{"id":3332,"date":"2016-09-27T11:47:03","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T15:47:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/?p=3332"},"modified":"2016-09-27T11:47:03","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T15:47:03","slug":"replenishment-conference-was-about-more-than-just-the-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/2016\/09\/replenishment-conference-was-about-more-than-just-the-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Replenishment Conference was about more than just the numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"
Source: AIDSPAN<\/a><\/div>\n
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2. NEWS<\/div>\n
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21 Sep 2016<\/div>\n
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Charlie Baran<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Civil society, the private sector, and entertainers showed up in Montreal to support the replenishment<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Global Fund\u2019s Fifth Replenishment Conference in Montreal involved much more than just donors making their formal pledges for the next three years. Civil society advocates came to ensure the voices of key populations and women and girls, and those living in countries transitioning out of Global Fund eligibility, were heard; and the private sector, rock stars, philanthropists, and diplomatic leaders showed up to demonstrate their support for the Fund and its mission \u2013 giving dimension to the meeting through a series of side-meetings and events.<\/p>\n

In nearly achieving its stated goal of US$13 billion, the Global Fund partnership appears to have again demonstrated that it matters, and that governments and corporations are willing to put billions towards the achievement of its mission. \u201cGiven the many challenges governments face today, I\u2019m inspired by the generosity of partners at this replenishment. It is a great outcome,\u201d said Bill Gates, whose namesake foundation pledged US$600 million to the Fund. \u201cThe Global Fund has consistently proven that it is one of the most impactful investments a donor can make in global health.\u201d<\/p>\n

See separate article<\/a> in this issue for more details on the pledging component of the Replenishment Conference.<\/p>\n

Civil society gathers to discuss transitions<\/strong><\/p>\n

A two-day day pre-meeting \u2013 Celebrating the Gains, Meeting the Challenges: A Civil Society Workshop<\/em> \u2013 was held on 15-16 September to discuss and refine civil society priorities ahead of the conference. The planning meeting, organized by theInteragency Coalition for AIDS and Development<\/a> (ICAD), ICASO<\/a>, the Global Fund Advocates Network<\/a>, RESULTS Canada<\/a>, and the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health<\/a>, brought together Canadian and international advocates to develop and activate strategies for mitigating the impact on key populations of donors transitioning out of middle-income countries; ensuring the preeminence of human rights in the HIV, TB, and malaria responses; and identifying new directions for resource mobilization for communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cTransition\u201d is the term used to describe the process of the Global Fund (and other donors) downsizing investments in (mostly) middle-income countries and turning over responsibility for funding the responses to the diseases to national governments and other local stakeholders. Civil society has expressed concern that national governments may not demonstrate the same commitment to supporting key populations as the Fund has, thereby threatening some of the gains made to-date and affecting the well-being of vulnerable populations. Mike Podmore, Director of the UK-based network STOPAIDS<\/a> and Global Fund Alternate Board Member for the Developed Country NGO Delegation, said at the pre-meeting: \u201cThis is not transition, it is abandonment.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo: Left to right, Matt Cavanaugh (Health GAP), Joanne Carter (RESULTS), Mike Podmore (STOPAIDS), RD Marte (APCASO), and Jaevion Nelson (Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition)<\/em><\/p>\n

The Global Fund uses the World Bank\u2019s income level classification system to help determine a country\u2019s eligibility for funding. These classifications are also used as part of the formula which determines how much money each eligible component and country receives. But this method does not necessarily lead to funds reaching the poorest people, civil society activists argue. \u00a0\u201cDonors say they are pulling out of countries because they want to reach the poorest. But 70% of the world\u2019s poorest people live in middle-income countries,\u201d noted Joanne Carter of RESULTS<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Separate event<\/em><\/p>\n

On the evening of 15 September, a separate event was organized by and for civil society \u2013 Sharpening our Focus: Human Rights and Key Populations in the Global Response to HIV, TB, and Malaria<\/em>. The event was opened by indigenous Mohawk Elder, Sedalia Fazio, as is the custom in Canada. She directed attendees to think about the health of the planet, and our role in preserving it. \u201cEverything on Earth is doing exactly what it was instructed to do, except human beings,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

