First look at the topics on the upcoming Global Fund Committees’ agendas

Author:

Aidspan

Article Type:

Article Number: 3

A packed agenda for Committee members

ABSTRACT The Global Fund is preparing to hold meetings of the three Committees 3-4 Strategy, Audit & Finance and Ethics & Governance. In this article we provide you with a flavour of the upcoming agenda topics. Perhaps the most important topic will be the Strategy Committee’s discussion on the proposed Qualitative Adjustment process to the Allocation Methodology 2023-2025, for which a decision is required.

Between 5 and 8 July the Global Fund will hold its 19th series of Committee meetings ¾ the Strategy Committee (SC) on 5/6 July, followed by the Audit & Finance Committee (AFC) on 6/7 July and Ethics & Governance Committee (EGC) on 7/8 July.

Strategy Committee topics

Virtual, pre-meeting items

As has become usual practice since COVID-19 arrived, the meetings are launched virtually with events prior to the in-person SC meeting. The week of 27 June starts with Pre-Calls on two decision items: (i) a discussion on the decision pending on Exceptional Eligibility for Venezuela’s Malaria and TB Components (which is also for recommendation based on the Partners’ Recommendation); and (ii) the proposed Qualitative Adjustment process to the Allocation Methodology 2023-2025, for which a decision will be sought. The latter will be of particular interest to readers since the Qualitative Adjustment forms an important part of the Allocation Methodology; and the previous funding cycle’s Qualitative Adjustment process was a fairly hot and contentious topic of discussion in 2019, giving rise to many constituency statements and queries. We’ve explained the issue in more depth in Article 4 in this issue on Parameters for the qualitative adjustments for 2023-2025 allocations.

This is followed by the “Virtual onboarding on Global Fund Governance, Global Fund Business Model and Ethics” on 29 and 30 June.

In-person meeting agenda items

The agenda always starts by differentiating between items for discussion where input is expected, those which are for information only, and those which require decisions to be taken. The meeting’s main topics to be discussed are outlined below.

For recommendation: There are two items for recommendation, the first being the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2017-2022 Adjustment and the second is the aforementioned Exceptional Eligibility for Venezuela’s Malaria and TB Components: Partners’ Recommendation.

For decision: The four decision items are: (i) Qualitative Adjustment process 2023-2025; (ii) the appointment of the SC Evaluation focal point; (iii) the SC Technical Review Panel (TRP) Working Group membership; and (iv) Independent Evaluation Panel members appointment (EDP).

For input: There are several interesting items for discussion by SC members.

There is an update on progress towards the operationalization of the 2023-2025 Catalytic Investments (CIs), to be held in two parts on consecutive days. SC members would do well to read our article in GFO 1009 (A hard sell — but consensus finally reached: catalytic investments for the Global Fund’s 2023-2025 allocation period) if they want to get quickly up to speed! This will include an update for SC input and steer on a proposed approach to CI operationalization for the 2023-2025 cycle, incorporating learning from the current CIs, including independent insights from TRP and TERG. The Secretariat also expects there to be consultation on a few key cross-cutting priorities to ensure collective input, sharing what has and has not worked to further refine design.

Inputs will also be sought on the M&E Framework (including KPIs). This session will seek input on the draft M&E Framework that is currently under preparation. It will also provide an update on the strategic performance consultations so far and seek input on the indicators proposed as KPI candidates for 2023-2028.

TRP matters, including performance assessment and the 2020-2022 TRP Observations Report will be reviewed. There will be final reports on (a) C19RM 1.0 (2020, (b) TB prevention, and (c) Community Engagement & Community-led Responses; and, finally, a discussion on the Update on the Organizational Risk Register for the first quarter of 2022, with focus on risks under the SC’s purview.

As usual, other updates are provided For Information.  These include C19RM Implementation Updates and Way Forward, a session on the SC Workplan and Strategy Implementation to discuss the tentative SC workplan 2022-2025, with a short update on ongoing TERG evaluations and the preparations underway for Strategy implementation; and, finally, a Joint Committee session on Governance Culture.

