Advocacy For Resource Mobilization Workshop

The Ministry of Health of Gabon, with the support of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership Advocacy Working Group and the Sub Regional Network for Central Africa (CARN), organized a three-day workshop on advocacy for resource mobilization for the national fight against malaria in Libreville from September 15 to 17, 2014. The CARN coordinator and the MoH Director General were respectively in charge of Welcome address and the workshop opening address. Speak Up Africa facilitated the workshop, which brought together over 30 people from the National Malaria Control Program, the TB control program, the HIV control program, the Parliament, the Ministries of Economy and Agriculture, WHO, UNDP, NGOs and from civil society organizations. Several private sector companies such as Shell, Total, Water and Electricity National Company and OLAM also joined the discussions and activities.

During this workshop, a newly developed Malaria Advocacy Resource Mobilization Toolkit was presented in order to provide Gabon with the necessary tools to develop a national advocacy resource mobilization plan based on their funding needs as identified in its strategic plan. Gabon is the second country after Sierra Leone to pilot this workshop that provides participants with a step-by-step approach to develop in-country advocates to mobilize resources for malaria based on country level relationships, engagement, and evidence. This workshop as insisted by the CARN coordinator is part of a process that will ultimately support the development of an advocacy plan, of a business plan and the organization of a roundtable in light of the NMCP’s goals to diversify its sources of funding.

The main recommendations of this three-day workshop on advocacy for resource mobilization for the fight against malaria are as follows:

1. In terms of country capacity building, the identification of a focal point within the National Malaria Control Program in charge of monitoring all activities related to advocacy.
2. Regarding the implementation of the Malaria Resource Mobilization Toolkit, there is no need for technical assistance from the RBM Malaria Advocacy Working Group in the development of the advocacy for resource mobilization plan. Participants also recommended the creation of a working group to implement the recommendations of the workshop and the development of the national advocacy plan for resource mobilization.
3. The elaboration of a business plan for the National Malaria Control Program. In that regard, there is a strong need for continuous technical assistance from RBM Sub Regional Network for Central Africa until the upcoming of the roundtable for resource mobilization, scheduled to be held in November 2014. The process will require a close collaboration between all the partners involved in the process.
4. Finally, regarding partnership building, participants insisted on the creation of a coordination mechanism that will bring together all active technical and financial partners.

Posted by Roll Back Malaria
Libreville, Gabon.
11-13 Septembre 2014.