REQUEST FOR PEPFAR GUIDANCE

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000539 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/GAC STATE FOR AF/S GALANEK STATE FOR OIG/ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID KHIV SOCI MI HIV AIDS SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PEPFAR GUIDANCE ¶1. Malawi is one of the USG Missions receiving more than $10 million in USG funding for HIV/AIDS programs. We understand that Malawi and other posts in the "over $10 million" category will have new reporting requirements, but to date we have not received any formal notification from OGAC/State of new requirements nor any official OGAC guidance on how to proceed. ¶2. Post representatives attended the recent Annual Meeting for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in Addis Ababa on May 25. At the meeting, OGAC representatives indicated that official cable guidance would be coming. We look forward to receiving that cable soonest. During the meeting post's representatives received an unofficial copy of "Draft policy guidance for USG Supported HIV/AIDS Bilateral Programs, Outside the 15 Focus Countries." This document outlines several new requirements such as a Five Year USG HIV Strategy and a Country Operating Plan (COP), which are tentatively due December 1, 2005. ¶3. Post also received a visit from two senior representatives from USAID and CDC on May 30-June 1, who informed us of these new required documents. As a result, we have developed a tentative timeline for completing the USG HIV Strategy and the COP. ¶4. Post is seeking clarification on the following: - When will the Strategy Guidance be finalized and distributed to Missions? - In order to develop a multi-year strategy for HIV/AIDS it would be most helpful to have an estimated budget allowance. Post is considering developing different funding scenarios but awaits further guidance on 06 funding levels which were to be announced June 15. What is the estimated release of FY06 budget numbers? - Post has heard conflicting information about the length of the Strategy, is it a 4 or 5 year Strategy? - It is Post's understanding that an Inter-agency Core Team will be established and will be visiting each new "over $10 million" country. Please advise if a Core Team has been selected and identify point of contact for Malawi. Please advise if a Core Team visit to Malawi has been scheduled. Post has reserved early September as an option for the Core Team visit. - The types of technical assistance needed to develop 5-year strategies and Country Operational Plans (COP) were discussed at the Addis meeting. Possible sources for this technical assistance were also discussed. How will we access this assistance, particularly the technical assistance to develop and complete online entry of the Malawi COP? ¶5. We would be most grateful for OGAC guidance by cable as soon as possible. GILMOUR