Eighteenth Board Meeting

Dr. William Steiger from the United States constituency is designated as Rapporteur for the Eighteenth Board Meeting.

The agenda for the Eighteenth Board Meeting (GF/B18/1, Revision 2) is approved.

The report of the Seventeenth Board Meeting (GF/B18/2) is approved, as amended at the Eighteenth Board Meeting.

<p>The Board adopts the recommendation for a Mid-term Review of the Second Voluntary Replenishment of the Global Fund.</p><p>The Board decides that the Mid-term Review of the Second Voluntary Replenishment shall take place in advance of the Nineteenth Board Meeting scheduled for May 2009.</p>

<p>The Board takes note of the recommendations of the Technical Working Group, as endorsed by the majority of the Joint Steering Group. It is important to note that these recommendations do not imply a priori characterization of donation programs as positive or negative but rather make a pragmatic judgment on the current viability of the Global Fund as an implementing vehicle for product and service donations. The Board agrees the following: </p><p>(a) The Board recognizes the added value of service donations to the Secretariat and the potential added value of Global Fund grant recipients receiving service donations. </p><p>(b) The Board therefore requests the Secretariat, under the oversight of the Finance and Audit Committee and with input from the Ethics Committee, to develop guidelines for the acceptance of service donations by the secretariat and for the facilitation by the secretariat of service donations to Global Fund grant recipients. The Board requests the Secretariat to report on the development of such guidelines at the Nineteenth Board Meeting, and to report annually thereafter an itemized list of such donations received by the Secretariat.</p><p>(c) The Global Fund should not, under current conditions, accept in-kind donations of health products. The Board may re-consider this position after the Voluntary Pooled Procurement Mechanism (VPP) has operated for at least two years and sufficient evidence is available to evaluate whether the addition of a donation component to the VPP is practical, feasible and appropriate. </p><p>(d) Key considerations in undertaking any review regarding donations of health products would include: Global Fund recipients' views regarding such donations; changes in market conditions in key relevant health product categories; and consequent potential market impact of such donations.</p><p>(e) The Global Fund should not accept in-kind donations of non-health products until adequate information is available to assess the implications of doing so. The Board asks the Secretariat to gather such information and to report on progress made at the Nineteenth Board Meeting.</p>

<p>The Board: </p><p>1. requests the Secretariat to revise the proposed 2009 Operating Expenses Budget in light of the grant approval decisions taken at the Eighteenth Board Meeting; and</p><p>2. requests the Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) as soon as possible following the Eighteenth Board Meeting and by no later than 15 December 2008, to review the revised budget proposal and present to the Board for electronic approval, on a no objection basis, the budget in an amount not exceeding US $240.2 million in accordance with the Budget Framework, taking into account the current resource constrained environment with a view to a budget reduction.</p>

<p>The Board refers to its earlier decisions regarding the Affordable Medicine Facility - malaria ("AMFM") (GF/B16/DP14 and GF/B17/DP16).</p> <p>The Board approves the Policy Framework and Implementation Plan set out in the AMFm Ad Hoc Committee Report to the Board (GF/B18/7 - the "AMFm Report") and reaffirms its decision to host and manage the AMFm for an initial phase ("Phase 1") in a limited number of countries. The Board requests the Secretariat to begin operation of Phase 1 of the AMFm.</p> <p>The Board requests the AMFm Ad Hoc Committee to continue to oversee the pre-launch preparations</p> <p>of AMFm Phase 1 in keeping with its current committee mandate up to the 19th Board meeting (and authorizes it to make minor modifications to the Policy Framework and Implementation Plan). At the 19th Board meeting, the Board will decide on the governance structure for the oversight and performance monitoring of the implementation of Phase 1.</p> <p>The Board requests the Secretariat to commission an independent technical evaluation of the roll-out of the AMFm in the AMFm Phase 1 countries. The Board requests the committee with oversight of AMFm Phase 1 to review the findings of such evaluation and to make a recommendation to the Board on its completion (estimated for the second half of 2010), at which time the Board will determine whether to expand, accelerate, terminate or suspend the AMFm business line.</p> <p>The Board acknowledges the work and support of the RBM Task Force, UNITAID and other partners and requests its partners to continue to support the development and implementation of the AMFm.</p>

The Board takes note of the Report of the Board Retreat (GF/B18/15) and requests the Chair and the Vice-Chair of each of the Policy and Strategy Committee and Portfolio Committee to consider the recommendations in developing their work-plans. The Secretariat is requested to take action on recommendations where possible.

The Board requests the Executive Director to invite Dr Lixia Wang to become a member of the Technical Evaluation Reference Group. 

The Board approves the amendments to the Policy on Ethics and Conflicts of Interest for Global Fund Institutions as set out in Annex 1 (Revision 1) to the Report of the Ethics Committee (GF/B18/8).

