Open letter to the Global Fund Board on Allocation Methodology Framework and Sustainability & Transition

In advance of the 34th meeting of the Global Fund Board, 33 civil society organizations from the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region and their partner organizations from other regions sent an open letter to the Global Fund Board members, alternates and focal points.

On 16-17 November 2015, the Global Fund Board is holding its 34th meeting in Geneva. On this occasion, 33 civil society organizations from the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region and their partner organizations from other regions sent the open letter to the Board to express their concerns and recommendations on two important issues: Allocation Methodology Framework and Sustainability & Transition.

The organizations are concerned about whether all significant changes to allocation methodology are being driven by evidence or by politics. They ask the Board to take into account the input given by civil society during the Partnership Forums, to become more open about the options being considered for the allocation methodology for the period 2017-2019, to improve communication with civil society partners on that issue, and to organize a public consultative process regarding this issue.

They urge the Global Fund to develop a Sustainability & Transition Strategy and an implementation plan clearly identifying the following:

• definition of “sustainability” and “transition” to domestic funding;
• “graduation or transition criteria” together with “transition readiness assessment” tool to monitor and evaluate country’s readiness to transition or to assess why a country failed to transition;
• guidance for countries to navigate all transition stages and processes successfully which would require meaningful community participation;
• key technical support needs of countries for different stages of transition planning and implementation, and provision of access to such technical support;
• predictability of the transition timeline on a country-by-country basis and levels of available funding from the Global Fund and other donors to secure successful transition;
• approaches to transition differentiated depending of Global Fund’s challenging operating environment categorization.

The organizations hope that the Board will consider their concerns and recommendations mentioned in the letter and there will be appropriate measures taken by next's year Board meeting.

To read the open letter, click here.

Source: TB Europe Coalition