PRESS
RELEASE
17 December 2001
PLANNING PHASE FOR FUND TO FIGHT AIDS, TB AND
MALARIA CONCLUDES WITH AGREEMENT ON BASIC FOUNDATIONS
First Board will meet in January to finalize procedures,
proposal submission and review process
BRUSSELS, 17 December - The group responsible for establishing
the foundations of the new Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria has completed its work and is ready to hand
over its package of recommendations to a newly formed Board,
which will meet for the first time in late January 2002.
The
urgency of the task is clear. HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria together
account for nearly 6 million deaths per year and cause immeasurable
suffering and damage to families, communities and economies.
The new fund represents a novel approach to international
health issues with an intense emphasis on public-private
partnership, the achievement of results, independent technical
validation of proposals, together with efficient processes
for utilizing resources.
The
concept for an international funding mechanism to tackle
HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria began at the Okinawa G8 Summit
in July of 2000, and was adopted at the G8 Summit this year
in Genoa. It was championed by UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, together with many national leaders, at the first
UN General Assembly Special Session to focus on AIDS, in
June in New York. Subsequently, a Transitional Working Group
(TWG), a group of nearly 40 representatives of developing
countries, donor countries, NGOs, the private sector, and
the UN system, was formed in order to transform the idea
into reality.
"The
Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria was created in
response to the growing realization that fighting these
scourges requires significant new money", said Dr Chrispus
Kiyonga, former Minister of Health of Uganda and Chairman
of the TWG. "But the Fund is not just about money, it is
about partnership – a new kind of partnership that includes
NGOs, the private sector, governments and other agencies
– working together in a new way to achieve lasting results."
Over
the past few months, the TWG has engaged in negotiations
to design basic guidelines concerning the Fund's operations,
such as legal status, management structure, financial systems
and general eligibility criteria. At its meeting on 28-29
January, the Board will review the TWG's recommendations,
make refinements as needed, and adopt a framework document.
After this has been accomplished, the Board will issue a
call for proposals.
The
Board will include an equal number of donor and developing
country governments, with seven seats each. And, in an exceptional
move, the Board will also include two NGO and two private
sector donor seats. The term of the Board members will be
two years, with each constituency responsible for selecting
its representatives; selections will be made in time for
the January Board meeting. WHO and UNAIDS, representing
the many UN agencies involved in the fight against these
diseases, and the World Bank, as the Fund's trustee, will
have non-voting seats on the Board. In addition, the Board
will include a person living with or affected by HIV/AIDS,
TB or malaria, in a non-voting seat.
Approximately
$1.6 billion has been committed to the Fund thus far from
industrialized and developing country governments, corporations,
foundations, and private individual contributions. A number
of these commitments are multiyear, giving the Fund approximately
$700 million to disburse in 2002.
"While
far more resources are needed to adequately address HIV/AIDS,
TB, and malaria, current pledges to the Fund will allow
the Board to begin funding programs and demonstrate results.
Once the Fund has shown that it is working as planned, it
is hoped that current donors will continue and increase
their commitments, and that new donors will come to the
table", said Dr Kiyonga.
The
TWG had the mandate to provide broad parameters for funding.
The Board at its first meeting in January will take final
decisions about eligibility, proposal review criteria, and
the resources available for different types of programs.
The TWG will recommend that the Fund focus highest priority
on proposals from countries and regions with the greatest
need, based on high disease burden and lack of financial
resources. These include sub-Saharan Africa, currently the
region most affected, as well as some countries within the
Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Central and Eastern
Europe. The TWG will also recommend consideration of proposals
from countries and regions with a high potential for risk.
Broad
partnerships at the country level will be an essential component
of the process. Governments, NGOs and private sector organizations,
with the assistance of bilateral and UN agencies involved
in fighting the three diseases, will work together to develop
proposals, implement programs, and monitor results.
An
independent technical review panel will review proposals.
This impartial team of experts will make recommendations
to the Board, and guarantee the integrity and consistency
of the proposal review process. The Board at its first meeting
will consider candidates for the panel.
The
Fund will be created as an independent legal entity to ensure
autonomy and flexibility. Its finances will be entrusted
to the World Bank, as Trustee. The Trustee will have primary
responsibility for financial accountability, including collection,
investment and management of funds, disbursement of funds
to countries and programs, and financial reporting to stakeholders.
A
small independent Secretariat, to be located in Geneva,
will manage the Fund's flow of work and support the Board.
The process to recruit the executive head of the Secretariat
is beginning; an interim Secretariat will support the Board
in the meantime.
"The
planning process for the Fund is unprecedented. Setting
up the first multibillion dollar health fund, which includes
major involvement of governments but operates like a private
foundation, has challenged people to think in brand new
ways about health and development funding", said Dr Kiyonga.
"But the urgent need to reduce the suffering and negative
impact caused by these devastating diseases has provided
a constant reminder that we must proceed without delay.
The commitment, dedication, and spirit of collaboration
demonstrated by the group has been truly remarkable."
The
process has involved three meetings of the TWG, regional
consultation meetings in Africa, Asia, Latin America and
Eastern Europe, and thematic consultations among NGOs/civil
society, the private sector and academia. The process has
been facilitated by a Technical Support Secretariat located
in Brussels.
Read
the Press Release in Portuguese
.