<p>The Board approves the Quality Assurance Policy for Pharmaceutical Products ("QA Policy") as set out in Annex 1 to the Report of the Portfolio Committee (GF/B18/5). The QA Policy shall come into effect on 1 July 2009 and shall replace the Global Fund's previous policy for the quality assurance of pharmaceutical products (as approved at the Third Board meeting and amended at subsequent Board meetings). </p><p>The Board authorizes the Secretariat to request the World Health Organization (WHO) to host the Expert Review Panel described in the QA Policy, and to conclude the necessary arrangements with the WHO.</p><p>The Board delegates to the Portfolio Committee the responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the QA Policy, including the establishment of the Expert Review Panel. The Board requests the Secretariat to provide the Portfolio Committee with an update to review the implementation of the QA Policy at the Portfolio Committee's final meeting in 2009, and thereafter, as requested by the Portfolio Committee. </p><p>The Board also requests the Secretariat, under the oversight of the Portfolio Committee, to review the current status of quality assurance for diagnostic products and make recommendations. The Board requests the Portfolio Committee to report the findings of this review at the Board's final meeting in 2009. </p>

<p>1. The Board acknowledges and commends the Stop TB Partnership's Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015 (the "Global Plan"), which aims to halve current tuberculosis prevalence and death rates by 2015. As the largest external financier of tuberculosis programs worldwide, the Global Fund is committed to ensuring that it is a key partner in supporting the implementation of the Global Plan.</p><p>2. The Board recognizes that almost 40% of the estimated 9.2 million new tuberculosis infections per year worldwide are not detected/diagnosed, posing a major risk to an increased transmission of tuberculosis. Therefore, the Board encourages applicants to the Global Fund and implementers of tuberculosis programs to develop innovative actions to accelerate case detection and effective treatment of these cases. This will require investment to: increase the speed and precision of tuberculosis diagnosis using new tools; strengthen in-country monitoring and evaluation (M&amp;E) and surveillance systems; increase community based responses. The Board specifically urges use of the dual track financing and other mechanisms to expand funded, well-trained community-based services for case detection and Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) provision.</p><p>3. The Board recognizes that the slow progress in implementing core TB-HIV collaborative services is a risk to achieving successful outcomes under current and future Global Fund tuberculosis and HIV grants. Given the large gap in tuberculosis screening in HIV settings and vice versa, the Board emphasizes that all applicants should include and implement significant, robust tuberculosis interventions in their HIV/AIDS proposals and HIV/AIDS interventions in their tuberculosis proposals. The Board requests the Secretariat to review the guidelines for phase 2 requests to require that, in respect of continued funding for tuberculosis or HIV grants, CCMs explain their plans for scale up to universal TB-HIV collaborative services and explicitly articulate what TB-HIV activities, funding, and indicators will be included in each proposal.</p><p>4. Noting the upcoming Ministerial meeting on MDR-TB in Beijing, the Board of the Global Fund urges substantive proposals be submitted to support MDR- and XDR-TB plans and that countries make use of budget and planning flexibilities to ensure programs utilize emerging technologies. The Board recognizes that the first line in reducing the risk of MDR-and XDR-TB is through effective DOTS treatment programs with high cure rates. In addition to expanding quality DOTS to prevent MDR-TB, a successful response will necessarily include a major scale up of drug susceptibility testing for all people suspected of having drug-resistant tuberculosis and effective treatment of these cases by expanding community-based DOTS-Plus programs. As such, the Board urges applicants to scale up laboratory capacity, and community-based management of MDR- and XDR-TB cases. </p><p>5. Recognizing that, according to the Global Plan to Stop TB, there is a gap between estimated needs and available resources, the Board urges countries to undertake a comprehensive situational gap analysis and to submit ambitious proposals that are appropriate to the specific country context through future funding Rounds, or the Rolling Continuation Channel, or national strategy applications, which requests for funding are particularly aimed at achieving major and rapid expansion of case detection with high cure rates, universal coverage of TB-HIV collaborative services, as well as scaling up laboratory and care capacities to expand DOTS and to address MDR- and XDR-TB, and at strengthening M&amp;E and surveillance systems. The Board also urges CCMs and Principal Recipients to take advantage of the flexibility offered in Global Fund financing and, if appropriate, to consider revising budgets for existing and new grants and for Phase 2 requests. In any funding request (whether a new application or under the Phase 2 process) applicants should demonstrate that they have sufficient capacity in these areas or show their plans for doing so.</p>

