Global Fund Committees prepare for an important July meeting: What’s on the agenda?
Author:
Amida Kariburyo
Article Type:Article Number: 6
This article provides a brief summary of the agenda items for the 25th Global Fund's Strategy Committee meeting which is taking place on July 10th 2024.
The Global Fund’s Strategy Committee and Audit and Finance Committee are set to meet to reflect, review and retool, where necessary, their priorities, programs and/or investment focus. The Audit and Finance Committee (AFC) set to meet on July 11, 2024, as its name goes, is to discuss matters related to the Office of the Inspector-General, which audits the work of the Global Fund, and matters of financial oversight as well as input on the key issue of resource mobilization. The Strategy Committee will hone in on more programmatic matters such as allocation methodology, a new priority for investment, health systems and seeking approval for its work plan, among others. The focus of this article is on the Strategy Committee meet-up as it has more decision points whereas the AFC has none.
Global Fund Strategy Committee Meeting
The Global Fund’s Strategy Committee is preparing for an important meeting on July 10, 2024, where key decisions and discussions will shape the organization’s approach to global health initiatives. The 25th meeting of the Strategy Committee will address several key issues that will influence the operations and policies of the Global Fund (GF) for years to come such as:
- Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH): the Strategy Committee will explore its implementation in the current and upcoming grant cycles (GC7 &GC8). The introduction of “Contributory RSSH” as a separate agenda item indicates a potential evolution in the way the GF approaches health systems strengthening, possibly towards more integrated and sustainable approaches.
- For Decision-Making: important decisions will also be made at the meeting, including revisions to the terms of reference for the Independent Evaluation Panel and approval of the Annual Evaluation Work Plan for 2025. These items underscore the GF commitment to robust oversight and continuous improvement of its processes. Additionally, Climate Health is to be recommended by the SC as a new and catalytic investment priority under GC7, and for which specific purpose additional resources are to be mobilized.
- Allocation methodology and sustainability: the Strategy Committee will engage in follow-up discussions from a recent retreat, with a particular focus on the allocation methodology for the 2026-2028 funding cycle and sustainability issues. As the GF prepares for the 2026-2028 funding cycle, decisions that will be made in the 25th meeting of the Strategy Committee will have far-reaching implications for how resources are allocated across countries and disease programs. The focus on sustainability suggests a growing emphasis on ensuring long-term impact and country ownership of health programs.
The Global Fund’s Strategy Committee has outlined a comprehensive work plan for 2024-2025, focusing on several key themes. Strategy implementation remains a key focus, with particular attention to:
- Core business processes such as reviewing the GC8 allocation methodology and conducting responsive policy reviews.
- Monitoring and performance to be emphasized through strategic performance reporting, updates on country financing, and evaluation of catalytic investments.
- The plan also includes oversight of advisory bodies, with a focus on independent evaluations and Technical Review Panel (TRP) issues.
- Technical and thematic areas will cover a range of topics, including next-generation vector control, HIV, country coordinating mechanisms (CCMs), climate and health, pandemic preparedness, and resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH).
- Cross-cutting issues such as risk management, CCMs, community, rights and gender (CRG) issues, and disease-specific issues will be integrated into these discussions also.
The work plan of the Strategy Committee for 2024 also focuses on two key areas: climate and health and catalytic investments.
Climate and health to be discussed at this upcoming SC session is also scheduled as a thematic discussion topic for the 26th SC session in October 2024.
Catalytic investments are an important part of the overall work plan, with reports on catalytic investments listed under the strategy implementation theme. The agenda for the 26th session of the SC in October 2024 includes Catalytic Investments 2026-2028 as a decision item.
The work plan represents a balance between ongoing operational needs and emerging global health challenges, with the flexibility to adapt to new issues as they arise. Specific agenda items for the July and October 2024 meetings have been outlined, including decisions on evaluation work plans, allocation methodologies, and catalytic investments for the 2026-2028 cycle. This comprehensive approach reflects the Global Fund’s commitment to strategic adaptation and continuous improvement in its global health initiatives.
As the Global Fund continues to navigate the complex landscape of global health financing and program implementation, this July meeting represents a key moment in shaping its strategic direction.
