making body of the Transition Fund and comprises decision making and observer members.
The decision making Members of the Steering Committee are limited to the representatives from donor and transition countries, including the selected co-Chairs, who retain a decision making role. Donor countries that have expressed intent to sign a Contribution Agreement with the Trustee and pledged at least US$5 million to the Transition Fund have direct representation on the Steering Committee.
Donor countries that have expressed intent to sign a Contribution Agreement with the Trustee and pledged less than US$5 million to the Transition Fund may form a constituency with other donors and select one member to represent the constituency on the Steering Committee.
In addition to all transition countries, only donor countries that have actually contributed (defined as having entered into a Contribution Agreement and provided cash or promissory notes) at least US$5 million, or constituencies that have actually contributed at least US$5 million, will have authority to approve proposals for projects or budgets.
Observer members of the Steering Committee do not participate in decision making, but may participate fully in discussions. The observer members are a representative from the Secretariat of the Deauville Partnership IFI Coordination Platform, a representative of the Trustee, the Executive Secretary of the Steering Committee, and representatives of ISAs with project proposals being considered at the SC meeting in question. The Chair of the Steering Committee may invite other observers (e.g. representatives of potential donors) to the meetings as deemed appropriate.
The Steering Committee decides on the terms related to its membership, including the selection process for Members, and any changes to size and composition by consensus of its decision-making Members. Consensus is a procedure for adopting a decision when no participant in the decision-making process blocks a proposed decision. For the purposes of the Transition Fund, consensus does not necessarily imply unanimity.
A dissenting decision-maker, who does not wish to block a decision, may state an objection to be recorded in the meeting minutes (or by written statement for electronic decision making). If consensus is not possible, then a proposed decision will be postponed or withdrawn. The Chair participates in the consensus decision making and articulates the consensus view.
Notable exceptions to the SC role are: (a) the list of transition countries which is determined by the Deauville Partnership, and (b) the participation of the IFI Coordination Platform, the Trustee, the Executive Secretary (Coordination Unit), and the ISAs with projects under review.
