THREE DISEASES FUND LOOKING FOR PARTNERS

UNCLAS RANGOON 000099 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA, TREASURY FOR OASIA:AJEWELL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI EAID PHUM KHIV BM SUBJECT: THREE DISEASES FUND LOOKING FOR PARTNERS REF: 06 RANGOON 1195 ¶1. (U) Summary: In December, the UNOPS interim manager for the Three Diseases Fund to fight malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS in Burma (3D Fund) called for Expressions of Interest from organizations to provide services for projects, effectively starting the new Fund's operations. UNOPS expects to have the full time Fund Manager in Rangoon by the end of February, and contracts will begin on April 1, 2007. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On December 11, Mike Adair, UNOPS's "Team Leader, a.i.," for the Three Diseases Fund for malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS in Burma released a Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for organizations to implement projects for the 3D Fund. Adair, who works from the Bangkok UNOPS office, sent a message to a broad audience in Rangoon which said that Implementing Partners, drawn from UN Agencies and International NGOs, will work with local NGOs, professional associations, the private sector and local civilian administrations at township level to, "deliver and scale up provision of health services to address the three diseases." UNOPS also placed the call for EOIs in local media. Fund personnel will screen the EOIs, due in Bangkok by noon on January 22, to identify partners who can implement 3D Fund priority activities that will start either on April 1 or July 1, 2007. ¶3. (U) According to Brian Williams, Director of UNAIDS in Rangoon, UNOPS expects the Fund Manager will start work by the end of February, although it had not yet received approval from the GOB for the nominated candidate. 3D Fund staffing in Rangoon will include six expatriates and 20 local employees. The six donors, the EC, UK, Australia, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, have committed approximately $20 million per year for three years. Donors will have four representatives on the Fund Board, along with three regional experts. Fund staff will screen the individual project proposals first, and the Board will make the final decision on which projects are approved for 3D Fund support. The projects will support elements of the National Action Plans for the three diseases. ¶4. (SBU) Williams noted that the first contracts are slated to begin on April 1. The Expanded Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, comprised of UN, INGO and GOB representatives, coordinated bridge funding from the phase out of the Global Fund to the start of the 3D Fund (reftel). Projects under the Global Fund will end on March 31. Williams said he expected HIV/AIDS projects to receive the largest share of funds because treatment is more expensive; the government has less involvement, making it easier to transparently deliver services; and more capacity exists in this field to absorb large amounts of funding. ¶5. (SBU) Reputable INGOs working in the health field in Burma must contend with obstructionist bureaucracy and restrictive regulations, but many have been able to conduct their activities at the local level while keeping resources out of GOB hands. The INGO community is excited about the new funding -- many submitted proposals and some even delivered the submissions in person, not taking a chance on Burma's unpredictable mail services. PSI, which receives US funding for HIV/AIDS told us they will submit a proposal. VILLAROSA