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Summary of the HIV/AIDS Partnership Framework With the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (October 2010)

The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act (P.L. 110-293) provides support for the U.S. Government (USG) to enter into Partnership Frameworks (PFs) with partner governments as a means of promoting national ownership of sustainable HIV programs under the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Partnership Frameworks seek to more closely align USG-funded HIV/AIDS efforts with national programs and the efforts of other international partners and civil society at the country level. Partnership Frameworks provide a five-year joint strategic framework focused on service delivery, HIV/AIDS policy reform, and shared financial and/or in-kind contributions. After each PF is signed, a more detailed five-year PF Implementation Plan follows, with annual benchmarks for progress against the Framework and a matrix detailing partner inputs to the PF objectives.

On October 27, 2010, the United States signed the “Partnership Framework between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the United States for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control.” Although Ethiopia’s 2009 prevalence estimate of 2.3 percent is lower than many other Sub-Saharan countries, there are still over 1.1 million people living with HIV in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has a low level generalized epidemic with wide urban and rural differences in prevalence (7.7 percent and 0.9 percent respectively), with most –at-risk populations driving the epidemic. The Framework illustrates the leadership of the Government of Ethiopia in addressing its HIV epidemic, as well as its commitment to the broader health needs of its people - Ethiopia has doubled its budget for health over the last five years. Priorities in the Partnership Framework include promoting sustainability through a multi-sectoral approach, as well as targeting programming to effectively meet the health needs of the most vulnerable populations.

Ethiopia’s Partnership Framework

The Partnership Framework provides a five-year joint strategic plan for cooperation between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the U.S. Government, and other stakeholders to support a collaborative response to HIV, while also supporting health services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. The Partnership Framework, which was developed over twelve months of continuous consultation involving representatives from the two governments, outlines and describes the mutual goals of the United States and Ethiopia to promote the national response to HIV/AIDS. The activities prioritized for support from the United States are intended to achieve the maximum feasible impact, while also building local capacity to support the increasing shift to host country ownership.

The Partnership Framework is presented in seven sections: Purpose and Principles, Background/Context, Five Year Strategic Overview, Ownership, Partners’ Roles and Responsibilities, Plans for the Development of the Partnership Framework Implementation Plan, and Management and Communication. The Partnership Framework includes four broad goals, under each of which are associated objectives to further describe the priority areas within each goal.

1. The first goal aims to reduce the National HIV incidence by 50 percent by 2014 by focusing on evidence-based prevention, increase comprehensive HIV knowledge and behavior change among the adult population, provide additional focus on intervention packages that are designed to reach most-at-risk populations (MARPs), increase the availability of counseling and testing, and expand the availability of comprehensive youth focused ABC programs. An additional priority is to significantly increase the availability and utilization of PMTCT services.
2. The second goal is to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV by expanding access to quality care, treatment and support by 2014. Emphasis is also given to enrolling more children into care and treatment and ensuring that services to OVC are available.
3. The third goal focuses on creating a better-functioning health system in partnership.
4. The fourth goal is to promote and support the Government of Ethiopia in coordinating a multisectoral response to prevent the spread of HIV and mitigate its impacts by 2014.

In the spirit of continued collaboration and planning, and to ensure effective coordination and joint oversight of the Partnership Framework and Implementation Plan, the Ministry of Health, the PEPFAR country team and other partners will continue to work together to develop the Partnership Framework Implementation Plan.