The Multilateral Fund (MLF) Secretariat, based in Montreal, Canada, ensures the objectives of MLF are met and acts as a liaison between the Executive Committee, governments and implementing agencies. As such, it evaluates all funding requests submitted to the Executive Committee and rigorously monitors and evaluates projects to maintain compliance and efficiency.
In particular, the MLF Secretariat assists the Executive Committee with the following activities:
- development of the three-year financial plan, budget, and fund disbursement
- management of the MLF’s business planning cycle
- monitoring of implementing agencies’ expenditures and activities
- preparation of policy papers and other documentation
- review and assessment of national phase out plans, investment projects, country programmes, business plans, and work programmes
- servicing meetings of the Executive Committee.
Separating the management of the MLF from its implementation activities has helped to maintain the credibility, operability, and cost-efficiency of the largely grant-based programme. The MLF Secretariat consists of four units, project review, business intelligence and finance, administration and quality assurance.