Posted on the Global Fund website

In 2012, one of the main tasks for the Board of the Global Fund is to search for and appoint a world class Executive Director.

In May 2012, the Board launched the 2012 Executive Director search process by forming an Ad-Hoc Nominations Committee (PDF – 185 KB), as provided for in the Global Fund’s Bylaws. The key responsibility of the Ad-Hoc Nominations Committee is to assess and select a short list of high-caliber candidates for the full Board to take its decision. The Board is looking for candidates with exceptional managerial skills and proven leadership, with strong communications skills, and preferably, extensive engagement in international development or global health. The Global Fund is committed to give the equal opportunity to candidates coming from different regions in the world. Special attention during the candidate search process will be given to ensure equal reach out of candidates coming from developing and developed countries. The Board is also highly committed to gender diversity, and agreed at its meeting in May 2012 that the short list of up to four persons must have at least as many women as men.

The Board intends to select a new Executive Director by its Board Meeting on 13–14 November 2012.

When the Board makes this appointment, the Executive Director will be responsible for taking forward and cementing the Fund’s transformation to ensure the continued use of effective and efficient business processes that best serve the Global Fund and its stakeholders. An adequate hand-over period is anticipated before the departure of the current General Manager, Mr Gabriel Jaramillo, in February 2013. Mr. Jaramillo is serving a one-year appointment made by the Board in early 2012 to undertake a transformation of the organization.

Terms of Reference and Advertisement available here. Deadline for applications is 6th of August, 2012.

Over the last few months, the Alliance and the Global Fund, in partnership with Friends of the Global Fund LAC and Fundacion Huesped, have worked on the development of an innovative toolkit to increase knowledge concerning grants management among implementing organisations working on Global Fund grants. The project was supported by the BACKUP Inititiative, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

“The Alliance has a long history in the development of toolkits and manuals to support community-based organisations (CBOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) be at the centre of the response to HIV/AIDS. In this digital era, knowledge is being managed and shared in different ways, and we need to engage with these new technologies, mediums and tools and use them to our advantage. This product was possible thanks to the work of a multidisciplinary technical team”, explains Anamaria Bejar, Head of Team for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Alliance. “We hope the toolkit will prove useful and productive for organisations implementing Global Fund projects, and that ultimately it contributes to increasing grant management capacity throughout the region”.

In the last two weeks, copies of the toolkit in DVD format have been sent to all Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanisms, Principal Recipients and Sub-Recipients throughout the Spanish-speaking region.

The toolkit is self-administered (requiring only a simple installation on your computer), interactive and user-friendly. It offers up-to-date information on the Global Fund, on programme management, financial and administrative requirements, as well as covering monitoring and evaluation, and procurement and supply. It also includes a number of practical exercises to test your new knowledge and a downloads section with a comprehensive selection of documents, formats and guidelines used in the implementation of Global Fund grants throughout the region. The toolkit was developed using the practical and technical knowledge of colleagues from within the LAC region who have direct experience of implementing Global Fund grants. Similarly, the toolkit was validated by subrecipients from across the region.

Luca Occhini, Interim Head of Team at the Latin American and Caribbean Team at the Global Fund says the following about the toolkit: “Here at the LAC team, we believe that the interactive grants management toolkit for Sub-Recipients (SRs) is an innovative tool which will play a key role in strengthening the institutional capacity of SRs. Both the animation as well as the general structure of the content make the toolkit very easy to use. Learning occurs on the user’s own time and according to their specific needs. We hope the toolkit becomes a point of reference when building the grants management capacity of both new and existing SRs in the region. We also hope that other organisations collaborating with the Global Fund familiarise themselves with the toolkit, and that it contributes toward increasing the efficient management of Global Fund projects.”

For those of you yet to receive the DVD or if you wish to share it with colleagues, the toolkit is also available online. It can either be downloaded or used online at http://www.herramientasubreceptor.org

If you would like additional information on the toolkit or experience any difficulties upon using it, please contact consultas@herramientasubreceptor.org

The toolkit is now in the hands of its new users, Global Fund Sub-Recipients, so that it may be used and shared. The development and production team of this toolkit hope that it may be the first in a series of knowledge sharing tools which are efficient, effective, user-friendly, but also fun!

We encourage you to share this press release with other colleagues who may find this of interest.

The purpose of “The Aidspan Guide to Applications under the Global Fund‟s Transitional Funding Mechanism” is to provide guidance to coordinating mechanisms and other organisations applying for funding under the Transitional Funding Mechanism (TFM).

The guide does not tell applicants what they should say in their proposals. Rather, it explains questions on the proposal form that may not be entirely clear. In addition, the guide occasionally provides examples of how similar questions were answered in past rounds of funding. These examples are intended to show applicants how their responses can be structured and what items need to be included to ensure a full response.