<p>The Board recognizes that Round 8 represents the highest amount of TRP-recommended proposals in the history of the Global Fund. The Board congratulates its implementing partners for demonstrating increased high quality demand to meet the needs of the people in implementing countries to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. The Board acknowledges that this exceptional expression of increased demand requires a resource mobilization effort by the Board and the Secretariat. </p> <p>The measures outlined below are intended to ensure that the Global Fund can fund all recommended Round 8 proposals and make provision for future funding (including new rounds) while staying within the limits of available resources.</p> <p>The Board requests the Resource Mobilization Task Team, convened by the Chair of the Board, to provide concrete recommendations to the Board, its individual members and the Secretariat that enable urgent actions for increased Resource Mobilization efforts to address the funding needs for 2009 and 2010.</p> <p>The Board notes that the scale of resources required calls for strong support from the highest level of decision-makers at national and international level, including statements of commitment at the UN General Assembly, the UNAIDS PCB and the World Health Assembly. The Board will, where possible, endeavor to promote such high level calls for support through their respective delegations.</p> <p>The Board decides as follows:</p> <ol> <li>Round 8 Phase 1:  The Round 8 proposals to be approved for funding by the Board shall collectively be subject to a 10% adjustment for efficiency, resulting in a maximum limit of US$2.753 billion for Phase 1. The Board requests the Secretariat to report back at each Board meeting on its progress in working with Country Coordinating Mechanisms and Principal Recipients to achieve this overall 10% efficiency gain.</li> <li>Round 8 Phase 2:  The Phase 2 amount of approved Round 8 proposals shall collectively be subject to a maximum limit of US$3.087 billion (being 75% of the Phase 2 amounts in the Round 8 recommended proposals). If new resources become available, this limit may be partially or fully relaxed.</li> <li>New Rolling Continuation Channel (RCC):  The first phase of RCC proposals (RCC 1) approved by the Board in response to RCC invitations sent after the date of this decision shall each be subject to a limit of 140% of the amount of the incremental funding approved for the Phase 2 period of the relevant expiring grant. If new resources become available, this limit may be reviewed and revised or removed.</li> <li>Phase 2 and RCC:  The Board requests that, until 31 December 2010, the Secretariat work with CCMs and Principal Recipients to find efficiency savings of 10% (US$0.5 billion) in Phase 2 renewals of existing grants and upcoming RCC renewals. These savings shall be applied to financial needs in 2011.</li> <li>Timing of Rounds:  Recalling its decisions to announce an extra Call for Proposals for funding in 2008 ("Round 9"), the Board decides to extend the deadline for submission of proposals for Round 9 to 1 June 2009. The Board will consider and decide on the TRP's recommendations for funding of Round 9 proposals at its Twentieth Board Meeting in November 2009. The Board will also discuss the timing of future rounds at the Twentieth Board Meeting.</li> </ol> <p>The resourcing implications of this decision are set out in the table annexed to this decision.</p>

<ol> <li>The Board approves, in principle, all the Round 8 proposals that were recommended for funding by the Technical Review Panel (TRP).</li> <li>The Board approves for funding for an initial two years those Round 8 proposals recommended for funding by the Technical Review Panel (TRP) as 'Category 1' and 'Category 2' with composite indices 8, 6, and 5, as listed in Annex 2 (Revision 2) to the Report of the Technical Review Panel and Secretariat on Round 8 Proposals (GF/B18/10), subject to Decision Point GF/B18/13 and paragraphs 4 to 5 below.</li> <li>The remaining Round 8 proposals recommended for funding by the TRP and identified as 'Category 2' proposals with composite index 3 and 'Category 2B' will be approved for funding for an initial two years (subject to Decision Point GF/B18/13 and paragraph 5 below): <ol type="i"> <li>through Board confirmation by email (or, if appropriate, at the Nineteenth Board Meeting), as funds become available under the terms of the Comprehensive Funding Policy; and</li> <li>based on the composite ranking of such proposals in compliance with Board's decision entitled 'Prioritization in Resource Constrained Environments' (GF/B8/2, p. 13).</li> </ol> <br />In the interim, the Board requests the Secretariat to proceed with the TRP clarifications and the LFA assessments with respect to those proposals.</li> <li>The applicants whose proposals are recommended for funding as 'Category 1' shall conclude the TRP clarifications process, as indicated by the written approval of the Chair and/or Vice Chair of the TRP, not later than eight weeks after the applicant's receipt of notification in writing from the Secretariat of the Board's decision.</li> <li>The applicants whose proposals are recommended for funding as 'Category 2' (including the subset of proposals identified as 'Category 2B') shall: <ol type="i"> <li>provide an initial detailed written response to the requested TRP clarifications and adjustments by not later than six weeks after receipt of notification in writing by the Secretariat to the applicant of this Board decision; and</li> <li>conclude the TRP clarifications process, as indicated by the written approval of the Chair and Vice Chair of the TRP, not later than three months from the Secretariat's receipt of the applicant's initial detailed response to the issues raised for clarification and/or adjustment.</li> </ol> </li> <li>The Board declines to approve for funding those proposals recommended by the TRP as 'Category 3' proposals as indicated in Annex 2 in GF/B18/10. Such applicants may resubmit a revised version of the same proposal in Round 9.</li> <li>The Board declines to approve for funding those proposals recommended by the TRP as 'Category 4' as indicated in Annex 2 to GF/B18/10.</li> </ol>

