الوكالة الأمريكية للتنمية — العراق: نشرة حقائق رقم 31، 11 أيار 2004

UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION AND HUMANITARIAN RELIEF May 11, 2004 Weekly Update #31, Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 This fact sheet highlights overall accomplishments and some weekly activities from USAID’s reconstruction efforts in Iraq. For more information on USAID’s programs in Iraq please see: www.usaid.gov/iraq Program Overview: USAID assists Iraqis in reconstructing their country by working within the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). USAID programs are implemented in coordination with the United Nations, Coalition country partners, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector partners. The USAID Mission in Iraq carries out programs in education, health care, food security, infrastructure reconstruction, airport and seaport management, economic growth, community development, local governance, and transition initiatives. The USAID Mission in Iraq implements programs in four strategic areas: 1. Restoring Essential Infrastructure 2. Supporting Essential Health and Education 3. Expanding Economic Opportunity 4. Improving Efficiency and Accountability of Government The four-lane Khazir Bridge over the Greater Zab River on highway 2 between Mosul and Arbil reopened for traffic on May 5. The reconstructed bridge is restoring the flow of commerce in northern Iraq. Table of Contents Program Overview 1 Economic Growth 8 Electricity 2 Food Security 9 Airports 3 Agriculture 10 Bridges, Roads, and Railroads 4 Marshlands 11 Umm Qasr Seaport 4 Local Governance 11 Telecommunications 4 Transition Initiatives 13 Water and Sanitation 5 Community Action Program 14 Health 6 Financial Summary 17 Education 7 1 Program Descriptions and Accomplishments 1. Restore Essential Infrastructure Electricity -- Objectives include the emergency repair or rehabilitation of power generation facilities and electrical grids. Teams of engineers from the Ministry of Electricity, USAID, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the CPA have been working since May to restore capacity to Iraq’s power system, which was dilapidated from decades of neglect, mismanagement, and looting. Accomplishments to Date: • Generated 4,518 MW on October 6—surpassing the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. Average production over the last seven days was 3,751 MW. • Generated 98,917 MW hours on February 14—the highest since reconstruction began. • Installed independent sources of power at Baghdad International Airport and Umm Qasr seaport. • Collaborating with Bechtel, CPA, and Task Force Restore Iraqi Electricity on projects to repair thermal units, replace and repair turbines, rehabilitate the transmission network, and install and restore generators. This collaboration is expected to produce 2,152 MW of incremental capacity. o USAID is adding 827 MW of capacity through maintenance, rehabilitation, and new generation projects. o USAID’s portion of the work includes: o Rehabilitating units 5 and 6 at Doura thermal power plant. o Rehabilitating units 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 at Bayji thermal power plant. o Continuing reconstruction of the country’s 400-kv transmission network by rebuilding 220 kilometers of Khor Az Zubayr-Nasiriyah 400-kv line. o Installing new generating capacity at Kirkuk and South Baghdad power plants. Highlights this Week: • The Al Qudas power plant outside Baghdad has been converted from diesel oil to crude oil fuel. The use of crude oil will free diesel, which is in short supply and is imported, for transportation and other uses.. Diesel fuel is needed to fuel trucks and smaller generators.that contribute to economic growth. Al Qudas had been consuming up to 15 percent of Iraq’s available diesel. The combined capacity of the two units will reach approximately 160 MW. • The reconstruction of the Khor az Zubayr-An Nasiriyah 400 KV transmission line is continuing. Approximately 46 of 78 tower foundations have been repaired. Of the 105 towers disassembled, 37 have been re-erected and another 47 are pre-assembled and waiting for Erecting a tower on the Khor az Zubayr-An Nasiriyah 400 KV line. placement. In addition, 148 of a total of 825 kilometers of transmission cable have been strung. The entire transmission line is scheduled for energization in June 2004. 2 Airports -- Objectives include: providing material and personnel for the timely repair of damaged airport facilities, rehabilitating airport terminals, facilitating humanitarian and commercial flights, and preparing for the eventual handover of airport operations to the Iraqi Airport Commission Authority. Accomplishments to Date: • Processing an average of 20 non-military arrivals and departures a day at Baghdad International Airport. o More than 5,000 military and NGO flights have arrived and departed at Baghdad International Airport since July 2003. • Completed infrastructure work to prepare Baghdad International Airport for commercial air operations. o Repaired Terminal C and administration offices. o Installed three X-ray machines. o Installed very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications systems and new diesel powered generators, allowing Iraqi airport control centers to communicate. o Rehabilitated Iraqi customs office in the arrival hall. • Rehabilitated Baghdad International Airport’s East Fire Station; airport fire protection training for a team of more than 80 Iraqis is ongoing. • Preparing Al Basrah International Airport for commercial operations. Ongoing projects include: o Repairing runway, taxiway, and apron striping. o Installing two baggage X-ray units. o Repairing passenger support facilities. o Installing VSAT satellite communications. o Installed security fence. o Repairing airport water and sewage treatment plants. • Completed evaluation of reconstruction requirements at Mosul Airport. Accomplishments to Date: Bridges: • Demolished irreparable sections of three key bridges (Khazir, Tikrit, and Al Mat) and started reconstruction. o Al Mat Bridge: A key link on Highway 10 that carries over 3,000 trucks daily on the main route between Baghdad and Jordan. • Work was completed, and the four-lane bridge was reopened to two-way traffic on March 3. o Khazir Bridge: Critical to the flow of fuel and agricultural products to the north. • Repairs to this bridge were completed on May 1 2004. o Tikrit Bridge: An important link for passengers and commerce over the Tigris River between Tikrit and Tuz Khurmatu. • On the upstream side of Pier 7, steel beams have been erected and dowels are installed. Work is expected to finish in August 2004. • Repaired a floating bridge on the Tigris River in Al Kut, improving traffic for approximately 50,000 Khazir Bridge after reconstruction -- The completion of this bridge is a significant accomplishment in restoring the flow of commerce and the delivery of humanitarian aid in