First Meeting of the Transitional Working Group to establish a Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria October 15 The Transitional Working Group (TWG) to establish a new Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, convened for the first time on Thursday and Friday (10/11-12) 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 Global 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. For further information please contact Melanie Zipperer at melanie.zipperer@tss-twg.be Tel.: 0032-2-234 6360 First Meeting: Global Fund to fight AIDSFirst Meeting: Global Fund to fight AIDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAHO/WHO Website: http://www.paho.org/English/HDP/equidad-list-about.htm Equity Listserv- Archives: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html