“The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will transfer management of a $28.77 million HIV/AIDS grant from Mali’s national AIDS council, the Haut Conseil de Lutte contre le Sida (the High Council for the Fight Against AIDS, or HCLNS), to a new principal recipient at the end of the year” after mismanagement of funds was discovered in the country, a Global Fund press release reports (10/19). “The Global Fund said in a statement that it will suspend funding all but essential services under the grant until a new structure can be found to manage the money,” the Associated Press writes (Vogl, 10/19).

“The Global Fund has asked Mali’s Country Coordinating Mechanism, which represents the Global Fund’s partners in the country, to identify a new principal recipient to manage the second phase of the grant, which would normally run for a further three years,” the press release notes, adding, “The Global Fund has asked for the return of the misused funds.” According to the press release, “This is the latest in a series of actions the Global Fund has taken to restore confidence in grant management in Mali after mismanagement of funds was discovered” (10/19).