Iraq. travelers a day. 3 Highlights this Week: • The reconstruction of the Khazir Bridge, a four-lane bridge located over the Greater Zab River on highway 2 between Mosul and Arbil, is complete. The official opening of the bridge was held on May 5 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The completion of this bridge restores the flow of commerce in northern Iraq. Extensive damage to the bridge made it a major safety hazard along a critical transportation route. • Work at the Tikrit Bridge is continuing in an effort to provide the necessary infrastructure for reviving commerce in Iraq. The Tikrit Bridge is an important link for passengers and commerce over the Tigris River between Tikrit and Tuz Khurmatu. USAID and Bechtel are coordinating with the Ministry of Public Works and two Iraqi firms to rehabilitate the bridge. The project is expected to be complete by the end of August. Railroads: • Iraqi Republican Railways (IRR) contributes equipment and labor, while USAID contributes project management, material, and parts. Work on the railways includes: o Repairing 16 km of track at the port of Umm Qasr and 56 km of track between the port and Shuiaba Junction near Basrah to facilitate cargo shipments, including foodstocks, from the seaport to main rail line. o Completed explosive ordinance disposal at all 53 sites of the rail line project near Shuiaba Junction (Al Basrah Governorate) in preparation for installation of new track. Umm Qasr Seaport -- Objectives include: managing port administration, coordinating transport from the seaport, and facilitating cargo-handling services such as warehousing, shipment tracking, and storage. Accomplishments to Date: • Reopened to commercial traffic June 2003; completed first passenger vessel test in July 2003. • Offloading cargo from more than 40 cargo ships per month. • Dredged the port to an average depth of 12.5 meters. Previously, the port was 9-10 meters deep, and limited cargo could arrive only during high tide. o An Iraqi dredger, which has been rehabilitated by USAID, is assisting with maintenance dredging. • Renovated grain-receiving facility, which can process up to 600 metric tons of grain an hour. • Instituted port tariffs, which provide a revenue stream for financially sustainable port operations. • Installed generators, energizing all three 11-kv ring mains which distribute electricity throughout the port. • Completed security fencing at the old and new ports and grain facility. • Completed the renovation of the administration building, passenger terminal and customs hall building and continuing the renovation of the electrical substations. Telecommunications -- Objectives include: installing switches to restore service to 240,000 telephone lines in Baghdad area, and repairing the nation’s fiber optic network from north of Mosul through Baghdad and Nasiriyah to Umm Qasr. Accomplishments to Date: • Handed over the Al Mamoun Telecommunications site to the Ministry of Communications in February 2004. Twelve new telephone switches and an International Satellite Gateway have been integrated with fourteen Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company (ITPC) switches. • Purchased tools, equipment, and parts to enable Iraqi engineers to restore the network. o Repairing the national fiber optic network from Mosul to Umm Qasr, connecting 20 cities to Baghdad. • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines of capacity. Installed new switches and main distribution frames at 12 sites. 4 o Baghdad’s largest exchange, Al Mamoun, opened in December 2003. More than 140,000 individual subscriber lines are now active; work to allow final activation for all subscribers is underway. o Completed installation of a satellite gateway system at Al Mamoun and restored international calling service to Iraq on December 30, 2003. o Al Mamoun was handed over to the Ministry of Communications on February 26, 2004. • Training Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company operators and engineers at Al Mamoun on telecommunications site operations, maintenance, and repairs. Water and Sanitation -- Objectives include: rehabilitating and repairing essential water infrastructure to provide potable water and sanitation to communities and improve irrigation. Accomplishments to Date: • Nationwide: Rehabilitating sewage and water treatment plants that are currently by-passing untreated sewage generated by millions of people into the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. o Repairing and rehabilitating water systems throughout Iraq. o Repaired hundreds of breaks in Iraq’s critical and long neglected water network, significantly increasing water flow. • Baghdad: Expanding one water plant and rehabilitating three sewage plants. o Rehabilitating and adding 45 percent capacity to Baghdad’s Sharkh Dijlah water plant (previously named Saba Nissan water plant), adding an additional 225,000 cubic meters a day to the water supply by July 2004, mostly in the overpopulated eastern sections. o Installing back-up electrical generators at 41 Baghdad water facilities and pumping stations to ensure continuous water supply. o Rehabilitating Baghdad’s sewage treatment plants—Rustimiyah North, Rustimiyah South, and Kerkh to benefit 3.8 million people by October 2004. o Rehabilitated 70 of Baghdad’s non-functioning waste lift and pumping stations. • South Central: Rehabilitating two water plants and four sewage plants. o Rehabilitating An Najaf and Karbala’ water treatment plants. The projects will be complete in August and November 2004, respectively. o Rehabilitating Ad Diwaniyah and Karbala ́ sewage treatment plants, which serve 200,000 residents and currently discharge untreated waste into the Euphrates River. These projects are expected to be complete by August 2004 and October 2004, respectively. o Rehabilitating An Najaf and Al Hillah sewage treatment plants to serve 194,000 residents. These projects are expected to be completed by December 2004 and August 2004, respectively. • South: Rehabilitating the entire Sweet Water Canal system, including the canal and its reservoir, 14 water treatment plants and pumping stations, and the Safwan water system. o The system provides drinking water to 1.75 million residents of Basrah City. o Rehabilitated both the east and west reservoirs of Installed sand filters at Sharkh Dijlah -- Sharkh Dijlah is one of two main water treatment plants that serve 4.7 million Baghdad residents. the canal in early April, allowing it to be re-filled with clean water. o Began work on Basrah’s 14 water treatment plants in January. By summer 2004, water quality and volume will surpass prewar levels. 