UN halts direct funding to AIDS NGOs

SOUTHERN AFRICA: UN halts direct funding to AIDS NGOs

JOHANNESBURG, 10 Mar 2004 (PLUSNEWS) - The UN has endorsed a proposal by Zambia and Zimbabwe to stop channelling HIV/AIDS funds through NGOs, alleging questionable accountability.

Koichiro Matsuura, the chairman of the funding committee for UNAIDS, made the announcement in Zambia at a recent two-day ministerial conference on accelerating Africa's fight against HIV/AIDS.

Reuters quoted Matsuura as saying: "AIDS money will no longer be given to NGOs... This is what the countries have proposed and it has been endorsed. The money will only be channelled through the governments' central authorities dealing with AIDS."

The move has also received support from the governments of Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana.

[ENDS]

[Back] [Home Page]

Click here to send any feedback, comments or questions you have about IRIN's Website or if you prefer you can send an Email to Webmaster

The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2005