Recently China attempted to stop funding for the Bhutan’s Sakteng sanctuary from the UN Development Program’s Global Environment Facility (GEF), on the grounds that it was “disputed” territory.
Bhutan sent China a demarche protesting against Chinese claims to the Sakteng wildlife sanctuary in eastern Bhutan.
Sakteng is based in eastern Bhutan, or Trashigang Dzongkhag (district), where that borders Arunachal Pradesh.
According to written records, there has been no mention of this place in 24 previous rounds of boundary negotiations held between the two countries, between 1984 and 2016.
The Sakteng sanctuary has in the past, too, received such grants, including in 2018-2019 for a project on preventing soil erosion, without any objection from China.
About Global Environment Facility (GEF)
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.
GEF funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of the international environmental conventions and agreements.
The World Bank serves as the GEF Trustee, administering the GEF Trust Fund.
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