1 Jonathan Brown UNGASS HLM, New York, June 2008 Progress & Lessons Learned

2 Why Strategies? Why Action Plans? National HIV/AIDS Strategies are needed to: Attract and sustain funding Align external support to national priorities Implement the principle of O ne agreed HIV/AIDS action framework Promote Mainstreaming Annual Action Plans are needed to: Improve implementation, especially in sectors Move from project to program support serving as the foundation for program funding (from GFATM and other donors)

3 How ASAP started Created in 2005 by the GTT to help countries respond more strategically to the epidemic -- reflected by more evidence-based, prioritized and costed strategies and operational plans Division of labor – major partners: ILO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO, UNAIDS Secretariat, WHO, World Bank Selection of the World Bank as lead agency

4 Early Technical Guidance Initial Business Plan developed at Stakeholder Meeting in January 2006 in Pattaya by the ASAP Technical Advisory Group Suggested ASAP operate on the following principles : –Demand driven –Flexible –Timely –Consultative –Coordinated

5 Governance Structures –UNAIDS ASAP Advisory Group –ASAP Technical Advisory Group –ASAP Training Advisory Committee (chaired by UNDP) UNAIDS Secretariat and Cosponsors (HQs, regional and country offices) UNAIDS Technical Support Facilities ASAP support structures – the Importance of Partnerships

6 ASAP services include: –Technical support –Peer reviews –Capacity building –Development of tools What does ASAP do?

7 Requests come from NAC, RST, UCC or WB For technical support, ASAP convenes partners by teleconference to: –Ensure ownership of the request by the NAC and Joint UN Team on HIV/AIDS –Share experience of all partners –Clarify tasks and technical/financing roles that other partners can play –Agree on gaps that ASAP can fill ASAP provides CVs, often in collaboration with the TSF How does ASAP Work?

8 Global Demand for Support Regional breakdown of requests for peer reviews or technical support: 20 from SSA 11 from Latin American 5 from the Caribbean 4 from MENA 4 from Central/Eastern Europe 3 from South Asia 2 from East Asia

9 ASAP has provided support in four areas: 1.Peer Reviews (23) 2.Targeted (35) and Comprehensive Support (13) 3.New Tools and Instruments 4.Capacity Building Areas of demand for support

10 Peer Review Experience ASAP has reviewed 23 draft strategies/operational plans These plans have reflected the same areas in need of strengthening as those reviewed earlier, including: –Evidence base –Linkage between the epidemic and the strategy –Results focus –Attention to gender and marginalized groups –Operational and human resource planning

11 In response to country needs, ASAP has produced the following: –Self-Assessment Tool and Guidelines –Roadmap –Strategies Practice Note –Results Checklist for Monitoring and Evaluation –Draft Costing Practice Note and Budgeting/ Costing Spreadsheet –Draft Action Plan Practice Note (in progress) Tools & Practice Notes

12 INSP of Mexico, with the WB Institute and seven regional institutions, is delivering workshops in every region by the end of 2008 –For policymakers and program managers in 50 countries –Increasing focus on costing and operational planning Training conducted/planned for: –the Caribbean (June 2007) –Anglophone and Francophone Africa (Nov 2007) –MENA and Europe in 2008 Training for TSF consultants and UNAIDS partners on –Costing (April 2008) –M&E (May 2008) Strengthening Capacity

13 Moving forward… Following an external ASAP evaluation in mid-2007, we produced a Business Plan of $13.6m to allow us to: –Respond to growing demand for all services –Broaden capacity building in terms of both content and clientel –Give increased attention to quality assurance –Collaborate more closely with UNAIDS cosponsors –Increasingly assist countries to prepare costed action plans (based on solid strategies) in preparation for possible program funding from the Global Fund

14 Thank you for your suggestions on how to improve ASAP’s performance