<p>The Board takes note of the approach presented in the Draft Outline for a Policy Statement on the Relationship between the Global Fund and the UN System, to be further developed by the Working Group and the Secretariat as a basis for an agreement on a new strategic partnership between the Global Fund and the UN system, to be presented at the Nineteenth Board Meeting.</p><p>The Board endorses the initiative that the Global Fund, through its Executive Director, take steps to pursue a decision by the 63^rd UN General Assembly to grant Observer Status to the Global Fund. </p>

The Board notes the Secretariat's continued focus on strengthening the Global Fund's relationship with its key partners in the fight against the three diseases. In this context, the Board expresses its satisfaction with and endorsement for the principles of the memorandum of understanding with the Islamic Development Bank (the "IsDB MoU"), and requests the Executive Director to finalize and sign the IsDB MoU.

The Board notes the Secretariat's continued focus on strengthening the Global Fund's relationship with its key partners in the fight against the three diseases. In this context, the Board expresses its satisfaction with and endorsement for the principles of the revised memorandum of understanding with the Stop TB Partnership (the "Stop TB MoU"), and requests the Executive Director to finalize and sign the Stop TB MoU.

The Board approves "The Global Fund's Strategy for Ensuring Gender Equality in the Response to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ("The Gender Equality Strategy")" as set out in the Addendum to the Report of the Policy and Strategy Committee (GF/B18/4, Addendum).

<p>The Board acknowledges the work of the Policy and Strategy Committee and Secretariat in reviewing the architecture issues related to the current financing model of the Global Fund.</p> <p>The Board recognizes that certain key improvements may be implemented immediately, while other potential improvements require further consideration and development.</p> <p>A. Endorsement of a "single stream of funding per Principal Recipient per disease" model:</p> <p>The Board endorses, in principle, the recommendation that future architectural changes shall be based on a "single stream of funding per Principal Recipient per disease" model, recognizing that:</p> <ol> <li>The Secretariat will present to the Policy and Strategy Committee, at its first meeting in 2009, a detailed design for implementation of this model, including an analysis of all necessary changes to Global Fund policy required to implement this model; and</li> <li>The Policy and Strategy Committee will present the model for Board approval at the Nineteenth Board Meeting.</li> </ol> <p>B. Changes to be implemented beginning in Round 10:</p> <p>Recognizing that the Board has made the following previous decisions in order to progress towards greater alignment of Global Fund processes with country cycles:</p> <ul> <li>To announce, with significant advance notice, a fixed set of dates for future rounds of funding (GF/B14/DP12) and to call for two rounds of funding in 2008 (GF/B17/DP23);</li> <li>The opportunity for applicants to re-submit a revised version of the same proposal that was recommended by the TRP as a 'Category 3' proposal (GF/B17/DP23); and</li> <li>The opportunity for the TRP to recommend RCC proposals for funding conditional upon the removal of a limited set of specific elements from the disease proposal (GF/B14/DP9).</li> </ul> <p>The Board now decides to reflect the above decisions in future rounds, commencing with Round 10, as follows:</p> <ol> <li>The Secretariat shall issue a minimum of two Calls for Proposals in each calendar year, which shall be issued at dates that fall 6 months after each other, and on as close to the same dates each year as is practicable;</li> <li>Applicants whose proposals are recommended as 'Category 3' proposals by the TRP, shall be entitled to re-submit, in the next round, a revised version of the same proposal that was recommended by the TRP as a 'Category 3' proposal;</li> <li>The TRP may, when recommending proposals as 'Category 1' or 'Category 2' (including 'Category 2B' proposals), recommend relevant proposals for funding conditional upon the removal of a limited set of specific elements from the disease proposal (which removal is not subject to a right of appeal); and</li> <li>The Board requests the Secretariat to prepare amendments to the TRP Terms of Reference as necessary to implement the decisions described above.</li> </ol>

