The evaluation of the first phase led to the recommendation that the GFU should focus its services and products to the need of those target groups that can best be served with a facilitation approach. Practitioners and other stakeholders at the technical level expect the GFU to implement projects on particular species and fund research on specific topics. The typical services provided by a facilitation mechanism such as policy advice, information provision, conceptual analyses, networking, lobbying, awareness creation, etc. are not considered equally important to them. Hence the GFU¿s target group should in first place be the policy and decision makers, research managers, donors, the general public and to a less extend stakeholder working at the technical level, however, they are not excluded. Bearing this in mind, the main activities of the second phase can be grouped in three major areas:1) Policy analysis and advice to policy and decision makers. 2) Information, communication and documentation. 3) Public awareness