5 o Completed the restoration of the Safwan water system. All 40,000 residents now have access to potable drinking water. • North: Rehabilitating two water plants and one sewage plant. o Rehabilitating Kirkuk, Mosul and Al Dujayl water treatment facilities and Al Dujayl sewage plant. o Procuring reconstruction materials for the Ninawa’ Sewer and Water Directorate. This Directorate will repair projects in Mosul and the surrounding areas. o Constructing potable water sources for towns and villages of less than 1,000 residents. Highlights this Week: • Iraqi subcontractors are continuing to work on the expansion of Shark Dijlah water treatment plant. Sharkh Dijlah is one of two main water treatment plants that serve 4.7 million Baghdad residents. The Baghdad Water Authority was in the process of designing an extension to the plant before the recent conflict began. Current production at the plant is estimated at 510 million liters per day, but there is still a shortage in Baghdad of 800 million liters per day, mostly affecting the poorer, eastern part of the city. Work at the plant will increase potable water flow to east Baghdad by 45 percent. The expansion, which is expected to be complete in August, will add 225 million liters per day and will improve the supply of clean drinking water for the 2.5 million residents of eastern Baghdad. 2. Support Essential Health and Education Health -- Objectives include: supporting a reformed Iraqi Ministry of Health, delivering essential health services, funding vaccines and high protein biscuits for pregnant and nursing mothers and malnourished children, establishing a rapid referral and response system for the most serious cases, providing basic primary health care equipment and supplies, training and upgrading health staff, providing health education and information, and identify the specific needs of the health sector and of vulnerable populations such as women and children. Accomplishments to Date: • Procured more than 30 million doses of vaccines since July 2003 with support from the Ministry of Health and UNICEF. • Vaccinated three million children under the age of five through the Expanded Immunization Program since June 2003. USAID will provide vaccines for a total of 4.2 million children under five. In addition, 700,000 pregnant women have also been vaccinated. • Continuing a monthly immunization campaign with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health with 4,000 health workers and 124 supervisors. • Awarded $1.3 million in small grants to support Iraqi NGO healthcare efforts throughout Iraq. • Developed a hospital and clinic facility database for the Ministry of Health on facility type, location, service distribution, cost information, and building condition. • Renovating 52 primary health care clinics and re-equipping over 600 to provide essential primary healthcare services. • Training more than 2,500 primary healthcare providers to treat and prevent acute respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases. • Distributed high-protein supplementary food rations to more than 240,000 pregnant and nursing mothers and malnourished children. • Evaluated 18 national and regional public health laboratories for equipment needs. • Rehabilitated the National Polio Laboratory. • Training more than 1,000 health workers and volunteers to identify, treat and monitor the growth of acutely malnourished children. 6 • Working with the Iraqi Ministry of Health to develop a strategic plan to reduce child mortality and increase the level of preventative care available to the Iraqi people through assistance to their nine working groups which address: public health, health care delivery, health information systems, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, health care finance, education and training, human resources, legislation and regulation, and licensing and accreditation. • Distributing 1.4 million liters of clean water each day to people in the cities of Al Basrah, Al Muthanna’, Kirkuk, and Mosul. Education -- Objectives include: increasing enrollment and improving the quality of primary and secondary education, ensuring that classrooms have sufficient materials, facilitating community involvement, training teachers, implementing accelerated learning programs, and establishing partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi colleges and universities. Accomplishments to Date: • Immediately After the Conflict o Provided technical assistance for the resumption of Ministry of Education functions and salaries. o Funded 5.5 million examinations for transitional grades, which ensured the smooth continuation of education. • Facilities and Supplies o Awarded 627 grants worth more than $6 million to rehabilitate schools and equip Directorates General. o Rehabilitated 2,358 schools countrywide for the first term of the 2003/04 school year. o Provided materials, equipment and supplies: o Distributed nearly 1.5 million secondary school kits that include pens, pencils, paper, math equipment, and other supplies. o Distributed 159,005 student desks, 26,437 teacher desks, 59,940 teacher chairs, 26,050 metal cabinets, 61,500 chalkboards, and 58,500 teacher kits. o Delivered 808,000 primary student kits. o Delivered 81,735 primary teacher kits. o In consultation with the Iraqi Ministry of Education, reviewed 48 math and science textbooks for grades 1 through 12. o Printed and distributed 8,759,260 textbooks throughout Iraq. • Institutional Strengthening o Trained 860 secondary school Master Trainers during September 2003 to January 2004 nationwide. o Trained 31,772 secondary school teachers and administration staff. o Conducting an accelerated learning program in Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Ad Diwaniyah, Karbala’, and Arbil. More than 600 students are participating in the program. In February 2004, the students completed mid-term exams. • Higher Education o USAID participated in the bi-national Fulbright scholarship review committee. The Fulbright Scholarship Program returned to Iraq after a 14-year absence. The program awarded at least 25 scholarships for Iraqis to study in the United States in 2004. o Launched the Higher Education and Development Program. Awarded five grants worth an estimated $20.7 million for U.S.-Iraqi university partnerships: o A consortium led by Research Foundation of the State University of New York at Stony Brook is partnering with Baghdad University, Al Mustansiriyah University/Baghdad, Basrah University, and Mosul University in archeology and environmental health. 