<p>The Board refers to its decision (GF/B15/DP17) on National Strategy Applications ("NSAs"), requesting that the Policy and Strategy Committee (PSC) recommend to the Board a plan and policies for bringing into operation a National-Strategy Applications procedure, based on the principles set forth in that decision. The Board reiterates its commitment to the development of a credible, shared validation approach for national strategies, which will form the basis of the NSA procedure once it becomes available.</p> <p>To learn lessons with regard to other aspects of the NSA procedure, the Board authorizes the Secretariat to bring it into operation through a phased roll-out, which shall begin with a first wave of NSAs ("the First Learning Wave") in a limited number of countries. The First Learning Wave shall be aimed at drawing policy and operational lessons to inform a broader roll-out of the NSA procedure.</p> <p>The principles underlying the Board's decisions on:</p> <ul> <li>"dual-track financing" (as described in GF/B15/DP14);</li> <li>the strategic approach to health systems strengthening (as described in GF/B15/DP6); and</li> <li>the Comprehensive Funding Policy (GF/B15/DP27)</li> </ul> <p>shall be applied to the First Learning Wave.</p> <p>The initial funding of grants in the First Learning Wave shall be approved by the Board for a period that shall not exceed two years.</p> <p>The Board authorizes the Secretariat to make exceptions to existing policies and procedures to the extent necessary to implement the First Learning Wave. Such exceptions may relate, but are not limited, to the following:</p> <ol type="a"> <li>The type and format of information to demonstrate eligibility of the NSAs;</li> <li>The submission and review procedures and policies for applications for Global Fund financing (including the timing of submission and the format of applications);</li> <li>The Technical Review Panel (TRP) terms of reference, including TRP procedures, compensation arrangements for TRP members, criteria for review of NSAs (including the national strategy itself) and interaction with CCM members and other relevant stakeholders during review; and</li> <li>The Phase 2 review (including the timing of the Phase 2 review and renewal decision).</li> </ol> <p>Any exceptions to existing policies and procedures made in connection with the First Learning Wave shall be consistent with the Framework Document of the Global Fund.</p> <p>In implementing the First Learning Wave, the Secretariat shall take into account the outcome of the deliberations of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board at its meeting in December 2008, the IHP+ consultations on the validation process and other relevant stakeholder consultations.</p> <p>The Secretariat shall report to the PSC at its first meeting in 2009 on progress of implementation of the First Learning Wave. The TRP-recommended applications emanating from the First Learning Wave shall receive the same funding priority as proposals submitted under the Rounds-Based Channel (provided that, in a resource-constrained environment, precedence is given to previously approved but unfunded rounds-based proposals).</p> <p>The Secretariat will also propose to the PSC, once they have been identified, modifications to existing Global Fund policies that would be necessary to launch a broader roll-out of the NSA procedure.</p> <p>The authority granted to the Secretariat under this decision point will continue for the duration of the grants approved within the First Learning Wave.</p>

<p>The Board welcomes the recommendations of Study Area (SA) 2 of the Five-Year Evaluation, as summarized in the Report of the Technical Evaluation Reference Group (TERG) (GF/B18/11). It requests the Secretariat to report to the Policy and Strategy Committee (PSC) on the Secretariat's progress to date on responding to SA2 recommendations. The Board also requests the Secretariat to articulate a process and timeline for responding to and implementing SA 3 recommendations.</p> <p>The Board endorses the TERG's call for action for the Global Fund to work with partners to strengthen country monitoring and evaluation systems for performance and impact, to build analytical capacity in countries and to support development of country-owned impact evaluation platforms. </p> <p>The Board requests the PSC Chair, in consultation with the Chairs of the Portfolio Committee (PC) and the Finance and Audit Committee (FAC), to set up a small ad-hoc committee with the specific task of assisting the PSC to follow-up on, and respond to the 5-Year Evaluation process.</p>

<p>The Board expresses its appreciation to UNAIDS and the International Task Team on HIV-related</p><p>Travel Restrictions for their work and its strong support for the overarching goal of the Task Team, to eliminate HIV specific restrictions related to entry stay and residence based on HIV status.</p><p>The Board takes note of the recommendations contained in GF-B18-12 Annex 1 and decides:</p><p>1. That no Board, Committee meeting, or Partnership Forum will be held in a country with an HIV-specific restriction related to entry, stay or residence based on HIV status; and</p><p>2. To support country-led efforts to review and eliminate laws, policies and practices related to HIV-specific restrictions on entry, stay and residence, through leadership, advocacy and appropriate partnerships at international, regional and national levels.</p><p>3. To work with partners to ensure countries have access to the latest guidance and information from normative agencies on this issue of HIV specific restrictions on entry, stay and residence.</p><p>The Board requests the relevant committees, based on the Task Team Report to provide recommended actions to the Board at its Nineteenth Meeting, in particular on how the Global Fund, through its policies and procedures, can finance country interventions that support the elimination of HIV-related restrictions.</p>

