This activity links to and complements CDC HVSI (#9011), NASTAD OHPS (#9013) and SHARe OHPS

(#8910).

In line with the UNAIDS 3 Ones framework and the Paris Declaration, the USG, represented by the

Department of State (DoS), proposes a new activity geared to increase country-level ownership and

strengthen the national response to HIV/AIDS through a direct partnership with the National

HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council (NAC). In order to respond to the epidemic, the Government of Zambia (GRZ)

created NAC in 2002. Zambia's Parliament established NAC as a corporate body to coordinate and support

the development of the multisectoral national response, with a secretariat to implement decisions of the

NAC.

In FY 2007, the USG will partner with the NAC to support its mandate as the "one HIV/AIDS coordinating

body." At present there are five bi-lateral cooperating partners that provide direct support to the NAC: the

Netherlands, Ireland, UK (DFID), Sweden, and Norway. Other non-USG cooperating partners that support

specific activities of the NAC include The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM),

the UN agencies, and the Japan International Cooperating Agency. Given the significant PEPFAR

resources flowing into Zambia, there is a tremendous need to ensure strong cohesion among the

cooperating partners toward a coordinated HIV response. Direct support to the NAC through the DoS will

place the USG in a more visible and critical role to influence the strategic direction of the national AIDS

response, to embrace best practices, and to adhere to principles of sound management. Other key

cooperating partners are very keen for the USG to be more directly involved in the NAC partnership.

In response to the Paris Declaration, Zambia is undergoing policy environment transformation with the

Wider Harmonization in Practice (WHIP) agenda. The GRZ wishes to harmonize, simplify, and reduce

transaction costs of Cooperating Partners (CPs) support. As part of this process, Zambia established

Sector Advisory Groups and developed a Joint Assistance Strategy for Zambia (JASZ) process to facilitate

dialogue between GRZ and cooperating partners. Although institutionally, HIV/AIDS falls under the Ministry

of Health, it has become increasingly clear that HIV/AIDS transcends all sectors hence the need for

multisectoral approaches and interventions. It is against this background that the GRZ agreed to a separate

HIV/AIDS sector in its National Development Plan to better address the cross-cutting nature of the

epidemic.

In FY 2006, the GRZ and cooperating partners made significant progress in the JASZ process in terms of

harmonizing and coordinating donor responses, reducing duplicative efforts and budgets, and identifying

gaps and priorities for support to the national effort. The USG has been an active participant in the process.

As a result, USG has been selected by GRZ to lead donors in the HIV response in Zambia together with the

UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UNAIDS. However, since the USG is not

providing direct management and limited implementation support to NAC, the USG is often left out of joint

planning discussions and consequently, USG funding contributions to the national HIV/AIDS response is

often not reflected in the national HIV/AIDS budgeting exercise. This new direct partnership with NAC will

further strengthen USG's leadership role within the sector and ensure a place at the budgeting and decision

-making table.

This partnership activity will include enhanced support to NAC, along with its decentralized structures, for

managing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating HIV/AIDS activities at national, provincial,

and district levels. Through this partnership, USG will continue to work to ensure the effective functioning of

NAC's technical working groups, which guide the policy and implementation of the national response for

prevention, care, and treatment.

More specifically, in FY 2007, the NAC partnership will support improved management of HIV/AIDS

decentralised structures, including the 9 Provincial AIDS Task Forces and the 72 District AIDS Task Forces

of the country. The partnership will contribute to making NAC an efficient and effective coordinating body.

This will include increased support for improved management, strategic planning, development of action

plans and annual work plans, budgeting projection and planning exercises, donor and stakeholder

coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and repositioning/strengthening of technical working groups. The

USG-NAC partnership will enhance the USG contribution to the implementation of the nationwide Joint

Annual Strategy Review, World AIDS Day, and VCT Day planning, and for the implementation of the

Zambia HIV/AIDS Strategic Framework.

The USG-NAC partnership will be guided by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed by NAC

and the USG along with other cooperating partners; the MOU will set out clear roles and responsibilities of

partners and the NAC. Funding disbursement will be contingent upon the achievement of agreed targets,

both related to an annually agreed activity plan, quarterly reporting, and financial audits that are in line with

the reporting requirements of all involved cooperating partners. One donor is elected to lead the

partnership; this is DFID at present. Formal meetings are held three times a year - in March, September

and December - with other meetings called as required. Requiring achievement of specified and agreed

triggers will ensure appropriate accountability of funds by donors, but also build the capacity of the NAC in

planning, transparency, performance, and the achievement of results.

USG involvement in this partnership with NAC will be a critical step for enhancing the effectiveness and

efficiencies of HIV/AIDS resource flows to Zambia, ensuring better coordination and the prevention of

duplication, and a more effective and sustainable national HIV/AIDS coordinating body.