Press Release |
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PRESS RELEASES |
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19 August 2005 |
THE GLOBAL FUND TERMINATES GRANTS TO MYANMAR
New Government Restrictions Make Grant Implementation Impossible
Geneva - Given new restrictions recently imposed by the government of Myanmar, the Global Fund has concluded that its grants to the country cannot be managed in a way that ensures effective program implementation. As a result the Global Fund yesterday terminated its grant agreements to Myanmar.
The decision means that three grants, one each for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with a total value of US$ 35.7 million over two years, will be phased out by the end of the year. The decision has been taken after consultations with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which is the Principal Recipient of Global Fund grants in Myanmar. The Principal Recipient is responsible for grant implementation in the country.
"Both the Global Fund and UNDP are very concerned about the tremendous need to provide humanitarian assistance, and to prevent further spread of the three diseases in Myanmar," said Richard Feachem, the Executive Director of the Global Fund. "It is therefore with considerable regret that the Global Fund, after consultations with UNDP and other international partners, has had to terminate its grants to Myanmar."
In July of this year, the government of Myanmar instituted new travel clearance procedures, which will have the effect of restricting access to grant implementation areas by the Principal Recipient, staff of implementing partners and Global Fund staff. In addition, the government imposed new procedures for the review of procurement of medical and other supplies, which are a vital aspect of Global Fund project implementation. The Global Fund has concluded that these measures would prevent the implementation of performance-based and time-bound programs in the country, breach the government’s written commitment to provide unencumbered access, and frustrate the ability of the Principal Recipient to carry out its obligations.
The travel restrictions appear to be the most recent manifestation of a gradual change in the government’s attitude towards international and national humanitarian efforts in Myanmar over the past few weeks.
The Global Fund will work with UNDP to gradually terminate activities, sub-recipient contracts, and all other contracts. All unspent assets will be returned to the Global Fund. The UN family will now work with other development partners to explore appropriate alternative ways of responding to these three epidemics in Myanmar.
Download the Myanmar Cancellation Factsheet (PDF - 72 KB)
The Global Fund is a unique global public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases.
The Global Fund has so far committed US$ 3.5 billion to over 300 programs in 127 countries. Around 60 percent of this funding has gone to Africa, and 55 percent to fighting HIV/AIDS. Around half of the funding is being spent on medicines, mosquito nets to prevent malaria and other products, while the other half is for strengthening health services. While the average age of Global Fund grants is around 15 months, already substantial results have been achieved, with 220,000 people having been supported with treatment for HIV/AIDS, 600,000 people having received TB treatment and more than three million families having received insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria.
Apart from a high standard of technical quality, the Global Fund attaches no conditions to any of its grants. It is not an implementing agency, instead relying on local ownership and planning to ensure that new resources are directed to programs on the frontline of this global effort to reach those most in need. Its performance-based approach to grant-making is designed to ensure that funds are used efficiently and create real change for people and communities. All programs are monitored by independent organizations contracted by the Global Fund to ensure that its funding has an impact in the fight against these three pandemics.
Information on the work of the Global Fund is available on our web site: http://www.theglobalfund.org
Further information, please contact:
| Rosie Vanek The Global Fund (Geneva, Switzerland) Phone: + 41 22 791 5951 Mobile: + 41 79 445 14 85 |
Jon Liden The Global Fund (Geneva, Switzerland) Phone: + 41 22 791 1723 Mobile: + 41 79 244 6006 |
