About ASAP

ASAP is a one-stop shop where countries can seek advice and technical support for strategic and action planning. It was set up in 2006 at the recommendation of the GTT¹ to enable UNAIDS to better support prioritized, evidence-based, results-focused and costed national AIDS strategies and annual action plans.

ASAP complements existing options for country assistance. The ASAP Secretariat is supported in all areas of work by UNAIDS at global, regional and country levels, collaborates with UNAIDS cosponsors and other partners, and relies on the technical skills of experienced consultants around the world.

What ASAP does

• Provides rapid external reviews of draft strategies and action plans
• Offers technical and financial support to develop strong strategies and action plans
• Develops tools and guidelines to assist clients to assess and improve their strategies
• Organizes training for policymakers, practioners and consultants

How ASAP Operates

To request ASAP services please email the ASAP secretariat jleno@worldbank.org

Most requests come from National AIDS Councils, UNAIDS Country Coordinators or Regional Support Teams.

How ASAP responds to requests: ASAP works quickly, in a consultative and collaborative way, to meet the country’s need. The process varies, but typically, in response to a request:

1. ASAP convenes a teleconference with all involved partners to clarify the support needed; ensure broad ownership in country (including that of the Joint UN Team on HIV/AIDS); identify tasks and the technical and financing roles that other partners can play; and agree on the gaps that ASAP can fill.
2. Then, working with the client, ASAP helps prepare Terms of Reference (TOR), and identifies and hires consultants, often in collaboration with the UNAIDS Technical Support Facilities.
3. The work goes ahead, under the direction of the client and with technical support from the ASAP Secretariat.

ASAP Governance

The ASAP Secretariat is small – the equivalent of four full-time World Bank staff. It is supported by the UNAIDS Secretariat and cosponsors. ASAP has contracted the services of a number of experienced technical specialists, and relies on a growing roster of tested consultants and support through and from the UNAIDS Technical Support Facilities (see below). It has contracted with the INSP of Mexico to offer its capacity building component.

ASAP Advisory Groups

The UNAIDS ASAP Advisory Group includes the main partners in the UNAIDS Division of Labour for support to strategic, prioritized and costed national plans (ILO, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, the UNAIDS Secretariat and the World Bank) and the Chair of UNAIDS Committee of Cosponsoring Organizations (CCO). It provides systematic guidance to ASAP operations. The group’s first meeting was in Geneva in February 2007. A sub-group teleconference in March 2007 developed TOR for the Advisory Group and discussed plans for the external assessment of ASAP’s first year of operations. The Group met on October 24, 2007 in New York to discuss the evaluation findings and way forward.

The ASAP Technical Advisory Group comprises about 20 representatives of civil society, the private sector, donors, UN agencies and international experts. It met initially in January 2006 in Thailand to discuss criteria for good national strategies and common weaknesses/strengths; identify the services ASAP might offer in demand-driven operations; and review existing tools and resources to avoid duplication. The meeting guided the first ASAP Business Plan. The ASAP Secretariat regularly consults the Technical Advisory Group informally. The group met again in Cairo, October 29-30, 2007, to follow up on the UNAIDS ASAP Advisory Group’s discussion of the independent evaluation and provide guidance for the 2008-2009 ASAP Business Plan.

The ASAP Training Advisory Committee advises on standards, methods and tools to develop country capacity. UNDP chairs, the World Bank and UNAIDS Secretariat are core members. Other cosponsors, institutions and individuals are invited to serve based on technical expertise required. This group identifies complementary training activities which could be implemented jointly.