The MRU Secretariat
While under the supervision of the MRU Council of Ministers, the MRU Secretariat will: i) oversee project implementation; ii) assist in the coordination of project activities by facilitating access to the target population; iii) facilitate the implementation of relevant sub-regional policies that may be formulated by the Special Working Group of the MRU Council of Ministers during project implementation; iv) carry out the advocacy necessary to mobilize the leadership of the beneficiary countries to demonstrate their political commitment in the successful implementation of the project; and v) play a coordinating role between development partners and the Special Working Group of the MRU Council of Ministers.

UNFPA
UNFPA will be responsible for the day-to day management of the project including procurement of works, goods and services, financial management, monitoring and evaluation and the preparation and submission of all required reports, based on the policies and procedures set forth in the ADF Project Implementation Document (PID). It will chair the meetings of the UN Country Thematic Groups on HIV/AIDS for the implementation of their respective country annual work programmes under the project. It will develop and consolidate annual work programmes, reports and accounts in accordance with the Bank’s financial procedures and submit to ADF within six months after end of year. To this end, an MOU will be signed between the MRU Secretariat and UNFPA delegating the management of the grant resources to UNFPA.

To foster development effectiveness of this intervention, UNFPA will provide the services of 5 HIV/AIDS Specialists for the project duration, with extensive experience in the management of regional and sub-regional HIV/AIDS programmes, one at the MRU Secretariat and one in each country’s Theme Group throughout the implementation of the project. They will be responsible for the preparation of annual work programmes, day-to-day management of the project, monitoring and evaluation and the preparation, and submission of all required country reports. In addition, UNFPA will avail 10% of its staff time in its Regional Country Support Teams (CST) based in Dakar, Addis Ababa and Harare to provide technical assistance in all aspects of project implementation to the MRU Secretariat and the beneficiary countries.

UN Country Thematic Groups on HIV/AIDS
Recognizing the daunting challenges of the control of HIV/AIDS, the UN specialized agencies in the last few years have put in place country theme groups at each country level with a view to improving the coordination of HIV/AIDS and other communicable disease activities among stakeholders. The Group comprise representatives of all UN Agencies and major development partners involved in the control of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases at the country level. In the sub-region, the ‘chair’ rotates among members every two years. Three out of the four countries (Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone) have already expanded their Country Thematic Groups to include representatives of the Ministries of Health and the National HIV/AIDS Programmes. They meet once a month to review progress in the collaborative efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS at the country level and will be mandated to monitor the implementation of project activities in their respective countries under the leadership of UNFPA.

UNAIDS
UNAIDS is the main advocate for global action on the epidemic. It leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic. It reinforces the organizational, administrative and technical capacities of institutions such as the MRU Secretariat and NGOs involved in the combat of HIV/AIDS, encourages partnership and promotes integrated regional and sub-regional approaches to disease control. It has offices in all four countries and will provide all necessary technical support and guidance for the successful implementation of project activities through their country-advisers as well as its Inter-country Team for West And Central Africa. For this project, it will continue its lead advocacy role for a regional and sub-regional approach for the control of HIV/AIDS, the identification of best practices in the HIV and AIDS programmes of the sub-region as well as support to the assessment of the general impact of the interventions in the Mano River Basin Countries at no cost to the project.

The Beneficiaries/Communities
Different community leaders, PLWHAs, representatives of the displaced population, and CBOs will be empowered to play active roles in advocacy, education, surveys, special studies and micro planning of project activities. Trainers and counsellors will be selected from their own communities in order to ensure that IEC messages and care under the project are offered in the appropriate cultural context of the target population. They will be encouraged to participate in the reviews of project activities and will be informed of constraints and progress.

Supervision
Joint supervision missions comprising of the ADF, MRU, UNAIDS, the Global Fund and UNFPA will be undertaken at least twice a year. All the four project sites in the beneficiary countries will be covered at least once a year. The UN Country Thematic Groups on HIV/AIDS will also provide assistance to the day-to-day supervision of the project. The objective of the supervisions would be to monitor progress and provide technical support in project implementation.

A joint ADF/UNAIDS/MRU Secretariat mid-term project review will be undertaken to assess performance of project management at the Secretariat and country levels and intermediaries, cost-effectiveness, quality and probity of financial, procurement and accounting practices and implementation issues. This evaluation will recommend any necessary modifications to the institutional arrangements and will be conducted in close co-ordination with all stakeholders.

The Governments of Mano River Union Countries & Côte D’Ivoire are strongly committed to the implementation of this project. With the technical support of UNAIDS, the MRU Secretariat and government representatives have worked intensively to prepare, revise and refine their project proposal to the Global Fund as well as the appraisal of the ADF financed component. The interests of the members of the existing UN Theme Groups in each beneficiary country to speed up the taking off of this project, is also a clear indication that MRU Countries and Côte d’Ivoire are keen to implement this project and also illustrates their determination to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the sub-region.