Ecobank Expands Partnership with Global Fund
23 September 2014
JUBA, South Sudan - Ecobank Group and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are expanding a partnership to include South Sudan after collaborating since 2011 on capacity-building programs for Global Fund implementers in Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
Building on this successful experience, the two parties announced in Juba they have concluded a three to five years’ agreement to formalize Ecobank’s support for the Global Fund’s work and programs in a number of countries in Africa, including South Sudan.
The Global Fund program in South Sudan is being implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Population Services International (PSI).
In South Sudan, the Global Fund/Ecobank partnership seeks to strengthen the financial management capabilities of Global Fund’s Sub-Recipients and Sub-Sub-Recipients (SSR) through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building expertise and services. Assessments were carried out for three national program Sub-Recipients under existing grants: Ministry of Health/HIV; the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Program (NTP); and the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP). Subsequent work plans have been developed.
Through a partnership with Accounting for International Development (AfID), of the United Kingdom, Ecobank South Sudan has used the information and analysis provided by the Sub-Recipients and the Global Fund to design and implement a project plan to provide financial management capacity building for the national entities above through Ecobank’s own training and through placement of AfID volunteer accountants. The capacity building programme is expected to take about 12 weeks.
In his remarks at the launch of the program in Juba, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ecobank South Sudan, Mr. Simon Akuei, said its benefits will among other things include: improved financial management of public resources; wider coverage of donor funding which will lead to improved public welfare; and leveraging private and public partnerships with donor support to enhance delivery of public services.
He said the partnership is one way through which Ecobank gives back to the public through its Corporate Social Responsibility program.
Marion Gleixner, a Senior Fund Portfolio Manager at the Global Fund, said the partnership between Ecobank and the Global Fund was strategic and innovative and would result in increased program effectiveness and more saved lives. “This partnership springs from fruitful collaboration between the Global Fund, Ecobank, the UNDP and implementing entities, who have worked closely on developing projects that will enhance financial management capabilities of the three national programme Sub Recipients in South Sudan.”
Ecobank South Sudan is part of the Ecobank Group, now present in 36 countries across Africa; with 4 International representative offices. Ecobank South Sudan is situated at Koita complex on Ministries Road and offers a range of financial services that span across Personal Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking and Treasury Solutions.