<p>The Board strongly affirms in principle the following decision point and requests the Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) to review this text, in particular to ensure that this policy is limited to circumstances in which the Inspector General has determined that there is prima facie evidence of fraud, abuse, misappropriation or corruption. The FAC should report back to the Board at its Nineteenth Meeting with a final decision point, or confirmation that the policy has been incorporated into the Global Fund's risk management framework.</p><ol><li> Consistent with the principles of transparency and performance-based funding, the Board decides that grant signature of a Board-approved grant proposal that nominates a Principal Recipient of a grant that is currently under investigation by the Office of the Inspector General of the Global Fund ("OIG") in relation to a grant in the same country shall not proceed until such time as the investigation is completed and the investigation findings either demonstrate that risks of continued Global Fund financing through such Principal Recipient are manageable, or all material investigation recommendations have been certified as resolved by the Inspector General of the Global Fund, or the CCM appoints a new Principal Recipient that does not raise issues of concern with respect to effective and transparent management of the proposal. Investigations in this circumstance are those related to potential fraud, abuse, misappropriation, corruption or mismanagement of funds.</li><li> Where the Principal Recipient under investigation is different from the Principal Recipient that is nominated under the newly-approved proposal, but the Board, the OIG, or the Secretariat is concerned that there could be a significant link between the Principal Recipients, or a material connection between the nominated Principal Recipient and the facts that are being investigated, the provisions of paragraph one, above, shall apply until such concerns are resolved. The OIG shall seek to clarify factual issues giving rise to such concerns as promptly as possible.</li><li> Should a Sub-Recipient be under investigation by the OIG, the Secretariat will place similar limits on further engagement with the Sub-recipient during grant signature with the Principal Recipient, pending the outcome of the OIG's investigation and recommendations.</li><li> If investigation findings do not demonstrate that risks of continued Global Fund financing through such Principal Recipient are manageable or the investigation recommendations cannot be certified as fully resolved by the Inspector General of the Global Fund in accordance with the policy on the timeframe for signature of grant agreements, the approval of the grant will be considered terminated without the possibility of a time extension. </li><li> If the grant under investigation is terminated, a new grant proposal to the same Principal Recipient, or to a new Principal Recipient where concerns arising under paragraph two, above, remain unresolved, may proceed to grant signature only if the following conditions are met:<ol type="a"><li> The Additional Safeguards Policy (ASP) is applied and specific conditions are developed addressing relevant aspects of the OIG's investigation; and</li><li> The OIG certifies that the conditions that led to termination in the previous grant are adequately addressed in the new grant agreement.</li></ol></li><li> If the grant under investigation is not terminated, but the Board, OIG or Secretariat determines that material risks remain, in addition to addressing conditions for continuation of the existing grant, the ASP shall be applied to new grants to the same Principal Recipient, or to a new Principal Recipient where concerns arising under paragraph two, above, remain unresolved.</li></ol>

<p>The Board extends the deadline for the signing of a grant agreement for the proposals listed in Annex A for three months to 12 February 2009.</p><ol><li>Cuba (Tuberculosis)<br/>Principal Recipient: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)<br/>Total amount: US$ 7,871,598 over five years<br/>Phase 1: US$ 5,455,745<br/><br/></li><li>Nepal (HIV/AIDS)<br/>Principal Recipient(s):Undetermined (nominated Principal Recipients under LFA assessment)<br/>Total Amount: US$ 36,620,119 over five years<br/>Phase 1: US$ 12,321,512<br/><br/></li><li>Sudan Northern Sector (Malaria)<br/>Principal Recipient: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)<br/>Total Amount: US $94,762,531 over five years<br/>Phase 1: US $38,296,873<br/><br/></li><li>Chad (Malaria)<br/>Principal Recipient: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)<br/>Total Amount: US$ 27,497,966 over five years<br/>Phase 1: US$ 10,477,631<br/><br/></li><li>Democratic Republic of East Timor (Tuberculosis)<br/>Principal Recipient: Ministry of Health (MOH)<br/>Total Amount: US$ 7,011,931 over five years<br/>Phase 1: US$ 2,895,449<br/><br/></li><li>Democratic Republic of East Timor (Malaria)<br/>Principal Recipient: Ministry of Health (MOH)<br/>Total Amount: US$ 10,105,038 over five years<br/>Phase 1: US$ 6,866,605</li></ol>

<p>The Board approves additional funding for the Phase 2 period for the proposals listed in Schedule A in the amounts indicated for each proposal, with the clear understanding that the amounts approved are upper ceilings rather than final funding amounts, and based on an understanding that the Secretariat shall pursue ongoing implementation arrangements for each proposal consistent with the recommendations set forth in its Grant Scorecard.The Board reaffirms that the maximum funding amount for Phase 2 of each proposal shall be the sum of the amount approved by this decision and the amount of any funds approved for Phase 1 which have not been disbursed by the Global Fund at the end of the Phase 1 period.</p><ol><li>Afghanistan, Malaria – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: AFG-506-G03-M<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 15,043,320 (1)<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$): 13,751,426<br/>Recommendation Category: Go<br/><br/></li><li>Cambodia, HSS – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: CAM-506-G08-S<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 3,207,184 (1)<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$):3,174,142<br/>Recommendation Category Conditional: Go<br/><br/></li><li>Congo, HIV – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: COG-506-G01-H<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 33,495,657 US$ <br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$):30,545,082 (2) = Euro 23,822,400<br/>Recommendation Category: Go<br/><br/></li><li>Haiti, HIV – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: HTI-506-G05-H<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 32,721,252 (1) <br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$):30,222,919<br/>Recommendation Category: Go</li></ol>

