Meeting register

Meetings held in 2024

Purpose Date(s)/location Content
Share information from bilateral meetings held with CGIAR); prepare for System Council #20 and other key meetings 20 March
virtual		 Various EIARD members reported on the bilateral meetings with the new CGIAR Executive Managing Director or her Deputy. The EIARD members also discuss the planning for the 20th CGIAR System Council meeting and various other upcoming key meetings such as the AU Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in May and the CGIAR Science Week in July. Members also received a summary of the key outcomes of the SIMEC meeting that was held earlier in March.
Discuss the 2025-2027 Portfolio Consultation Document and agree on elements for consolidated feedback 11 January
virtual		 The EIARD members discussed the proposed 2025-2027 Portfolio that comprises, among other, fewer but larger initiatives, a separate investment line for research and innovation assets, and updates to the regional integrated initiatives and impact platforms. The members agreed on various elements to be included in a consolidated EIARD contribution, which was in addition to individual feedback that was given by various EIARD members.

Meetings held in 2023

Purpose Date(s)/location Content
Prepare for ad-hoc System Council meeting and discuss various other materials shared with SC secretariat 15 December
virtual		 EIARD members met in preparation of the ad-hoc SC meeting of 20 December on the Memorandum on the implementation of the governance recommendations. Their discussion included the content of the AOC Advisory Note. The EIARD members agreed on the elements of a consolidated EIARD commentary for the SC call. The members also discussed the 2024 Window 1 Budget and Three-year Financial Plan updates that were shared by the System Office. 
Discuss and agree on final elements of the formal statement for the 19th CGIAR System Council Meeting 17 & 18 October
Rabat		 EIARD members discussed and agreed on the final elements of the formal EIARD statement, which comprised elements on various important SC meeting sessions including the proposed portfolio design process; 2024 Financial Plan; funding modalities including funding the Genebanks, finance & resource mobilization; gender in CGIAR research and workplaces; capacity sharing; partner engagement; and review and evaluation services.
Prepare for the 19th CGIAR System Council Meeting 9 & 13 October 
virtual		 EIARD members discussed the upcoming Unified Governance Review workshop, pre-meeting between System Board and System Council, Funders meeting, and the System Council meeting – all taking place in Rabat, Morocco. The discussions covered a broad area of topics, including the Trust Fund, portfolio design, System Board – System Council relations, rebranding, SC voting seat reconciliation, and funding modalities. 
Discuss agenda priorities for the 19th CGIAR System Council meeting and other CGIAR developments 5 July
virtual		 EIARD members first discussed the upcoming ad-hoc meeting of the CGIAR System Council on SC composition to share their views and expectations of the meeting. The members also discussed the planning for the 19th SC meeting that will take place in Rabat in mid-October and a few other CGIAR-related issues such as the funding modality reference group, the upcoming unified governance review, and briefed each other on official visits (taken place or planned) of the SB Chair to various EIARD members. 
Discuss and agree on final elements of the formal statement for the 18th CGIAR System Council Meeting 10 & 11 May
Washington, DC		 EIARD members discussed and agreed on the final elements of the formal EIARD statement. The statement supported the dynamics developed towards improved unified governance, trust and relations between all members and reaching out to all parties. The statement also provided the members’ collective positions on most of the SC Agenda items. 
Prepare for the 18th CGIAR System Council Meeting 26 April /& 3 May
virtual		 EIARD members held discussions around their views and potential messages resulted in various key elements for consideration in the formal EIARD statement for the 18th System Council meeting. Members also discussed various issues including the recommendations of the High-level Advisory Panel, Capacity Sharing function, search for a new Executive Managing Director, gender in the CGIAR, and the upcoming unified governance review. 
Discuss agenda priorities and planning the 18th CGIAR System Council Meeting 29 March
virtual		 EIARD members discussed and agreed on the key topics that they would like to see included in the agenda for the 18th CGIAR System Council meeting on 11-12 May and the side events on 10 May. These preferred key topics were shared with the System Council Secretariat in order to provide input in their preparation of the meeting agenda. The members also discussed the planning for the System Council meeting and agreed on the dates of various pre-SCM meetings to be held during the late April and early May. Finally, the EIARD Secretariat announced the new EIARD Dialogue Series. The first Dialogue is scheduled with icipe for mid-April.

