Connecting Iraq to the World

Connecting Iraq to the World Transportation Rehabilitation November 2003 Challenges: Though the transportation infrastructure sustained minimal damage during the recent conflict, it was severely neglected under the Hussein regime. The deterioration was due to lack of investment and maintenance over the past two decades. The challenge is to restore the transportation in order to effectively provide assistance and restore normal transportation services to the Iraqi people. Effective humanitarian assistance and reconstruction requires functional airports, seaports, roads, bridges, and railroads. Goals: USAID’s transportation infrastructure projects support Iraqi and Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) priorities in facilitating the movement of passengers and goods quickly and effectively. To meet these goals USAID is: • Preparing two international airports—in Baghdad and Basrah—for the resumption of commercial traffic. • Rehabilitating the port at Umm Qasr to handle modern shipping operations • Repairing bridges and roads which are critical to moving people and equipment and ultimately restoring commerce throughout the country. • Repairing sections of railroad to ensure bulk grain and freight movement to key locations. Over 3.8 million cubic meters of mud – the size of a football field 23 stories high – have been dredged from the Umm Qasr port channel. Humanitarian relief shipments, along with commercial traffic, are now able to enter the port to provide much needed relief and stimulate economic activity. (USAID photograph) Progress includes: Airports: • Over 500 military and NGO flights since July have arrived and departed smoothly at Baghdad International Airport. Passengers are processed by CPA immigration, baggage, and customs personnel. • Completed significant amount of infrastructure work at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) and Basrah International Airport (BIA). Seaports: • Port reopened to commercial traffic June 17; and first passenger vessel arrived July 16—exceeding goals for the use of the port and restoration of these services. • Major dredging activities are now complete and port is able to handle deep-draft ships at all 21 berths. • Power and grain facilities operational, enabling the storage and distribution of humanitarian supplies. • Interim port tariffs were approved and applied on June 20, providing a revenue stream for the financial sustainability for port operations. Terminal C at Baghdad International Airport has been refurbished and repaired as part of a $17.5 million project to rebuild Iraqi airports in Baghdad, Basrah and Mosul . The airport has the capacity to handle 7.5 million passengers a day. (USAID photograph) Working in close cooperation with the Coalition Provisional Authority to improve the lives of the Iraqi people, USAID is devoting substantial resources throughout the country to restore critical infrastructure, support the delivery of healthcare and education services, expand economic opportunities, and improve governance. Sector Snapshot Sector Snapshot Improving Transportation One of many sites in Iraq. Repairs have begun on the damaged Khazir River bridge on the route from Mosul to Kirkuk and on the Al Mat and Tikrit bridges as well. (USAID photograph) Bridges: • Construction of a 1.5-kilometer, four-lane bypass for the damaged Al-Mat Bridge west of Baghdad was completed in September. Over 3000 trucks a day use the bypass. The new bridge is to be completed by February 2004. • In order to reconnect Baghdad to key northern cities, demolition of irreparable sections of two key bridges was completed and new construction has commenced. Khazir bridge is scheduled for completion in January 2004, and the Tikrit bridge in May 2004. Iraqi workers are unloading humanitarian relief food that will be transported from the port at Umm Qasr, along the rehabilitated section of the railroad. (USAID photograph) USAID Progress cont’d: Railroad: • Rehabilitating a 72 km (45 miles) section of track from Umm Qasr to Shuiaba Junctions (near Basrah) to assist in transporting critical relief supplies. Iraq Surface Transportation TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS PROJECTS Project Complete Project Complete Complete by 6/04 Complete by 6/04 The Al mat bypass and the Highway 10 blockage removal are completed and three other major bridge repair work is on schedule in order to reconnect Baghdad to the major northern cities. Over 500,000 MT of cargo has been shipped through Umm Qasr Port since May 22, 2003. United States Agency for International Development www.usaid.gov/iraq/