To download a copy of this guide and of any of Aidspan’s publications, go to www.aidspan.org. If you do not have access to the web but you do have access to email, send a request to publications@aidspan.org specifying which publications you would like to receive as attachments to an email. Aidspan does not produce or distribute printed copies of these publications.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

23 November 2011

THE GLOBAL FUND ADOPTS NEW STRATEGY TO SAVE 10 MILLION LIVES BY 2016
Reductions in Resource Outlook Limit Funding of New Grants

ACCRA, Ghana – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has adopted a new strategy which commits the institution to work with implementing countries and partner organizations to sustain and accelerate gains in the fight against the pandemics. The Global Fund aspires to contribute substantially to international goals by saving 10 million lives and preventing 140 180 million new infections from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria from 2012 to 2016.

The Board also approved a Consolidated Transformation Plan for the organization to improve its risk management, fiduciary controls and governance. The plan will refocus staff and resources on grant management in high-risk countries; reform the way the Global Fund approves grants by moving towards a more interactive process with applicants and partners and strengthen the Board’s governance processes.

“The five-year strategy and transformation plan adopted at the meeting together commit the Global Fund to shift to a new funding model that focuses on investing strategically in countries, populations and interventions with high potential for impact and strong value for money,” said Board Chair Simon Bland. “It will provide its funding in a more proactive, flexible and predictable way. It will better manage risk and it will work more actively with countries and partners to facilitate grant implementation success. In doing so, I believe the Global Fund will shift from an institution that has successfully provided emergency funding to allow countries to cope with the runaway pandemics, to become a sustainable, efficient funder of the global efforts to control them and eventually win the battle against AIDS, TB and malaria.”

The Global Fund has US$4 billion held at its trustee account to ensure disbursements on all existing grants. Based on pledges from donors, the Fund has or expects to receive resources enabling the institution to sign grants for existing approved programs with a value of more than US$10 billion for the period 2011 to 2013.

However, a revised resource forecast presented to the Board showed that substantial budget challenges in some donor countries, compounded by low interest rates have significantly affected the resources available for new grant funding.

As a result, the Global Fund will only be able to finance essential services for on-going programs that come to their conclusion before 2014 by making savings in the existing grant portfolio. The Global Fund Board adopted such measures, including further limiting funding to some middle-income countries.

The Board urgently requested donors to consider measures to increase and accelerate funding, and implementing country governments, especially those from middle-income countries, to increase funding for the three diseases and related health investments.

“It is deeply worrisome that inadvertently, the millions of people fighting with deadly diseases are in danger of paying the price for the global financial crisis,” said the Global Fund’s Executive Director, Michel Kazatchkine. “There are millions of people dependent on Global Fund resources to stay alive and healthy, and the Global Fund will redouble its efforts to increase the available funding to continue to scale up HIV, TB and malaria interventions.”

During this period, the Global Fund will roll out a new way for countries to apply for funding which will reduce the amount of investments a country puts into developing a proposal and engages with partners and implementers.

Recognizing that the substantial changes that lie ahead will necessitate considerable focus on internal management and administration, the Board decided to appoint a General Manager to work alongside the Executive Director. The General Manager and a potential support team will help to take the organization through its transformation phase over the next twelve months.

The strategy, which is the result of more than a year’s discussions and consultations with more than 700 individuals, groups and organizations, will also strengthen the Global Fund’s focus on “most-at-risk” populations and striving to protect human rights through its funding of programs.

*****

The Global Fund is a unique, public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents an innovative approach to international health financing. The Global Fund’s model is based on the concepts of country ownership and performance-based funding, which means that people in countries implement their own programs based on their priorities and the Global Fund provides financing on the condition that verifiable results are achieved.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 22.4 billion for more than 600 programs in 150 countries. The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts in dealing with the three diseases.

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Hurst – Communications
Office: + 41 58 791 16 72
Mobile: + 41 79 561 68 07
Email: andrew.hurst@theglobalfund.org

The Latin American and the Caribbean Key Correspondents Team was there and produced a series of articles which can be found here.

A full coverage of the mmeting can be found here.

Deadline of the signature collection campaign: Friday 4th of November, 2011 at 2 PM (Lima, Peru time).

Convening networks:

Friends of the Global Fund LAC, ASICAL, CIAT, COASCE, ICW Latina, LACCASO, MLM+, Observatorio Latino, Redla+, REDLACTRANS, REDLARD, REDTRASEX.

To sign the letter, please click here.

]]> http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/firma-la-carta-a-la-junta-del-fondo-mundial/feed/ 0 http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/el-vihsida-la-tb-y-la-malaria-siguen-siendo-una-emergencia/ http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/el-vihsida-la-tb-y-la-malaria-siguen-siendo-una-emergencia/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:14:52 +0000 admin http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/?p=259

HIV/AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA ARE STILL EMERGENCIES 23RD SEPTEMBER 2011

A statement from the Communities Living with HIV, Tuberculosis and affected by Malaria Delegation of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Communities Living with HIV, Tuberculosis and affected by Malaria Delegation (Communities Delegation) of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) welcomes the report of the High-Level Independent Review Panel (HLP) and acknowledges the recommendations put forth in strengthening fiduciary controls and oversight mechanisms at all levels of the Global Fund, which are consistent with its values of transparency and accountability.

