In an article in GFO 344 published on 17 October 2018, we reported on the contents of the advisory review on governance conducted by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). We also reported on measures in the Global Fund’s Governance Action Plan which was developed in response to the advisory review.

In a post on the Global Fund website published concurrently with the OIG report on 28 September 2018, Board Chair Aida Kurtovic and Vice-Chair Ambassador John Simon said that, “The review highlights significant progress in governance structures and processes that has been implemented since the previous review in 2014 ensuring more effective and robust Board governance. [And] Further progress has been made.”

Kurtovic and Simon described some essential actions of the Governance Action Plan that have already been implemented –– specifically:

• A new non-voting seat to give a voice at the Board to additional public donors who are not part of an existing constituency;
• Training on ethics and on mitigating actual or perceived conflicts of interest;
• An enhanced selection process for both Board and committee leadership proactively addressing competency, institutional memory, and conflict of interest; and
• A sharper focus by the Board and committees on decision-making and strategic issues most relevant to achieve the goals of the Global Fund Strategy 2017–2022.

(Some of these actions were mentioned in the GFO article.)

Kurtovic and Simon also said that among other actions taken since the review, the Board approved a Risk Appetite Framework –– which included target risk levels –– thus addressing a major OIG recommendation. In addition, they said, the documentation for Board meetings has become progressively more focused and reduced in amount.

“The Global Fund is constantly evolving to improve its impact for the people affected by the diseases and its progress toward ending the epidemics,” Kurtovic and Simon said. “The OIG is a central and important part of these efforts. As the OIG advisory review and our actions in response clearly demonstrate, collectively we continue to improve the effectiveness of our governance structures, processes and practices.”

Sources:

• Global Fund releases report on the 2017 OIG Advisory Review on governance, Global Fund Observer Issue 344, 16 October 2018
• Message from the Board Leadership –– Governance Review, Global Fund website, 28 September 2018