7 o The University of Hawaii College of Agriculture and Human Resources is partnering with the University of Mosul Hamam Al-Alil and University of Dahuk for strengthening academic, research, and extension programs. o The Human Rights Institute at DePaul University College of Law and the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences (Italy) is partnering with Universities of Baghdad, Basrah, and Sulaimanyah on legal education reform. o Jackson State University/MCID is partnering with University of Mosul, University of Dahuk, and the Nursing Institute (Dahuk) for public health and sanitation. o The University of Oklahoma and consortia is partnering with the Technology University/Baghdad, Al Anbar University, Basrah University, University of Babil, and the University of Salah ad Din in higher education initiatives. Highlights this week: • To ensure compliance with standards set by the Ministry of Education, USAID and the United Nations, Bechtel engineers reviewed 867 rehabilitated schools in Baghdad and southern Iraq and completed additional work on 84 schools. A quality assurance process began in October 2003 to ensure a consistent standard among all schools rehabilitated by Iraqi companies employed by Bechtel. The rehabilitation standards included guidelines for general cleaning, doors, windows, walls, ceilings, roofs, floors, painting, plumbing, electricity, light fixtures, and fans. USAID is using that process to develop a “lessons learned” guide to assist Iraq’s Ministry of Education in the rehabilitation of schools it plans to initiate in 2004. This guide is expected to be complete by the end of May 2004. • On May 5, the year-end examinations for the Accelerated Learning program began. An exam committee distributed the examinations to the five An Accelerated Learning class in Arbil – Final exams began in five cities in Iraq. Students who pass will be integrated into Iraq’s main school system. cities which are conducting the program. The corrections committee scores the exams, while the verification committee will do a final evaluation. Results are expected to be submitted after May 30. The extensive distribution and corrections process will ensure accuracy and consistency between exams in all cities. Students who pass will be integrated into Iraq’s main school system. 3. Expand Economic Opportunity Economic Growth – Substantive areas include: currency conversion, development of economic statistics, rationalizing small business credit, drafting commercial legislation, supporting a national employment program, strengthening micro-finance programs, creating a bank-to-bank payment system, implementing a computerized financial management information system, developing a tax policy and administration, budget planning, insurance reform, telecommunications reform, and electricity reform. Accomplishments to Date: • With the Ministry of Finance, introduced the new national currency, the Iraqi dinar. o The currency exchange began on October 15, 2003, and was completed on January 15, 2004. 8 o An estimated 6.36 trillion new Iraqi dinars are now in Iraq, and 4.62 trillion Iraqi dinars are circulating—106 percent of the original demand estimate of 4.36 trillion. • Conducting regular currency auctions for banks to exchange dinars and dollars. • Created more than 77,000 public works jobs through the National Employment Program. • Provided technical assistance on the implementation of a bank-to-bank payment system that allows 80 banks to send and receive payment instructions. • In support of the Iraqi Treasury’s goal to improve Iraq’s commercial banking system, USAID is working with the CPA to reconcile and close the year-end 2003 financial statements of Iraq’s two largest banks— the state-owned Rasheed and Rafidain—to ensure that the statements are consistent with international accounting standards. • Assisting in developing, installing, and training staff to use the Financial Management Information System, a new accounting and reporting system that will eventually be used by all Iraqi treasury offices and ministries. • Assisted CPA in managing a $21-million micro-credit program. • Evaluating and updating commercial laws pertaining to private sector and foreign investment; assisted in the development of the new company law. • Assisted in developing the reconstruction levy in collaboration with the CPA and the UK Customs Service; this levy imposes a five percent tariff on imports to Iraq. Highlights this Week: • The “Trademarks and Descriptions Law” as well as the “Patent, Industrial Design, Undisclosed Information, Integrated Circuits and Plant Variety Law” have been approved by the Governing Council and signed into law by Ambassador Bremer. These laws protect the intellectual property of companies doing business in Iraq and support innovation by ensuring protection for registered products and ideas. They are revisions of laws imposed under the previous regime that did not meet internationally-recognized standards of protection. Intellectual property standards have been modernized to meet the standards of the World Trade Organization, thereby preparing Iraq to become a full member of the international trading system. Food Security -- Objectives include: providing oversight support for the countrywide Public Distribution System, which provides basic food and non-food commodities to an estimated 25 million Iraqis, participating in the design of a monetary assistance program to replace the commodity-based distribution system to support local production and free-market infrastructure, and promoting comprehensive agriculture reform to optimize private participation in production and wholesale markets. Accomplishments to Date: • Worked with the UN World Food Program (WFP) and Coalition Forces to re-establish Iraq’s Public Distribution System (PDS) in less than 30 days, avoiding a humanitarian food crisis and maintaining food security. • Contributed cash and food aid totaling $425 million to WFP’s emergency operations immediately following the conflict, making the United States the foremost contributor to WFP emergency operations in Iraq. • Placed food specialists in Baghdad, Al Basrah, Al Hillah, and Arbil to support food operations immediately after the conflict. • Provided ongoing support and technical assistance to WFP and local Iraqi authorities in the Ministry of Trade and the Kurdish Food Departments to ensure the smooth transition of PDS management tasks to the Iraqi government. Special attention was given to the transition phase in the northern governorates of 9 Dahuk, As Sulaymaniyah, and Arbil. The initial handover of responsibilities occurred on November 21 without significant problems. • Played a role in negotiating a memorandum of understanding between the CPA, the Ministry of Trade, and the WFP that details areas of responsibility including: capacity building and training, procurement of food commodities, renegotiation of food contracts, shipment and overland transport of food commodities, and pipeline management. The WFP will continue to assist with supporting the public distribution system through June 2004 and will begin work immediately to assure continuation of food deliveries. • Currently providing food aid expertise to CPA and Ministry of Trade in Baghdad and assisting with the CPA OFF Coordination Center as WFP and CPA and the Ministry continue to distribute food to all Iraqis. Agriculture -- Objectives include: expanding agricultural productivity, restoring the capacity of agroenterprises to produce, process, and market agricultural goods and services, nurturing access to rural financial services, and improving land and