After welcoming remarks from the Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada\u2019s Minister of International Development, and Global Fund executive director Mark Dybul, AIDS Free World<\/a> co-founder and Canadian development icon Stephen Lewis gave the keynote address. Mr Lewis commended the progress made by the Global Fund, but centered his remarks on the need for even greater, and smarter, investment in combating the diseases. \u201cThe 13 billon dollar target is ridiculous,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just not that hard to reach. The Global Fund should be asking for much more money.\u201d Mr Lewis called on donors to re-double their aid as an essential component of the global response. \u201cYou can talk till doomsday about innovative financing. But you will never solve the epidemics until the donors pull their weight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Private sector self-congratulates and expands commitments<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 16 September, private sector donors also held a pre-meeting in Montreal. The two-hour event was chaired by Paul Shaper of Merck\/MSD and the Global Fund Board Member for the Private Sector Constituency. Attendees were mostly from industry and foundations, but also included some high-level public figures such as U.S. Ambassador and Global AIDS Coordinator Dr Deborah L. Birx.<\/p>\n

Some private sector entities have contributed to the Global Fund in ways other than just giving money.\u00a0 Several have launched innovative initiatives to impart expertise and training to strengthen health systems and improve program implementation. Beatriz Perez, who presented on behalf of Coca-Cola, addressed the famous question posed by Melinda Gates: \u201cIf the Coca-Cola company can deliver a bottle of soda to a village deep in the African countryside on a daily basis, why can\u2019t governments and nonprofits figure out how to do the same with life-saving pharmaceuticals?<\/a>\u201d She discussed Coca-Cola\u2019s efforts at leveraging its supply chain superiority to help keep drug stocks refrigerated and get them to people in remote areas. The program is up and running, or about to be, in Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Swaziland, and Mozambique. Ms. Perez closed her remarks with this maxim: \u201cBusinesses are for profit, but there won\u2019t be any profit left if the people aren\u2019t profiting first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ecobank<\/a>\u2019s philanthropic efforts were described by Ecobank Foundation CEO Julie Essiam. Ecobank is a large, Africa-based bank with operations in more than thirty African countries, and offices around the world. Ecobank contributed US$3 million to the Global Fund for 2014-2016, and pledged to do so again for 2017-2019.<\/p>\n

David Sin, Executive Chairman of the Asian medical-services giant Fullerton Healthcare Corporation<\/a>, spoke about the partnership agreement Fullerton Health Foundation International has reached with the Global Fund. The agreement includes a donation of S$25 million (Singapore dollars) in money and in kind.<\/p>\n

Sherwin Charles, CEO of Goodbye Malaria<\/a>, a Johannesburg-based private sector initiative, also spoke at the event.<\/p>\n

Rock stars also show up<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another sector of the AIDS response was also on hand in Montreal to support the Fund: rock stars. Bono, the U2 front man, noted anti-poverty advocate, and ONE<\/a> co-founder, and a familiar face in health and development circles, spoke on a panel with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Bill Gates, and others. In a moment of levity, Bono mused that, \u201cReplenishment sounds less like number-crunching and more like something you might receive at an exclusive spa,\u201d before recalling the progress made through the Global Fund. \u201cIt might be important to remember what the global emergency looked like 10-15 years ago,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In conjunction with the Replenishment Conference, the entertainment-for-good organization, Global Citizen<\/a>, organized a large concert on the evening of 17 September at the Bell Center in downtown Montreal. The concert, which included performances from perennial hit-maker Usher, The Roots, Half Moon Run, and Montreal\u2019s own Grimes, among others, was billed as \u201cA concert to end AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria<\/a>,\u201d and was attended by some 12,000 fans.<\/p>\n

Rather than purchasing tickets, admission to the concert was earned through the completion of an \u201cAction Journey,\u201d in which prospective concert-goers were required to watch an informational video, take a quiz, sign several petitions targeting world leaders with messages about polio and girls\u2019 education, and put a call in to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in support of \u201cstrong investments in health and development.\u201d During the high-energy event, a t-shirt and jeans-clad Trudeau joined Bill Gates on stage to thank the crowd for their efforts. He was warmly received by the largely millennial crowd. The concert was also broadcast live on Canadian television.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Source: AIDSPAN 2. NEWS 21 Sep 2016 Charlie Baran Civil society, the private sector, and entertainers showed up in Montreal to support the replenishment The Global Fund\u2019s Fifth Replenishment Conference in Montreal involved much more than just donors making their formal pledges for the next three years. Civil society advocates came to ensure the voices […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":3333,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[65,74],"tags":[],"anho":[],"autor":[],"publicado_por":[],"palabras_clave":[],"class_list":["post-3332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-the-fund","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3332"},{"taxonomy":"anho","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/anho?post=3332"},{"taxonomy":"autor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/autor?post=3332"},{"taxonomy":"publicado_por","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publicado_por?post=3332"},{"taxonomy":"palabras_clave","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plataformalac.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/palabras_clave?post=3332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}