US embassy cable - 05LILONGWE539

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