water resource management. Accomplishments to Date: Since October 2003, USAID partner DAI has been implementing the Agricultural Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI) to formulate a long-term vision for the sector, while designing activities for quick impact including: • Winter Crop Technology Demonstrations: On 334 hectares in 15 governorates, 128 farm families are establishing plots with new crop varieties for extension field days. • Kirkuk Veterinary Hospital Renovation: The renovation of this hospital was completed in early April 2003 under a $96,000 ARDI grant; the hospital serves more than 100,000 livestock in the area. • Taza and Rashad Veterinary Clinic Rehabilitation: This project was completed in early April 2003 through a $50,000 grant which was matched by supplies and equipment from the Ministry of Agriculture. These rural clinics are the two principal sources of vaccines and medicines for animals in 125 local communities. • Internet Connectivity and Repairs to a Student Union Building: The Baghdad University School of Agriculture will receive a $75,000 grant that will benefit 4,509 students. • Seven grants, totaling $394,000, were approved in February 2004 to build the capacity of Iraq’s agriculture sector. The grants’ emphasis on veterinary programs allows an immediate, highly visible response to the challenges that face herders and farmers in the North and Central regions. • The Ministry of Agriculture is establishing 18 date palm nurseries throughout Iraq in support of its goal to reestablish Iraq's dominant position in the international date market, a position it lost under the former regime. Dates are a national treasure for Iraq with both symbolic and economic significance. This project, which receives support and technical assistance from USAID, will ensure the preservation of Iraq’s 621 varieties of date palm. • Developed a transition plan for the Iraq Ministry of Agriculture to move the agricultural sector from a command and control production and marketing system to one which is market-driven. Highlights this Week: • The Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture has announced its transition plan to improve productivity in the agriculture sector. The plan will guide the immediate short-term recovery and rehabilitation of agricultural infrastructure and an end to policies which hinder recovery. The second priority is to enable medium-term sector recovery through the reform of government policies and programs to empower the agricultural private sector. 10 Marshlands -- Objectives include: construct environmental, social and economic baselines for the remaining and former marshlands, assist marsh dwellers by creating economic opportunities and viable social institutions, improve the management of marshlands, and expand restoration activities. Program Goals: • The $4-million Marshland Restoration and Management Program will support wetlands restoration and provide social and economic assistance to marsh dwellers. Initiatives include: o Creating a hydraulic model of the marshes to improve water management. o Equipping a soil and water quality lab at the new Center for Iraq Marshlands Restoration. o Implementing pilot projects to improve treatment of waste and drinking water. o Providing social-economic assistance through job- and income-generating activities in fisheries, aquaculture, livestock production, and date-palm reproduction. o Monitoring water quality in reflooded sites. o Extending healthcare services to marsh dwellers. o Building local capacity by partnering with Iraqi institutions such as the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of the Environment, the University of Basrah College of Agriculture, the AMAR Charitable Trust, and the Iraq Foundation, and the governments of Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Highlights this Week: • The Marshlands program has been monitoring the impact of reflooding on the regeneration of the marsh ecosystem. To assist in this process field measurements of conductivity, salinity, pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen were taken from 13 stations in Abu Zarag and 7 stations in Kirmashia.. Water samples collected from each station for the determination of chemical and biological parameters were sent to the University of Baghdad’s Environmental Research Laboratory for analysis. • The field team has identified three existing clinics for rehabilitation and equipping. The clinics are located near the central marsh, in northern Hawizeh, and on the Prosperity River. • Water and soil analyses are underway prior to selecting sites for sorghum demonstration plots. The marshlands agricultural component is seeking to broaden the economic base of marshland farmers, who for decades have relied on selling wheat. All the demonstration crops have been chosen as likely to provide a much higher return to growers than irrigated wheat. Local Governance -- Objectives include: promoting diverse and representative citizen participation in provincial, municipal and local councils; strengthening the management skills of city and provincial administrations, local interim representative bodies, and civic institutions to improve the delivery of essential municipal services; promoting effective advocacy and participation of civil society organizations; enhancing leadership skills; and serving as a recruiting tool for future leaders. Accomplishments to Date: • Implementing local governance activities in 18 governorates. More than 20 million Iraqis engage in policy discourse through local government entities and civil society organizations to: o Enhance transparency and participation in local decision-making processes. o Restore basic services. o Improve the effectiveness of local service delivery. o Establish, develop, and expand the number of civil society organizations that can interact with local government entities. • Established 16 governorate councils, 90 district councils, 194 city or subdistrict councils, and 445 neighborhood councils. 