Audit & Finance Committee topics

Pre-Calls

Pre-Calls, date to be confirmed, will be held on Decision Items: (i) Approval of the Methodology for the calculation of announced pledges in the 7th Replenishment; (ii) Annual External Audit Plan, including annual fees for the next three years; (iii) Approval of Additional Sources of Funding for Portfolio Optimization and Financing Unfunded Quality Demand for the 2020-22 Allocation Period; and (iv) Approval of Available Sources of Funds for Portfolio Optimization and financing C19RM Unfunded Demand through to March 2023.

In-person meeting agenda items

Onboarding: This will cover:

• Audit and Finance Committee Mandate and ways of working, specifically: (i) Committee ways of working; (ii) the Charter; and (iii) the AFC Work Plan.
• Financial Oversight: This covers, in general, Funding Cycles, Financial Policies, Portfolio Optimization, Financial Monitoring and Financial Statements. More specifically, members will discuss: (i) External Audit; (ii) matters pertaining to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG); (iii) Risk Management; (iv) Strategic Performance Reporting & KPIs; (v) Resource Mobilization; (vi) Supply Operations, including a briefing on AFC-related aspects of the future of wambo; (vii) Corporate Matters; and (viii) Operational Oversight, including (a) ethics matters, in particular, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and Sexual Harassment (PSEAH); and (b) health financing workstreams of relevance to the AFC.

For Decision: There are only two items for decision, on issues that would have already been discussed under the Pre-Calls: (i) Approval of the Methodology for the calculation of announced pledges in the 7th Replenishment; and (ii) the Annual External Audit Plan, including annual fees for the next three years. To inform the decisions to be taken, there will be a presentation on the sources of funds, providing the status on pledges and contributions, uses of funds, focusing on grant management financials and operating expenses (OPEX), and asset and liability management.

For input: There are four items for discussion: the Costing Methodology for the next Strategy, with various scenarios; the OIG Progress Update on the 2022 budget and workplan; financial management KPIs definitions and targets; and the draft of the next M&E Framework.

For information: The Secretariat will provide an update on fulfilment of Agreed Management Actions (AMAs) update. There will be an update on the Organizational Risk Register (ORR), with a focus on risks assigned to AFC and input by SC/EGC on risks related to their respective mandates. There will be a general update on Resource Mobilization and the 7th Replenishment, and an update on the Future of Work and Human Resources (HR) matters (people engagement policy). This session, which is the last one of the meeting, will end with an update on C19RM implementation and the way forward.

Ethics & Finance Committee topics

Pre-Calls

There will be a Briefing on setting up the Board Leadership Nomination Committee, the date of which is yet to be determined.

On 29 and 30 June, there will be two calls for Onboarding sessions for the three Standing Committees on the Global Fund’s (i) mission, structures, and business model (including grant life cycle, the roles of CCMs, TRP, etc.); and (ii) the six core functions of the Board (strategy, organizational performance, governance/ethics, commitment of financial resources, risk, and resource mobilization and partnerships).

In-person meeting overview

For input: There will be sessions on the Honorarium Framework Review ¾Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs’ eligibility, and the EGC Workplan, including priorities for the three-year term 2022-2025 (the strategic role of the EGC to date, and priorities for the term ahead] and a brief discussion on EGC ways of working.

For information: Topics to be covered include: (I) Board Leadership Selection Process Preparations (ii) lessons learned from the Committee Selection Processes; (iii) lessons learned from the Ethics Officer Selection Process; (iv) ORR; and (v) the Ethics Officer’s mid-year progress update.

Onboarding: There will be sessions on Governance, Legal, Ethics & Integrity. Onboarding briefings on Governance Matters will cover presentations on: (i) Governance matters and key policies; (ii) Governance Action Plan 2.0 workstreams; (iii) the Culture of Trust, Collaboration and Accountability; (iv) Governance Effectiveness and Continuity, including leveraging lessons learned from the “virtual context” (presumably from working virtually during the pandemic); and (v) Governance Performance Assessments. This will be followed by discussion, and questions and answers.

Onboarding briefings on Legal Matters will review the Sanctions Panel, and Privileges and Immunities, followed by discussion, and questions and answers.

Ethics & Integrity Onboarding Briefings: a session will be held on Ethics Matters to review: the Ethics and Integrity Framework; the Global Fund’s Ethics Policy Landscape; the Global Fund’s Ethics ‘universe’; and the Ethics Officer Terms of Reference.

Joint Committee Sessions

There will be one joint Committee session on Culture with the participation of members from EGC, SC & AFC.