The comprehensive findings of the HLP is a result of six months of intensive work, and includes the review of 40 existing grants with a conclusion that all current weaknesses are opportunities that can be strengthened and improved. The Board of the Global Fund will meet on the 26th September 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland to review and discuss the findings and recommendations, act on the most urgent issues and agree on a process to address and action the recommendations.

The Communities Delegation is deeply concerned, however, on how some of the findings of the HLP can be misconstrued. The Global Fund has committed US$ 22.4 billion in over 150 countries to support large-scale prevention, treatment, care and support programmes against the three diseases. This in practical terms translates to putting 3.2 million people on HIV treatment, treating 8.2 million people infected with Tuberculosis (TB), and 190 million bed- nets distributed to avert malaria infections. Millions of lives have been saved, because of the work of the Global Fund and its partners, and this needs to be put into perspective.

During times of a massive financial crisis and instability in the biggest world economies, major Global Fund contributors could translate the outcomes of the report into excuses not to meet fundingcommitments. The Global Fund needs the current and new donors to increase their contributions and pledges expressed at the Third Voluntary Replenishment Conference from US$ 11 billion to more than US$20 billion to ensure that efforts and gains made in the last decade can be effectively sustained. TheGlobal Fund is thus far, the only mechanism in existence that could invest these resources needed in life-saving interventions. The report states, “the failure of the Global Fund would be a global health catastrophe”.

Currently, 15 million people living with HIV are in dire need to be on life-savingdrugs; the case detection for TB globally is at 65%, with drug resistant TBspiralling faster; and malaria cases though contained might be at a risk ofexploding if efforts are not preventive efforts are not sustained. These are all emergencies that require immediate attention and extraordinary actions so as to benefit the very communities that we stand up for.

The Communities Delegation does not support the HLP suggestions to re-evaluate the Board decision on Round 11 funding, and proposals for new eligibility criteria. The Board of the Global Fund needs to be able to discuss the impact, consequences and recommendations responsiblybearing in mind the tremendous ramifications these decision(s) will have on achieving MDGs 4, 5, and 6, and ultimately on the lives of communities.

Shared responsibility is at the core of partnerships, and the Global Fund is a unique funding mechanism and partnership with an oversight and governance structure that includes multi- stakeholder participation at both global and national level. The report provides a timely opportunity for both implementers and donors to not only make the money work, but also to demonstrate how it works.

We are dismayed with some disparaging and opportunistic public statements related to the leadership at the Global Fund Secretariat after the release of the HLP report, and would like to point out that the recent reappointment of the Executive Director proves the trust and confidence of the Board in his work. The Communities Delegation has confidence in the leadership of the Executive Director, and would like to express our most sincere gratitude to staff at the Global Fund Secretariat for their tireless commitment and dedication to ensuring that lives are being saved across thethree diseases.

The Communities Delegation reiterates its position ofzero tolerance to corruption and the commitment to transparency and accountability. We bring to the Global Fund Board the voices and needs of millions of people living with and affected by the three diseases, and together with the Civil Society Constituencies on the Board of the Global Fund, we will remain vigilant to ensure that the most urgent changes in the structures, policies and processes of the Global Fund are implemented in order to continue saving lives.

We call for the responsible use of the public information released in the HLP report by media and governments and other partners, with a reminder that the challenges related to the three disease is an on-going emergency in many parts of the world. We need to ensure that the recommendations of the Board, and its responses to these recommendations constantly place the lives of people at the centre of our discussions.

On behalf of the Communities Delegation,

Shaun Mellors Board Member, Communities Delegation mellorsshaun@gmail.com

Lucy Chesire Interim Alternate Board Member, Communities Delegation lucy@tbadvocacy.co.ke

Rachel Ong Communications Focal Point, Communities Delegation rachel.ong.gfatm@gmail.com

]]> http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/el-vihsida-la-tb-y-la-malaria-siguen-siendo-una-emergencia/feed/ 0 http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/reunion-mcp-lima-ronda-11/ http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/reunion-mcp-lima-ronda-11/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:15:51 +0000 admin http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/?p=255 ]]> http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/reunion-mcp-lima-ronda-11/feed/ 0 http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/reforma-fm-informe-del-panel-externo-de-alto-nivel/ http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/reforma-fm-informe-del-panel-externo-de-alto-nivel/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:21:21 +0000 admin http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/?p=256 ]]> http://www.amigosdelfondomundial.org/en/reforma-fm-informe-del-panel-externo-de-alto-nivel/feed/ 0