11 • Awarded $16 million to government agencies and civil society organizations to enable municipal authorities to deliver core municipal services. • Committed $2.4 million to support the CPA’s nationwide Civic Education Campaign, which facilitates dialogue and increases democracy awareness. • Supporting preparation of 2004 city council budgets in Mosul, Al Hillah, Babil, and An Najaf. • To date, USAID’s Local Governance Program has conducted a total of 6,865 Democracy Dialogue Activities throughout Iraq. Highlights this Week: • On April 24, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) representatives completed a draft of the Arbil Economic Development Strategy with support from USAID’s Local Governance Program (LGP). The draft strategy will be published in Arbil newspapers and presented in a Kurdistan TV Roundtable Discussion. Following public discussion, a workshop will be organized to prioritize and flesh out individual strategies, and develop action plans for implementing the selected strategies. The strategy is based on the research and discussion generated in a series of six public forms supported by an LGP grant to Salah ad Din University in Arbil. • From April 25-27, the Babil Governorate Health and Education Directorate conducted a “Clean-up Iraq” education festival in Al Hillah that engaged students in discussion of how to initiate changes in their communities, build a democratic society, and keep a clean, healthy environment. Participating students also painted walls buildings, planted a garden, performed plays, and recited poetry. The festival was supported by LGP and continued LGP’s efforts to encourage local governments to become more involved in their communities. Nearly 3,000 students, teachers and school masters attended the festival. The Education Directorate of Babylon, the Human Rights Union and Babylon TV also participated. • On April 29, Baghdad’s Governorate Council elected a new Governor. The Baghdad Governor is the principal advocate for the governorate when interfacing with Ministries and the national government. He is responsible for the governorate’s budget, for basic utility services such as water, sewer and public recreational space maintenance, and for planning and zoning. The governor interfaces with the Governorate Council, the Regional Council and the Baghdad City council to ensure that the needs of the citizens are met. Members of Baghdad’s city, regional, district and sub-district councils were present for the election. This is the first governor of Baghdad governorate that wasn’t appointed by a central authority. • Iraq Property Claims Commission offices are being established in regions where a large portion of the population was displaced to provide a legitimate means for Iraqis to resolve ownership disputes over land, residences and other property. Twelve property claims commission offices have been opened and equipped. Each office is estimated to serve approximately 20,000 claimants. • From April 25-27, residents of Samawah city in Al Muthanna’ Governorate selected representatives who will go on to elect the members of the new Samawah City Council. In total, 19,203 votes were registered and 157 representatives were elected, of whom 19 are women. The voting took place over three days with about one third of the city voting on each day; each of the three sections of the city selected its own delegates. The voting and tallying was witnessed by judges in each location to ensure accuracy in the process. The names of the delegates were announced upon completion of the voting. • Training at Baghdad Water Authority’s training center is continuing in an effort to build the capacity of Baghdad municipal workers to effectively deliver basic services in the city. The center is used to train Baghdad municipal workers on management and cost accounting, finance, and ethics and democracy as it pertains to city management. It is designed to accommodate 24 trainees and has additional office space and training room to accommodate an additional 15 trainees, so that more than one training session can be conducted concurrently. The Center is equipped with state of the art training equipment. Each training desk is equipped with a desktop computer and Internet connection. In addition, the center has four television monitors, video capability, and an overhead projector. Fourteen employees took courses in 12 budgeting and English and 48 received training in computer applications this week. Since January 17, 2004, 638 Baghdad Amanat staff have learned with Windows, Word, Auto CAD, English, Accounting and Management courses. Approximately half of the attendees have been women. • On April 27, 12 Baghdad Director Generals completed an Executive Course in Management, which focused on leadership skills. In Al Hillah, Iraqi staff trained the Al Kifil and Al Shumali councils on access and use of the CPA Local Government Fund, mechanism for local public infrastructure construction. In addition, the Hillah officials discussed parliamentary procedures and management of committees. The Iraqi staff provided training on parliamentary procedures and committee structure to 35 council members from the Hillah Rural Areas Council and Al Niil council. USAID’s Local Governance Program supported the assistance to Iraqi local leaders. Transition Initiatives -- Objectives include: building and sustaining Iraqi confidence in the transition to a participatory, stable, and democratic Iraq and working closely with the CPA, USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative assists Iraqi NGOs, national government institutions, and local governments to increase Iraqi support for the transition to sovereignty through quick-dispersing, high impact small grants. Accomplishments to Date: • Awarded 762 small grants totaling more than $50 million for quick impact activities that support good governance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, and human rights and transitional justice. • Supporting initiatives crucial to the democratic transition, including civic education, civil society and media development, increased women’s participation, conflict mitigation, and transitional justice. Groups targeted for assistance include women’s and youth groups, professional associations, and human rights organizations. • Met critical needs during and immediately after the conflict by providing short-term employment, restoring basic government and community services, increasing Iraqi access to information and communication, and encouraging protection of human rights. • Funded over 55 grants totaling $3 million that focus on women’s issues, including the establishment of 14 women’s centers in Iraq. Rehabilitated over 130 Iraqi national ministries, schools, clinics and other municipal buildings. Supporting 23 Iraqi groups in documenting human rights abuses of the Ba’athist regime and promoting peace, tolerance, and reconciliation. Highlights this Week: • The South Central Tribal Democracy Center will employ 1,000 people to do reconstruction and clean-up work in their communities. The program is being implemented in coordination with local tribal leaders and will employ 100 people from each of 10 south central communities. This project is receiving support from a grant under USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative program. • The Hillah Neighborhood Watch Initiative provides surveillance lights, tents, extension cords, and portable generators for 15 neighborhood watch groups. Security has been a major concern in this area and neighborhoods are coming together to improve their own safety and well-being. The project is funded by USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative. • At’ Tamim Governorate’s Youth and Sports Directorate is establishing an Internet center and receiving sports equipment in to develop the organization as a community center. This Directorate, based in Kirkuk, works to alleviate ethnic tensions in the governorate by providing opportunities for young people from different cultural and religious groups to interact in a positive manner and work together constructively. The former Ba’athist regime provoked conflict between Arabs and Kurds through forced displacement of the population or by outright discrimination. Improvements to the Youth and Sports Directorate are made possible by a grant under USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative program. 