<p>The Board approves additional funding for the Phase 2 period for the proposals listed in Schedule A in the amounts indicated for each proposal, with the clear understanding that the amounts approved are upper ceilings rather than final funding amounts, and based on an understanding that the Secretariat shall pursue ongoing implementation arrangements for each proposal consistent with the recommendations set forth in its Grant Scorecard.The Board reaffirms that the maximum funding amount for Phase 2 of each proposal shall be the sum of the amount approved by this decision and the amount of any funds approved for Phase 1 which have not been disbursed by the Global Fund at the end of the Phase 1 period.</p><p>SCHEDULE A</p><ol><li>Armenia, TB – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: ARM-506-G02-T<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 3,455,229 (2)<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$): US$3,455,229 = Euro2,740,505<br/>Recommendation Category: Conditional Go<br/><br/></li><li>Eritrea, HIV – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: ERT-506-G03-H<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 28,091,155 (1)<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$): 16,000,000<br/>Recommendation Category: Conditional Go<br/><br/></li><li>Indonesia, TB – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: IND-506-G05-T<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): 62,310,771 (1)<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$): 31,663,748<br/>Recommendation Category: Conditional Go<br/><br/></li><li>Philippines, TB – Round 5<br/>Grant Number: PHL-506-G06-T<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$): Euro 29,682,536 (1) (2) <br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$): Euro24,820,971 = US$31,294,280<br/>Recommendation Category: Go<br/><br/></li><li>Sudan, TB – Round 5<br/>Grant Number:SUD-506-G06-TCCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$):16,996,951<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$):13,041,297<br/>Recommendation Category: Conditional Go<br/><br/></li><li>Sudan, TB – Round 5<br/>Grant Number:SUD-506-G07-T<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$):8,744,330 (1)<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$): 8,580,453<br/>Recommendation Category: Go</li></ol>

<p>The Board amends numbered paragraph 3 of its decision point GF/B18/DP13 as follows:</p> <ol> <li>New Rolling Continuation Channel (RCC): The first phase of RCC proposals (RCC 1) approved by the Board in response to RCC invitations sent after the date of this decision shall be subject to a limit of 140% of the amount of <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">incremental funding approved</span><u>the budget</u> for the Phase 2 period of the relevant expiring grant (indicated in the Grant Score Card, section B.2. as “Global Fund Recommendation” for the “Total Phase 2 Amount”). If new resources become available, this limit may be reviewed and revised or removed.</li> </ol> <p>This decision shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all RCC proposals submitted to the Global Fund in response to invitations sent after 1 December 2008.</p>

The Board approves the appointment of Ambassador Louis Charles Viossat of the France and Spain constituency as Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee to serve for the unexpired term of Ambassador Mark Dybul.

<ol><li>The Board approves, subject to paragraph 2 below, the Rolling Continuation Channel proposals recommended for funding by the Technical Review Panel (TRP) as ‘Category 1’ and ‘Category 2’ proposals which are listed in Annex 2 to this report. The Board’s approval is for the funding up to the initial three years of each such proposal (indicated as “Total 3 Years” in Annex 2), and is made with the clear understanding that the grant amounts requested are upper ceilings subject to TRP clarifications and grant negotiations rather than final approved grant amounts. <br/><br/></li><li>The applicants whose proposals are recommended for funding as ‘Recommended Category 2 proposals’ shall: <br/><br/><ol><li type="i">provide an initial detailed written response to the requested TRP clarifications and adjustments by no later than four weeks after notification in writing by the Secretariat to the applicant of the Board’s decision; and <br/><br/></li><li type="i">conclude the TRP clarifications process, as indicated by the written approval of the Chair and Vice Chair of the TRP, not later than two months from the Secretariat’s receipt of the applicant’s initial detailed response to the issues raised for clarification and/or adjustment. <br/><br/></li></ol></li><li>The Board declines to approve for funding those proposals categorized by the TRP as ‘Recommended Category 3A’ as indicated in Annex 2, although such applicants are encouraged to resubmit a revised proposal, taking into account the issues raised by the TRP, for consideration in the next available wave of Rolling Continuation Channel proposals. <br/><br/></li><li>The Board declines to approve for funding the proposal categorized by the TRP as ‘Recommended Category 3B’ as indicated in Annex 2, although the applicant is strongly encouraged to resubmit the proposal through the Rounds-Based Channel following major revision. </li></ol>

