Connecting the Dots of International Development (August 2008)

President George W. Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is the largest commitment ever by any nation for an international health initiative dedicated to a single disease-- a five-year, $15 billion, comprehensive approach to combating the disease around the world. U.S. Department of State U.S. Agency for International Development U.S. Department of Defense U.S. Department of Commerce U.S. Department of Labor U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Peace Corps Mailing address: SA-29, 2nd Floor 2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20522-2920 www.PEPFAR.gov

Connecting the Dots of International Development  The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is a central component of U.S. efforts to “connect the dots” of international development. PEPFAR programs are increasingly linked to other important programs — including those of other USG agencies and other international partners — that meet the needs of people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in such areas as nutrition, education and gender. All told, President George W. Bush has presided over nearly a tripling of support for development; a quadrupling of resources for Africa; the creation of innovative programs like the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the Women’s Justice and Empowerment Initiative (WJEI) and the African Education Initiative (AEI); as well as more than doubling trade with Africa and supporting 100 percent debt relief to the poorest countries. PEPFAR is an important part of connecting these development dots, but it does not – and could not – replace the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), MCC, PMI, or any of its sister initiatives or agencies. Nearly every person affected by HIV/AIDS can benefit from additional food support, greater access to education, economic opportunities and clean water, but so could the broader communities in which they live. In order to respond effectively to the many interrelated causes and effects of the epidemic, PEPFAR coordinates with other development programs as part of a larger whole. What does this mean for programming? PEPFAR supports varied “wraparound” programs to provide comprehensive support for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Wraparound programs offer the opportunity to link HIV/AIDS programs with programs in other sectors, improving quality of life and strengthening development efforts overall. PEPFAR-supported wraparound activities are carried out not only with programs funded by the U.S. Government, but also those supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, United Nations agencies, the private sector, and other partners. Wraparound programs leverage resources, both human and financial, from entities with different funding sources in order to complement and maximize the effectiveness of PEPFAR.