13 • The Independent Human Rights Society in Mosul will conduct a three-month democracy dialogue forum in coordination with USAID’s Local Governance Program. The forum received a grant from the Iraq Transition Initiatives program to provide furniture and equipment for the NGO’s facilities. • The College of Nursing in Arbil will rehabilitate its building and purchase basic furniture and equipment. This all-female educational institution provides a unique opportunity for women to learn a valuable market skill and contribute to the social and economic well-being of their families and community. The College is currently in a very run down condition, with limited equipment and supplies. Purchase of the equipment and furniture is made possible by a grant from USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative program. • The Iraqi Governing Council’s Press Information Center will increase the capacity of the incoming Iraqi Interim Government to interact with local and international media outlets. The Center will allow a government press relations team of up to 55 personnel to promote the policies of the Iraqi Interim Government. This rehabilitation and furnishing of the Center project is being funded by the Iraq Transition Initiative program to encourage government transparency and dissemination of accurate public information. • “Saddam’s Mass Graves” – the Evini Films documentary supported by ITI –was featured in its United States premiere at the TriBeCa Film Festival from May 7-9, 2004. Over the past two months the documentary has been broadcast on more than 20 different occasions to viewers throughout Iraq on ten national, local, and satellite television channels. Since the liberation of Iraq in April, over 200 grave sites have been discovered throughout Iraq. Some figures estimate over 300,000 victims buried in mass graves in Iraq. Iraq is now considered to have the largest number of mass graves in the world. • The Kurdistan Women’s Union (KWU) received a grant from ITI to conduct mobile outreach activities in rural communities of Arbil Governorate. This project will send three mobile teams of four women each to village to conduct a series of human rights, health care, child-development and democracy workshops over a course of three months. Community Action Program -- Objectives include: promoting diverse, representative citizen participation in and among communities to identify, prioritize, and satisfy critical community needs, while utilizing local resources. CAP is implemented by five U.S. NGOs with offices in nine major Iraqi cities. Each concentrates on one region in Iraq: ACDI/VOCA (North), International Relief and Development-- IRD (Baghdad), Cooperative Housing Foundation International--CHF (Southwest Central), Mercy Corps (Southeast Central), and Save the Children (South). Accomplishments to Date: • Established more than 650 Community Action Groups in 17 governorates. The projects undertaken by these groups are part of a campaign targeting grassroots democratic development. • CAP has committed $51 million for 1,395 community projects across Iraq; 845 projects have already been completed. • Iraqi communities have contributed more than 25 percent of the value of the community projects. Contributions have included labor, land, buildings, and other in-kind assistance. • ACDI/VOCA focuses on the conflict prone areas of the Sunni Triangle, Mosul, Kirkuk and the Iran-Iraq border. Their work uniting communities has resulted in 162 completed projects and another 125 in development. These include establishing a youth center in Hawija and developing a new local water supply in Tikrit. • CHF has established a strong presence in the communities of the Shi’i holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, as well as Hillah by facilitating very active community associations. A strong emphasis on critical infrastructure needs has provided these communities with results such as sewage and water rehabilitation, school repairs, swamp clean-up, and repairs to vital social infrastructure. They have completed 111 projects. 14 • IRD has completed 253 projects in working with 142 community action groups. Income generation is an important emphasis. A marketplace for over 700 vendors is being constructed, and crews are cleaning up medical waste dumps and educating medical personnel on proper disposal methods. • Mercy Corps has completed 122 projects and 76 more are in development. In the Shi’i heartland, these projects are addressing needs resulting from decades of governmental neglect and focus on water, sewerage, community clean-up, and school rehabilitation. • Save the Children has completed 298 projects through 138 community action groups which average 33 percent women’s participation. Projects have focused primarily on immediate community needs such as sewage clean up, water treatment and distribution, public health, and girls’ access to education. Highlights this Week: • Residents of the village of Albu-Ghraydi in Karbala’ Governorate have completed the reconstruction of a bridge which will benefit approximately 4,000 people in the community. A safer, wider bridge has been constructed and is being managed by the Directorate of Irrigation. At the bridge site, Mr. Abbas declared that “mothers will no longer have to worry about their children going to schools and people will no longer worry about accessing the health clinic in cases of emergency”. Community members who “obtained the proper [permits] and assisted in the implementation of the development because they felt it was their own development and it is only sensible to make it a success”. • The rehabilitation of a playground in Baghdad’s Mansour district is complete. The playground was neglected and full of weeds and trash that had accumulated in the absence of Mansour district children's garden – A USAID grant removed weeds and trash and installed new lights and benches. 