[procaare] Endorsement of Michel Sidibe's candidacy for ED of the GFATM

["Africaso, SWAA & NAP+" <procaare@healthnet.org>]

Statement: Endorsement of Michel Sidibe's candidacy for the Executive 
Director of the GFATM position
AfriCASO, SWAA, NAP+
20 October 2006
****************

The Global Fund's Board has started the process for the selection of the 
replacement of Dr. Richard Feachem. This process will be brought to a close 
at the 14th meeting of the Global Fund's Board meeting to be held in 
Guatemala City from October 30, to November 03, 2006.

In this context We the representatives of the three African community 
networks (AfriCASO, SWAA, NAP+),
* Taking in consideration the major role of the Global Fund in the global 
response as well as the national responses to HIV/AIDS;
* Taking into consideration the vast hope which the Global Fund has caused 
and continues to cause for access to treatment as well as the pressing 
necessity to keep up and raise this impetus;
* Taking into consideration that the Civil Society Organisations are 
represented in the Global Fund's Board and that our opinion will be 
solicited;

Support the candidacy of Michel Sidibe and appeal to our representatives on 
The Global Fund's Board to support the candidacy of Michel Sidibe.

Our choice is based on the following arguments:
* His experience both in the work of NGO's as well as in government and the 
United Nations;
* His thorough knowledge of the three diseases, AIDS, Tuberculosis and 
Malaria;
* His exceptional experience in the answer to the HIV/AIDS, having 
successfully instigated in his quality of Director of the Country and 
Regional Support Department with UNAIDS:
  - the conception and the promotion of the concept of the "Three Ones", 
today endorsed by all involved in the struggle against HIV/AIDS;
  - The Global Task Team;
  - The movement towards Universal Access by 2010;
* His vision and his priorities concerning the Global Fund, (please read his 
statement below).

With this choice we hope to be contributing to the process of providing the 
Global Fund with an Executive Director able to rise to the challenges the 
Global Fund is facing.

Dakar, Senegal, the 20th of October, 2006.

Signed,
Mrs. Mary Mbeba, AfriCASO chairperson
Mrs. Bernice Heloo, SWAA chairperson
Mr. Modib- Kane, NAP+ chairperson

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Michel Sidibe Vision Statement
*******************************

My name is Michel Sidibe. I am a citizen of Mali, and a global citizen in a 
World where too many human beings die unnecessarily from preventable, 
treatable diseases. In this communication, I hope to elucidate the platform 
I would pursue as Executive Director. I consider the Global Fund the world's 
most potent weapon to accelerate progress for the realization of global 
health equity.

I believe that the Global Fund should be the prime conduit for achieving 
universal access to prevention, treatment and care for all three diseases 
and be a leading catalyst to achieve the health Millennium Development Goals 
(MDGs). My main emphasis will be on ensuring results, results and more 
results. The rigorous raising, spending and insistence on performance 
remains what the World needs most and what the Global Fund does best.

Toward this goal, I believe the Global Fund must focus its efforts in four 
key areas. These strategic objectives will enable the Global Fund to remains 
as one of World's high impact and cutting edge of financing mechanisms:

Strategic management for results: creating a learning organization

A high-performing secretariat is critical for building transparent and 
accountable working relationships with the Board, and building the 
credibility of the organization. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths I can 
bring to the Executive Director position is proven, high-level management 
proficiency that coalesces staff, partners and stakeholders, and delivers 
optimal results. I would work to promote high staff morale ensure that the 
Global Fund manages its risk carefully. I also believe that the Global Fund 
should be managed as a "learning organization"--one in which all people, 
individually and collectively, continually increase their capacity to 
produce results they really care about.

As a senior leader within the UN system, I have strongly advocated and moved 
forward the principle of the Three Ones--designing solutions to accelerate 
harmonization and alignment of multilateral spending and the division of 
labor among multilateral agencies. This requires critically analyzing the 
shortcomings of the multilateral and development cooperation system and the 
ability to 'shake-up' the established approach. I will use these experiences 
to create strong, committed aligned partnerships with all stakeholders.

Global partnerships: building equitable teams

True partnerships require buy-in from all affected countries and groups. In 
particular, a clear strategy of engaging the South--and giving these 
countries a stronger voice on the Board and in all Global Fund 
processes-will lead to better resource mobilization overall. We should no 
longer consider these countries de facto "recipients" of the Global Fund's 
largesse, and eliminate any connotations of dependency, which work against 
enabling equal participation from the South. This approach will require 
strengthening leadership in the South. I intend to build upon my direct 
relationships with grassroots groups, technical experts, and Heads of States 
in the South to galvanize, accelerate and improve the effectiveness of the 
Global Fund to produce greater results for those infected and affected by 
the three diseases.

Partnerships should also achieve gender equity, with women and men equally 
involved in decision-making, as well as racial and ethnic diversity. In 
addition, I will promote equal opportunities and ensure genuine involvement 
of those living with HIV, TB and Malaria in decision-making. This balance 
creates a better response because all different perspectives are presented, 
considered and learned from. I know that this can be achieved without any 
compromise on effectiveness.

I have always believed strongly in equitable participation of the private 
sector and in its capacity to strengthen the public health response in 
countries. As UNAIDS Director, I actively negotiated public-private 
partnerships between the UN and major enterprises. Leveraging private sector 
skills is essential to enhance and accelerate long-term systemic capacity in 
countries.

Optimizing grant performance

To improve performance, accelerate grant implementation, and anticipate and 
overcome grant implementation bottlenecks, partners from the local to global 
levels need to: 1) establish routine communications channels for 
country-level stakeholders to report bottlenecks, problems or constraints 
that could hinder performance and conduct joint problem-solving; 2) 
systematically communicate with Stop TB, Roll Back Malaria, PEPFAR, other 
bilateral programs, the World Bank and the UN family to ensure all partners 
can proactively support the optimization grant performance in a systematic, 
integrated and structured manner; 3) ensure that sources of technical and 
management assistance from the global South and global North are organized 
and effectively utilized.

Securing bold, predictable and sustainable financing towards universal 
access

The Global Fund must work hard to ensure not only predictable and 
sustainable funding, but to set targets for bold, yet practical and 
achievable fundraising. In my various capacities at the global and country 
levels, especially through my contributions to Boards of various 
international organizations, I have mobilized substantial financial 
resources and implemented a range of fiduciary agreements among partners of 
all sizes.

Building on my strong relationships with donor governments at the technical 
and political levels, I will reinvigorate the Global Fund's resource 
mobilization efforts. I believe that there are many opportunities to ensure 
that the Global Fund is seen a sound investment for those who want to 
achieve the greatest results in the most efficient and accountable manner. 
Additionally, I believe the Global Fund will benefit most from innovative 
financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and a revitalized 
replenishment system.

Predictable funding and replenishment also depend on how effectively the 
money is being used. Engaging the political and community leadership from 
the South is a critical element to achieve effective country programs and a 
well-funded Global Fund.

In conclusion, the Global Fund stands at a critical crossroads. Its future 
depends on leadership that can leverage its hard-won credibility among its 
principal donors and also stimulate confident buy-in among developing 
countries in the South. This mission can only be accomplished by building 
partnerships around the world, the cornerstone of which is a strong 
commitment to resource mobilization, resource utilization and 
accountability.

Equally, if I am the next Executive Director of the Global Fund, I will be 
bound by the faces I see in my mind - the voiceless millions of vulnerable 
people at risk of contracting AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.