On 12th September 2023, HoS met with NEAR in Brussels to discuss the draft IISG DoA for the next phase (2024-2026). IISG Secretariat had sent the draft earlier on, pointing out proposals from the external evaluation report as well as proposals for changes to better respond to new challenges on the IISG agenda.

The DoA draft proposed is amended with new proposals from NEAR and will be reflected by the IISG Secretariat in the following week.

The IISG Database is reported as completed from the IISG Secretariat side.  ARK IT Company, the implementer of the Database, is in the final step of the upgrade, and by the following week, it will be open for users. EC proposed to have the Database open for all users in order to increase the number of users and attract those who are not members but have relevance for IISG work. The Secretariat noted that the current ToR does not allow other users but members only to navigate and benefit from the Database. Thus, it proposed to open a new page on the IISG website which is the route to the Database, and provide necessary information on the ongoing projects, donors, implementers, beneficiaries, and the IISG pillar the project is related to. This will provide a full information package for all users, but needs and analysis will still be available only to users (members). Those interested will be automatically guided from the IISG website to contact the IISG Secretariat if they are interested in getting more detailed information. IISG Secretariat will, in accordance with the current ToR, evaluate the relevance and respond accordingly.