<p>The Board approves additional funding for the Phase 2 period for the proposals listed in Schedule A in the amounts indicated for each proposal, with the clear understanding that the amounts approved are upper ceilings rather than final funding amounts, and based on an understanding that the Secretariat shall pursue ongoing implementation arrangements for each proposal consistent with the recommendations set forth in its Grant Scorecard.</p><p>The Board reaffirms that the maximum funding amount for Phase 2 of each proposal shall be the sum of the amount approved by this decision and the amount of any funds approved for Phase 1 which have not been disbursed by the Global Fund at the end of the Phase 1 period.</p><p>SCHEDULE A</p><ol><li>Albania, HIV – Round 5 <br/>Grant Number(s) ALB-506-G01-H <br/> CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) $2,487,787<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) $2,487,787<br/>Recommendation Category Go<br/><br/></li><li>Albania, TB – Round 5 <br/>Grant Number(s) ALB-506-G02-T <br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) $487,192 <br/> Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) $487,192<br/>Recommendation Category Go<br/><br/></li><li>India, TB – Round 6 <br/>Grant Number(s) IDA-607-G09-T <br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) $13,224,690 <br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) $12,236,167<br/>Recommendation Category Go<br/><br/></li><li>Guinea, TB – Round 5 <br/>Grant Number(s) GIN-506-G03-T <br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) Euro 2,348,655(2) <br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) Euro 413,717= $527,903(2) <br/>Recommendation Category Go<br/><br/></li><li>Sudan North, HIV – Round 5 <br/>Grant Number(s) SUD-506-G08-H <br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) $83,128,940 <br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) $55,554,890<br/>Recommendation Category Go</li></ol>

<p>The Board approves for funding for an initial two years those Round 8 proposals recommended for funding by the Technical Review Panel (TRP) and identified as ‘Category 2’ proposals with composite index 3 and as listed in the following table, subject to Decision Point GF/B18/DP13 and paragraph 5 of Decision Point GF/B18/DP14:</p> <ul> <li>Brazil (Malaria) -- Euro 20,659,117;</li> <li>Colombia (Malaria) -- Euro 16,997,092;</li> <li>Serbia (HIV) -- Euro 3,766,988;</li> <li>Cape Verde (HIV) -- USD 5,321,184;</li> <li>Dominican Republic (Malaria) -- USD 4,492,517;</li> <li>Ecuador (Malaria) -- USD 8,374,965;g) Indonesia (Malaria) -- USD 73,453,889; and</li> <li>Nicaragua (HIV) -- USD 31,385,337.</li> </ul> <p>Phase 1 Upper Ceiling amounts: Prior to any reduction arising from the adjustment for efficiency applicable to Phase 1 of Round 8 in accordance with Decision Point GF/B18/DP13.The USD equivalent of proposal amounts requested in Euro is based on the UN official exchange rate effective at 1 March 2009 of USD 1= Euro 0.782.</p>

<p>The Board approves additional funding for the Phase 2 period for the proposals listed in Schedule A in the amounts indicated for each proposal, with the clear understanding that the amounts approved are upper ceilings rather than final funding amounts, and based on an understanding that the Secretariat shall pursue ongoing implementation arrangements for each proposal consistent with the recommendations set forth in its Grant Scorecard. </p><p>The Board reaffirms that the maximum funding amount for Phase 2 of each proposal shall be the sum of the amount approved by this decision and the amount of any funds approved for Phase 1 which have not been disbursed by the Global Fund at the end of the Phase 1 period.</p><p>SCHEDULE A</p><ol><li>Rwanda, TB, Round 6<br/>Grant Number(s) RWN-606-G07-T <br/> CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) $4,745,610<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) $4,745,610<br/>Recommendation Category Conditional Go<br/><br/></li><li>Tajikistan, HIV, Round 6<br/>Grant Number(s) TAJ-607-G05-H<br/>CCM Requested Amount (Total Phase 2 in US$ or Euro) $6,486,107<br/>Approved Funding Amount (Incremental in US$) $6,486,107<br/>Recommendation Category Go</li></ol>

<p>The Board approves for funding for an initial two years those Round 8 proposals recommended for funding by the Technical Review Panel (TRP) and identified as ‘Category 2B’ proposals with composite index 8 and as listed in the following table, subject to Decision Point GF/B18/DP13 and paragraph 5 of Decision Point GF/B18/DP14. </p><p>CATEGORY 2B PROPOSALS WITH COMPOSITE INDEX 8</p><ol><li>Burkina Faso, TB: <br/>Phase 1 Upper ceiling: Euro 12,045,997 <br/> Lifetime Upper ceiling: Euro 27,167,685<br/><br/></li><li>Chad, TB: <br/> Phase 1 Upper ceiling: Euro 3,427,453 <br/> Lifetime Upper ceiling: Euro 5,385,007<br/><br/></li><li>Burundi, HIV: <br/> Phase 1 Upper ceiling: USD 41,315,145 <br/> Lifetime Upper ceiling: USD 159,105,087<br/><br/></li><li>Nigeria, Malaria: <br/>Phase 1 Upper ceiling: USD 334,351,033 <br/> Lifetime Upper ceiling: USD 599,810,494<br/><br/></li><li>Sudan,Northern, TB:<br/>Phase 1 Upper ceiling: USD17,979,663 <br/> Lifetime Upper ceiling:USD58,048,795<br/><br/></li><li>Zimbabwe, TB: <br/>Phase1 Upper ceiling: USD 29,538,652<br/> Lifetime Upper ceiling: USD 58,298,297</li></ol>