Michel Kazatchi, Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, participated in a "Meet the Leaders" lunch at ICAAP's Asia Pacific Village.

Kazatchki spoke candidly in a lengthy Q & A session with audience members about how the Global Fund functions. Notable statements he made in response to questions included:

-Acknowledging the need to disseminate information about the Global Fund to communities, so more people can become involved and participate in Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs).

-Agreeing with an audience member that the grant guidelines are incredibly complex and should be simplified.

-Said he was "very concerned" about indications that the UN's World Food Programme(WFP) plans to pull-out support later this year for several of their HIV/AIDS projects; urged people to lobby and call the WFP.

-Hoped that the Global Fund will eventually have dual track funding, so money goes to governments and NGOs when they receive a Global Fund grant (currently, most of it goes directly to governments).

-Urged people to participate in their country's CCM process, to ensure their voice is heard and the Global Fund money reaches those most in need. If all attempts at becoming involved with the CCM fail, then it is possible to apply for money outside the CCM (but this should be in an exceptional situation).

-When the Global Fund suspends money from a country, it is only after seeing hard evidence that something has gone horribly wrong with the grant, ie corruption; "If we let dysfunction enter the world of the Global Fund, then the Global Fund will be looked at suspiciously be everyone," he said, "And the opportunity we have for universal access will...be lost."

I asked if the Global Fund made an effort to pressure countries to meaningfully involve young people in their CCMS, and he replied that they were now looking at unheard voices and considering new guidelines for representation on the CCMS.