Global Fund Turns Down Nation's Bid. 12/4/11

Global Fund has once again refused to finance Zimbabwe after it emerged that the country has no budget for its ambitious national strategic plan.

GLOBAL Fund has once again refused to finance Zimbabwe's HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria programmes after it emerged that the country has no budget for its ambitious national strategic plan.

The country's failure to complete its monitoring and evaluation targets was also another setback to access money from the body.

Zimbabwe is still in the process of developing its national strategic plan for the next five years.

The plan provides guidelines on monitoring and evaluating targets as well as budgets for HIV.

However, Zimbabwe still has an option to apply for money through Round 11 of the fund due in December, whose proposals are due for August.

In his presentation at the National Partnership Forum held in Harare recently, GFATM co-ordinator Mr Rangarirai Chiteure said Zimbabwe's proposal for the five-year long National Strategic Application for expression of interest for HIV was not successful.

"The denial is not going to affect our programming, in fact their comments are going to be quiet useful in finalisation of the Zimbabwe National Aids Strategic Plan.

There is, however, an option for funding of future programmes through Round 11, whose call for proposals would be made in August," Mr Chiteure said.

He said Zimbabwe's application was rejected because there was no budget for the National Strategy Plan (NSP) and the monitoring and evaluation targets were incomplete.

Zimbabwe could not provide complete targets and budgets because it is still in the process of developing its plan for the next five years.

The previous plan ended last year.

"However, there is no budget for the NSP and this is a significant gap with regards to readiness for joint assessment. The M&E targets are incomplete and not fully aligned and consistent with the targets of the NSP.

"There are a number of gaps in the operational plan budget with a number of line items left blank or incomplete.

"Based on an assessment of the level of completeness and consistency against the above criteria, for the purpose of organizing a joint assessment, the strategy documentation is considered partly ready," reads GFATM's summary assessment to Zimbabwe's proposal.

However, the GFATM commended Zimbabwe for doing a thorough analysis of the response to HIV.

The GFATM introduced the NSA in February to aid effectiveness principles and to streamline processes.

This new way of applying for funding involves submitting a national strategy itself rather than a Global Fund-specific proposal form - as the primary basis of the application for Global Fund financing.

National Strategic Applications will be an alternative approach to access resources from the Global Fund but countries will still have the opportunity to apply through the regular round-based system if they so wish.

This explains Zimbabwe's failure to qualify for the new way of funding but this will not hinder any programme, as the country will apply for the next Round as usual.

However, according to the GFATM, the benefits of applying for funding through NSAs include reducing transaction costs and paperwork and improved harmonisation with other donors among others.

Zimbabwe failed to qualify for Round Nine and 10 of funding but the country coordinators said funds from Round eight would still go a long way in the HIV response.

Mr Chiteure said for Round 11, the country will apply for HIV, TB and Health Strengthening Systems.