PRESS
RELEASE
13
October 2001
First
Meeting of the Transitional Working Group to establish a
Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
The
Transitional Working Group (TWG) to establish a new
Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, convened
for the first time on Thursday and Friday (11th
and 12th October) in Brussels.
The
TWG agreed on the name of the Fund, conceived as a financial
entity for leveraging resources to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis,
and malaria for countries and groups in the greatest need.
The Fund will support programs for strengthening health
systems and country-level partnerships involving governments,
the private sector, and civil society. In addition, the
Fund will support the purchase of critical health products,
such as bed-nets, condoms, antiretroviral drugs, anti-TB
and anti-malarial drugs, on the basis of an independent
review of local realities.
The
Fund will operate in a transparent and accountable manner,
respecting country ownership and national processes. It
will support simplified, rapid, and innovative disbursement
mechanisms. Its resources will be complementary to existing
programs and focus on clear and measurable results.
The
TWG was established at the last partner consultation meeting
for the proposed Fund in Brussels in July. It includes representatives
drawn from over 40 developing and developed countries, UN
agencies, the World Bank, the private sector, foundations,
and NGOs. The Chair of the TWG is Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga,
former Minister of Health in Uganda. The TWG is supported
by a Technical Support Secretariat (TSS), based in Brussels
and staffed by partner staff temporarily on loan. Mr. Paul
Ehmer from USAID is team leader of the TSS. The TWG has
been charged with making decisions that will lead to the
creation of an operational fund by the end of calendar year
2001. The TWG and the TSS will dissolve when the Fund becomes
operational.
Having
laid the foundations of the new Fund, the TWG will
seek to establish a bank account as soon as possible to
allow governments to fulfil their pledges. A bank account
for private donations already has been established.
