The Role of GEO Principals and GEO Focal Points

GEO Principals and GEO Focal Points are at the core of how GEO engages with its Members and Participating Organisations. Together, they ensure strong national coordination, active participation in GEO governance, and effective communication with the GEO Secretariat.

While GEO Principals provide senior-level strategic and political leadership, GEO Focal Points ensure day-to-day coordination, administration, and information management to support that engagement.

GEO Principals are the senior officials designated to represent their government or organisation within GEO. According to the GEO Rules of Procedure, the GEO Principal is the “primary designated representative, at the senior-official level, of a GEO Member or Participating Organisation”, and the GEO Principal Alternate serves in the same capacity when the GEO Principal is unavailable. 

Key Responsibilities of GEO Principals and GEO Principal Alternates

When GEO Principals are active, they ensure continuity and visibility of their Member’s or Participating Organisation’s participation in GEO’s work, including contributions to the GEO Trust Fund and the GEO Work Programme. Where GEO Principals are inactive or unresponsive, the GEO Secretariat may coordinate through Permanent Missions or Regional GEOs to maintain engagement with a Member government. 

Each GEO Member and Participating Organisation is invited to designate one GEO Focal Point to act as the operational liaison between their government or organisation and the GEO Secretariat.

GEO Focal Points play a central coordination role, supporting the GEO Principal and ensuring that institutional and administrative processes run smoothly. They receive official communications alongside the GEO Principal and GEO Principal Alternate(s) and have access, via their GEO Account, to relevant functions and forms.

Key Responsibilities of GEO Focal Points

Only GEO Principals or GEO Principal Alternates may designate a GEO Focal Point.

This can be done through the Focal Point Designation Form in their GEO Account. Once submitted, both the GEO Principal and GEO Principal Alternate receive confirmation, and the designated GEO Focal Point is granted access to the assigned tools within two working weeks.

Other contacts within the GEO Member or Participating Organisation may be listed as “GEO Correspondence Contacts”, who will continue to receive GEO communications but without administrative responsibilities.

Together, GEO Principals and GEO Focal Points form the backbone of GEO’s governance and communication framework. 

This partnership ensures that each GEO Member and Participating Organisation remains fully informed, represented, and engaged—helping to strengthen GEO’s collective impact worldwide.