100,000 Mansour district residents will benefit from these improvements. municipal collection services after the conflict. Through this initiative, community members cleaned the park and installed lights and benches to make it a safe and enjoyable place for children to play. This project will serve 100,000 people. Work in this community began when Community Action Program partner International Relief and Development (IRD) met with community members in Mansour to form a community group which would prioritize the needs of the community and initiate community improvement projects. In addition to the rehabilitation of the playground, past projects have included trash collection, street light installation, and school rehabilitation. IRD has completed a total of 253 projects in Baghdad with 53 additional projects in development. • To preserve Iraq’s rich cultural history, a new document center is under construction in the city of Mosul to house ancient religious documents, most of which focus on Islam. Currently, the manuscripts are held in a tiny Construction of the new Document Center in Mosul has resumed. The building will house rare documents, some of which date back more than 1,000 years. library space, without proper classification and in a ventilation system that circulates the dust and dirt. These rare documents capture Iraq’s rich cultural history. Many are handwritten and some date back more than 1,000 years. Other texts originated during 15 the Abassid caliphate, one of the greatest periods in Islamic and Iraqi history. The documents include private correspondence and papers of the four Imams whose scholarly efforts culminated in the Shari'a, the Islamic Holy Code. Through this project, which is being supported by Mosul community members as well as USAID Community Action Program partner ACDI/VOCA, a new three-story building is being constructed and furnished. The building will include a new library office and acquisition center, a modern library, a separate section for the rare documents, and a reading room for students and scholars to study the ancient manuscripts. This project is being implemented in close coordination with the Ninawa’ Governorate Department of Religious Affairs. 16 USAID Iraq Reconstruction Financial Summary Agency Implementing Partner Sector Regions Amount FY 2003-2004* RECONSTRUCTION USAID/ANE ..................................................................................... Subtotal: $2,634,819,155 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $20,995,000 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 Army Corps of Engineers Architecture and Engineering services Countrywide $17,000,000 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $62,800,000 Bechtel National Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanitation Countrywide $1,029,833,259 Bechtel National Infrastructure II: Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanitation Countrywide $809,521,939 Community Action Program Development in impoverished communities Countrywide $114,500,000 DAI Marshlands Dhi Qar Al Basrah Maysan $4,000,000 DAI Agriculture Countrywide $8,397,156 Fed Source Personnel Support Countrywide $163,572 IRG Reconstruction Support Countrywide $29,087,094 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $236,911,000 CAII Education Countrywide $56,503,000 UNICEF Health, Water, and Sanitation Countrywide $36,700,000 UNICEF Education Countrywide $19,600,000 UNESCO Textbook Printing and Distribution: Math and Science Countrywide $10,000,000 WHO Strengthen Health System Countrywide $10,000,000 SSA Port Management Umm Qasr $14,318,985 SkyLink Airport Management Baghdad Al Basrah Mosul $27,200,000 MSI Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $5,500,000 University Partners Consortium led by the Research Foundation of the State University of Baghdad University, Al Mustansiriyah $20,730,000 17 New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook which includes Columbia University, Boston University and Oxford University (England), University of Hawaii, DePaul University College of Law and the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences in Siracusa, Italy; and Jackson State University and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development; and Oklahoma State University. University in Baghdad, Mosul University, Mosul University’s College of Agriculture and Forestry in Hamam al-Alil, Basrah University, Al- Anbar University, and University of Salahaddin. Yankee Group Telecoms Planning Countrywide $58,150 UNDP Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 World Bank Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 EMERGENCY RELIEF USAID/DCHA/OFDA ...............................................................................................$100,699,384 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,294,561 AirServ Logistics Countrywide $5,309,876 ARC Capacity building, Disaster support Al Basrah $537,746 The Cuny Center Research studies Countrywide $40,260 GOAL Coordination, Nutrition Al Muthanna’ $1,507,900 International Dispensary Association Health Countrywide $1,284,972 InterAction Coordination Kuwait City $92,860 IOM IDP programs Countrywide $5,000,000 Logistics Commodities and DART support Countrywide $20,902,534 UNICEF Health, nutrition, water/sanitation Countrywide $4,000,000 UN OCHA Coordination and Information Countrywide $1,450,000 USAID Amman Support for emergency water activities Countrywide $500,000 WFP Logistics and pre-positioning of food Countrywide $5,000,000 IMC Food Security, Health, Nutrition, Water/Sanitation, Capacity building Countrywide $13,702,900 IRC Health, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $6,198,685 Mercy Corps Health, Non-Food Items, Shelter, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $7,000,000 SCF/US Food Security, Health, Shelter, Nutrition, Non-Food Items, Water/Sanitation, NGO Consortium Countrywide $6,883,131 World Vision Health, Logistics, Non-Food Items, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $4,993,959 CARE Quick-impact projects, Water/Sanitation, Health, Blankets Countrywide $9,000,000 USAID/DCHA/FFP .................................................................................................$425,571,000 WFP Operations Countrywide $45,000,000 WFP Emerson Trust – 81,500 MT Countrywide $40,337,000 WFP P.L. 480 Title II emergency food commodities – 163,820 MT Countrywide $140,234,000 18 WFP Regional Purchase – 330,000 MT Countrywide $200,000,000 USAID/DCHA/OTI.................................................................................................. $161,488,682 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $3,506,174 IOM Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $7,087,595 DAI Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $139,900,000 Internews Media Countrywide $160,359 Radio SAWA Media Countrywide $400,000 NDI/IRI National Governance Countrywide $650,000 IFES National Governance Countrywide $1,042,315 ICNL Civil Society Countrywide $39,238 Spa War** Inter-Ministry Communications Countrywide $8,703,001 TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003/2004 .............................................$3,322,975,005 * Figures in funding sheet are subject to change and do not represent a final official accounting of USG obligations. ** For accounting purposes, funding for this activity has been obligated by OFDA under an existing interagency agreement. 19