The Global Fund used its 33rd Board meeting on 31 March-1 April to demonstrate its continued maturation as an organization and show that the systems it has put in place are working. Cracking the perfect façade, however, are what appears to be lack of appetite for reform within the Board itself and the reality that unfunded quality demand will remain so.  

The Global Fund is trying to weather a perfect storm of currency fluctuations, new restrictions in international banking and additional financial requirements caused by shortened grants. Thus far, none of the external shocks have caused an interruption in programming, the Board heard during its 33rd meeting.

In his report to the Board as part of its 33rd meeting, Global Fund executive director Mark Dybul reflected on his travels in the first quarter of 2015 and how his interactions at the country level demonstrated that, for all the growing pains experienced initially, the new funding model is doing what it was supposed to do ensure investment for impact.

A consensus, unanimous vote for the new 'Dream Team' was passed, electing Norbert Hauser of the German delegation and a former interim inspector general as Board chair and Aida Kurtovic, from the developing countries NGO delegation and long-time civil society activist, as vice-chair. Campaigning took place behind closed doors and the vote passed easily as the 33rd Board meeting opened on 31 March.

In a first annual opinion delivered by the Office of the Inspector General, an improved "organizational maturity" within the Secretariat was acknowledged. Still, further enhancements are required, specifically in areas including risk management, governance and internal controls.

The Global Fund has updated its key performance indicator framework, with targets for measuring performance in areas of human rights prevention and the quality of management and leadership. The first reports of progress on performance were also presented.

The Technical Review Panel says that the incentive funding awards it recommended for Window 4 applicants have been reduced by the Secretariat to find money to cover gaps in countries with shortened grant durations. It also says that the shortened grant duration policy means it is unlikely that the register of unfunded quality demand will be funded in full.

The Office of the Inspector General submitted two papers to the Board at its meeting in Geneva: its annual report for 2014, and an update on agreed management actions implemented by the Secretariat. Separately, the Secretariat provided the Board with an update on recoveries.

Under the code of ethical conduct adopted by the Board, while governance officials have a responsibility to represent their constituencies, "they are ultimately obligated to work in the best interests of the Global Fund".

The Global Fund has approved a framework for financing co-infections and co-morbidities (COIM) of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The framework enables recipients to seek support for using existing resources received from the Fund for effective interventions against COIM, but the Secretariat warned of the likelihood that no additional resources would be forthcoming.

The Global Fund has provided a progress report on its Community, Rights and Gender Special Initiative, and its Key Population Action Plan. It also provided findings from a review of concept notes submitted in the first four windows. 

Japan will host a kick-off meeting in December 2015 to open the process for the 5th replenishment of the Global Fund's coffers, set to begin mid-2016. While resource mobilization is likely to focus on the traditional slate of donors, more efforts are being made to channel funds from high net-worth individuals and, most importantly, from domestic sources in implementing countries.

Aidspan on 19 March released its first-ever regional report: a snapshot of 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region as classified by the Global Fund. 

This is issue 263 of the GLOBAL FUND OBSERVER (GFO) Newsletter. Please send all suggestions for news items, commentaries or any other feedback to the Editor in Chief, Lauren Gelfand (lauren.gelfand@aidspan.org). To subscribe to GFO, go to www.aidspan.org.

GFO Newsletter is a free and independent source of news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (www.theglobalfund.org).

Aidspan (www.aidspan.org) is a Kenya-based international NGO that serves as an independent watchdog of the Global Fund, aiming to benefit all countries wishing to obtain and make effective use of Global Fund resources. Aidspan finances its work through grants from foundations and bilateral donors. Aidspan does not accept Global Fund money, perform paid consulting work, or charge for any of its products.

Reproduction of articles in the newsletter is permitted if the following is stated: "Reproduced from the Global Fund Observer Newsletter (www.aidspan.org/gfo), a service of Aidspan."

Click here to unsubscribe.

GFO archives are available at www.aidspan.org/gfo.

Copyright (c) 2015 Aidspan. All rights reserved.

TOP