Meetings held in 2022

Purpose Date(s)/location Content
End-of-the-Year meeting 9 December
virtual		 EIARD members discussed and reflected on the outcomes of the 17th CGIAR System Council meeting. This included a stock-taking of various important ongoing matters such as i) importance of a signed Integrated Framework Agreement (IFA); ii) operationalization of the integrated matrix structure; iii) further implementation of a coherent research portfolio of global and regional initiatives; iv) clarifications on System Board – System Council relations; v) development of the Capacity Sharing initiative and vi) enhancing knowledge on progress of initiatives through scientific and/or advisory panels.
Discuss and agree on final elements of the formal statement for the 17th CGIAR System Council Meeting 31 October
Brisbane		 EIARD members discussed and agreed on the final elements of the formal EIARD statement. The statement addressed the continued full commitment of the EIARD members to the reform process, the importance of the Integrated Framework Agreement, and communications within System Council as well as between System Council and the System Board.
Prepare for the 17th CGIAR System Council Meeting 20 & 24 October
virtual		 EIARD members held discussions around their views and potential messages resulted in various key elements for consideration in the formal EIARD statement for the 17th System Council meeting. Members reviewed and provided comments on the agenda items proposed but also on the agenda setting process currently in place. They also discussed various issues around engagement modalities, unified governance structure, newly proposed W3 funding modality, and next year’s FinPlan.
Prepare for the 17th CGIAR Science Council Meeting and other CGIAR-related developments 14 September
Prague		 EIARD members discussed the planning for the 17th CGIAR System Council meeting, which will be held in Brisbane during the first week of November and agreed on dates of various pre-SC meetings to be held during the second half of October. They also discussed developments related to the recent revisions in the CGIAR governance structure, including the advisory bodies currently in the system.
Advance coordination of ARD funding among EIARD members 13 September
Prague		 The aim of the one-day meeting was to advance discussions on how EIARD members could pursue more coordinated efforts in funding ARD areas that were identified as those having a strong common interest: i) capacity strengthening/sharing; ii) gender/inclusiveness; and iii) agroecology/nature-based solutions. The findings of the first set of short assessments of EIARD member country’s current ARD portfolios were presented to provide important inputs into the discussions. These discussions focused on how to further enhance more harmonized actions to complement EIARD support to the CGIAR, but also gave room to share experiences on the three topics and initiate discussions on how more coordinated actions with other (international and national) actors could be initiated or enhanced.
Discuss various CGIAR-related issues with members of the CGIAR Senior Leadership Team 18 July
virtual		 EIARD members met with members of the CGIAR Senior Leadership Team ahead of the 16th System Council Meeting. Various governance issues were discussed including the new operational matrix structure, the roles of the System Council and the System Board, and a further expansion of the research portfolio. Reflections on gender-related issues in the research portfolio and recruitment processes were also addressed. No formal EIARD statement was prepared for this System Council meeting due to many EIARD members being on their summer vacation.
Discuss CGIAR's Engagement Framework with CGIAR Global Director, Partnerships and Advocacy to present and 16 May
virtual		 Juan Lucas Restrepo and his team presented the CGIAR's Engagement Framework and their thoughts on Capacity Sharing for Development. The following discussion highlighted the importance of partnerships with national agricultural research and innovation system (NARIS) organizations and related regional networks and how the CGIAR and funders can work more closely together in capacity strengthening/sharing around these key partnerships.
Discuss and agree on final elements of the formal statement for the 15th CGIAR System Council Meeting 8 March
Montpellier		 EIARD members discussed and agreed on the final elements of the formal EIARD statement. The statement addresses the status of the institutional reform process, increased financial support by EIARD members to the One CGIAR process, the development of a standard common reporting framework, and the updated CGIAR Evaluation Framework and Policy.
Prepare for the 15th CGIAR System Council Meeting 4 March
virtual		 EIARD members held discussions around their views and potential messages resulted in various key elements for consideration in the formal EIARD statement for the 15th System Council meeting.
General meeting 10 February
virtual		 EIARD members discussed various CGIAR-related topics such as indicative funding allocations to the CGIAR portfolio by members for 2022 (and when available 2023 and 2024) and preparations for 15th System Council Meeting. They also discussed various items of the proposed 2022 workplan, including ideas on how to expand EIARD’s scope of activities on ARD areas that are of mutual interest.

Meetings held in December 2021

Purpose Date(s)/location Content
Discuss status of reform with the CGIAR Executive Management Team and agree on final elements of statement for the 14th CGIAR System Council Meeting 13 December
virtual		 Elwyn Grainger-Jones and Claudia Sadoff of the CGIAR Executive Management Team joined the meeting for the first half hour to update EIARD members on various operational and management developments around the One CGIAR reform process. Thereafter, EIARD members discussed and agreed on the final elements of the formal EIARD statement. The statement addresses progress made on the development of the research portfolio, ISDC’s review of the Companion Document to the 2022-2024 Research Prospectus and 19 Initiative proposals, CGIAR’s comparative advantage in an innovation trajectory as outlined in the Innovation Brief, and the content of the draft 2022 Financial Plan.
Discuss and prepare draft key elements of statement for the 14th CGIAR System Council Meeting 9 December
virtual		 EIARD members held discussions around their views and potential messages resulted in various key elements for consideration in the formal EIARD statement for the 14th System Council meeting.
Prepare for the 14th CGIAR System Council Meeting 6 December
virtual		 EIARD members discussed the collaboration with the United Kingdom and engagement within the EIARD group. They also expressed interest to expand EIARD’s focus beyond CGIAR activities and explore further discussions on topics that are of mutual interest.