Global Fund Africa CS Implementers Engagement 2019

UNASO, in partnership with EANAASO hosted the Global Fund (GF) Implementers’ Meeting for Anglophone and Luciphone Africa. The meeting was held on the 25th and 26th June 2019 at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

The purpose of the meeting was to present a sharing and learning platform, bringing together Civil Society Principal Recipients (PRs) and a select few Sub Recipients from Anglophone and Luciphone Africa with a view to supporting experience sharing among CS PR peers for better grant performance.

A total of 19 countries were represented including Angola, Ghana, Botswana, Gambia, Uganda, Liberia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe

The Global Fund is a partnership designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics. As an international organization, the Global Fund mobilizes and invests more than US$4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 100 countries. In partnership with governments, civil society, technical agencies, the private sector and people affected by the diseases, we are challenging barriers and embracing innovation

The GF funding model runs in three-year cycles that correspond with our donor Replenishment cycles. The upcoming funding cycle runs from 2020 through 2022, following the Replenishment Conference in October 2019.

During the meeting, the following key lessons were noted:

• CS Implementers need to establish systems for follow up and linkages to support community systems strengthening
• CSOs to ensure Community Systems Strengthening, we need to empower all the community systems which include structures, players and the health workers.
• CSOs need to employ cost-efficiency approaches, by utilizing the resources we receive for greater impact. We should also strengthen local structures to avoid resource wastage

Way forward: The meeting agreed to hold the event annually to raise CS voices for the grant. The partner PRs and SRs committed to have the costs of the event within their budgets.