الوكالة الأمريكية للتنمية — العراق: نشرة حقائق رقم 13، 26 كانون الثاني 2005

RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE January 26, 2005 A new generator ready for testing and rotor installation at a power generation facility in southern Baghdad. Contents: ElectricityÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...Ö.Ö...2 Water and SanitationÖÖÖÖ...ÖÖ...ÖÖ.Ö3 Economic Governance..ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..ÖÖ4 Agriculture..ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...5 Education.ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..6 Democracy and Governance.............................7 ElectionsÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...8 Disaster AssistanceÖÖ.ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...9 Transition InitiativesÖÖ.ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.10 Completed ActivitiesÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.11 Financial SummaryÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...12 USAID assists Iraqis in reconstructing their country by working with Iraqís Interim Government. Programs are implemented in coordination with the United Nations, country partners, nongovernmental organizations and private sector partners. This report highlights USAIDís overall accomplishments and recent reconstruction efforts in Iraq. For more information, please visit www.usaid.gov/iraq. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WWW.USAID.GOV MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE ELECTRICITY USAIDís goals include the emergency repair or rehabilitation of power genera- tion facilities and electrical grids. Teams of engineers from the Ministry of Electricity, USAID and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working since May of 2003 to restore the capacity of Iraqís power system. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís project to increase generation at a thermal major power plant in Babil Governorate is moving forward and is now 56 percent complete. This plant has four units which each have a nameplate rating of about 320 MW for a total of 1,280 MW. The plant was built in the early 1980s and was generating about 435 MW a day when USAID began rehabilitation work in spring 2004. Under this project, USAID-supported advisors are providing technical and management oversight to the Ministry of Energy (MoE), which is responsible for the plant. These advisors assist the MoE with damage and rehabilitation assessment, procurement of parts and equipment, and other specialty ser- vices necessary for the partial rehabilitation of the plant. These services will be provided through spring of this year. To date, USAIDís rehabilitation efforts at the power plant have in- creased net capacity by 355 MW. When rehabilitation efforts are complete in May 2005, it is expected that the total increase in capacity will be approxi- mately 500 MW. Work is continuing on the refurbishment of two units at a large thermal power station in south Baghdad. The stationís four steam boilers and tur- bines were designed to produce 160 MW, but this capacity has been de- graded due to lack of maintenance. The stationís cooling systems are se- verely damaged, meaning that the generator turbines cannot operate at full- load without risk of damage from overheating. As a result, the plant is now operating far below its full-load rating of 640 MW. Recent average output has been in the range of 160-170 MW, with two units operating. This activity is refurbishing steam turbine generation Units 5 and 6 at the power station. The control system for both unitsí boilers and turbines is ob- solete and extensive work is required be- fore the units can op- erate reliably at their design output. About 350 Iraqi workers are employed by this re- habilitation activity, which is now 75% finished and is sched- uled for completion in May of this year. Upon completion, an additional 320 MW is projected to be available for Baghdadís electri- cal grid. JANUARY 26, 2005 • By October, 2003, rehabilitated electric power capacity to pro- duce peak capacity greater than the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. Production reached 5,365 MW on August 18, 2004. • Since achieving record power production in Summer ë04, the Ministry of Electricityówith as- sistance from USAIDóhas be- gun the standard Fall mainte- nance process which will neces- sarily reduce the amount of power available for consump- tion. USAID worked with the MOE to conduct last Fallís maintenance program. • Repairing thermal units, replac- ing turbines, rehabilitating the power distribution network, and installing and restoring genera- tors. • USAID has added 535 MW of capacity through maintenance and rehabilitation work, and also repaired a 400 KV transmission line. • USAID and the Ministry of Elec- tricity are working with partners to add a total of more than 1,281 MW to the national grid by December 2005 through maintenance, rehabilitation, and new generation projects. • USAID completed a project to convert two units that produce 80 MW each to operate on crude/heavy fuel oil instead of diesel which is in short supply. • Most recently, USAID has initi- ated a project to rehabilitate 13 existing substations and con- struct 24 new substations in Baghdad. These 37 substations will improve the distribution and reliability of electricity for more than two million Baghdad resi- dents. Work is progressing on the Unit 5 high pressure turbine UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 2 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE WATER AND SANITATION USAIDís goal is to improve the efficiency and reliability of existing water and wastewater treatment facilities, especially those in the south where water quantity and quality are particularly low. An anticipated 11.8 million Iraqis will benefit from USAIDís $600 million in water and sanitation projects. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Last month, engineers completed work on the rehabilitation of a waste- water treatment plant in Diwaniyah, a major city in Al Qadisiyah Gover- norate. This plant was designed to treat raw sewage from 80,000 users, or about 20% of the flow from the city sewers; however, prior to the beginning of this rehabilitation activity, the plant was not functional and its diverted flow of untreated raw sewage was being discharged directly into the river. Now that the activity is complete, the plant is once again treating wastewater. The scope of work for this project involved restoring the plant to service by replacing mechanical and electrical equipment as needed to reach full ca- pacity. Operations and maintenance staff were also trained in order to en- sure sustainability. Major overhauls included service inlet lift stations, inter- mediate lift stations, aeration tanks, sludge pumps, an 11KV transformer with switchgear, rewiring of controls and power system, and a modern, chlo- rine-dosing disinfecting system. Local labor was used whenever possible. Final inspections on the plant were completed last month. Temporarily, the plant is operating at 50% of capacity to help save fuel in the midst of a na- tionwide diesel fuel shortage. When this shortage is resolved, the plant will resume processing flows at full capacity. Installation of chlorinator piping continues at the Najaf Water Treatment Plant. All high-lift pumps and seven low-lift pumps have now been com- missioned at the plant and only one low-lift pump remains in progress. Also, both the distribution pump and the tank fill pump have been installed. Operations and Maintenance training continued onsite last week, completing on-job-training hours. Finally, manual synchronization of three 1 MW emer- gency generators was successful this week. Full operation of the plant should begin in early February 2005. The water treatment plant supplies potable water to the majority of the 563,000 residents of Najaf. While current disinfection is sufficient to control bacterial growth, cysts formed by waterborne parasites are surviving treat- ment. These pathogens cause amoebic dysentery, a disease that can be fatal to the ill, children, and elderly. This project will restore the current Wa- ter Treatment Plant in Najaf to its full capacity and meet drink- ing water quality standards. The project is 88% complete and is expected to be fin- ished in February 2005. JANUARY 26, 2005 • Nationwide: Repaired various sewage lift stations and water treatment units. • Baghdad: Expanding one water treatment plant and constructing another to increase capacity by approximately 70 million gallons per day; rehabilitating sewage treatment plants. − A major wastewater treatment plant in Baghdad began operat- ing in June of 2004; this is the first major sewage plant in the country to operate in over 12 years. − The sewage treatment system in Baghdad, barely functioning for years before the conflict, will be restored to almost 100- percent capacity, serving 80 percent of Baghdadís popula- tion. − Standby generators are being installed at 41 Baghdad water facilities. • South: Rehabilitating parts of the Sweet Water Canal system, including repairing breaches, cleaning the main reservoir, and refurbishing 14 water treatment plants around Basrah serving 1.75 million people. • South Central: Rehabilitating two water plants and four sew- age plants. − Completed the rehabilitation of a sewage plant in Babil Gover- norate. − Sewage plants in An Najaf, Al Qadisiyah, Karbala, and Babil Governorates will serve 440,000 upon completion. − Water treatment in Najaf and Babil will serve residents and visitors at Iraqís holiest shrines. • North: Rehabilitating two water plants and one sewage plant near Mosul and Kirkuk. The Najaf Water Treatment Plant supplies potable water to the majority of the 563,000 city residents UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 3 JANUARY 26, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE USAID supports sustainable economic reforms in Iraq including examining and reforming laws, regulations, and institutions and providing a framework for private sector trade, commerce, and investment. The reforms will strengthen the Central Bank and the Ministries of Finance, Trade, Commerce and Indus- tryóamong others. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Advisors working on USAIDís Private Sector Development Initiative (PSD II) are supporting the establishment of a government privatization entity to oversee any national privatization program. PSD II staff are con- tributing to an ongoing discussion among Iraqi government officials as to the make-up and responsibilities of such an entity. As this discussion continues, PSD II is participating by drafting papers that help to outline potential roles. The collaboration among Iraqi government officials, USAID and private sec- tor representatives recently produced the revision of a privatization white paper, initially prepared in November 2004, to incorporate new findings on small-scale privatization. Once finalized, the paper will guide future policy decisions. The new draft of the paper was circulated to members of the Iraq Privatization Commission and the Economic Development Advisor to Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and was reportedly well received. Under USAIDís Iraq Economic Governance II (IEG II) program, advisors are working to improve Iraqís tax policy, tax administration, and cus- toms system. Reform of fiscal infrastructure and policy will help mobilize revenue from Iraqís economy and facilitate allocation of resources to support growth in investment as well as the provision of adequate public services. Re- cent activities focused on preparing for the rollout of the 2005 Wage Withhold- ing Tax system have included: IEG II program advisors are working with Iraqi Tax Commission officials to prepare training materials for the 2005 Wage Withholding Tax. USAID re- cently delivered a totally revised guide in English and Arabic for the 2005 Wage Withholding Tax. Program advisors also recently completed development of the tax account- ing module of the tax IT system. Final testing is being conducted before de- ploying the system. It is anticipated that the system will be operational by the beginning of February 2005 to process sales tax and wage withholding tax. Finally, USAID developed an Excel spreadsheet to assist employers in determining the proper withholding for their employees. Once tested and translated, it will be distributed to all employers. Since February 2004, the IEG II program has worked to install the Finan- cial Management Information System (FMIS) in approximately 50 Iraqi government institutions. FMIS is an automated networked accounting and budget execution system with online access and a real-time updated central- ized database for all spending organizations in Iraq. Several trainings were conducted in December and January for approxi- mately 140 staff members of various ministries including the ministries of Communications, Education, Electricity, Finance, Health, Higher Education, Labor and Social Affairs, Municipalities and Public Works, and Planning and Development Cooperation. • Worked with the Ministry of Fi- nance to introduce the new Iraqi dinar. • Created more than 77,000 pub- lic works jobs through the Na- tional Employment Program. • Provided technical assistance on accounting, budgeting and lending activities at Iraqís com- mercial banks. • Improved statistical analysis, monetary policymaking, and bank supervision procedures at Iraqís Central Bank. • Provided technical assistance for CPAís $21 million micro- credit program. • Provided technical assistance for the Oil for Food transition to prepare Iraqi ministries to as- sume responsibility for OFF contracts. • Evaluated and updated com- mercial laws on private sector and foreign investment. • Assisted in developing the re- construction levy in collabora- tion with the CPA and the UK Customs Service; this levy im- poses a five percent tariff on imports to Iraq. • Developed a government-wide IT strategy to support the auto- mation of planning, budgeting and reporting processes across ministries. • Provided technical assistance as well as information on con- tracting opportunities for Iraqi businesses through business centers. • Provided technical support for the re-opening of the Iraq Stock Exchange after it was closed down for more than 15 months; 3.6 billion Iraqi dinars ($2.4 mil- lion USD) in shares were traded in the first day. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 4 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE AGRICULTURE USAIDís goals are to work in conjunction with Iraqi ministries, the private sec- tor, and higher education institutions to revitalize agricultural production, stimulate income and employment generation, nurture rural initiatives, and rehabilitate the natural resource base. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís Agricultural Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI), in close coordination with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) have established winter crop technology demonstration programs in ten governorates throughout Iraq. Despite the continued violence, the program has made significant progress. With the exception of Ninawaí Governorate, one can see that the technical teams in each governorate have been able to plant 100 percent of the planned demonstrations. The teams have put in a to- tal of 152 demonstration plots of eight different crops or crop combinations. The teams will monitor the progress of the demonstrations and plan for field days in the spring. The successful planting shows that the MOA is indeed committed to the recovery of the agricultural sector. The MOA and ARDI have completed two rounds of demonstrations ñ one in winter of 2003-04 and another in summer 2004. During the 2004-2005 win- ter season, the MOA and ARDI are demonstrating several new techniques, including utilizing soil testing to determine appropriate fertilizer application on each farm, and applying pesticides to control pests, not according to a predetermined prescribed level or frequency. JANUARY 26, 2005 • Summer and Winter Crop Technology Demonstrations: These demonstrations are intro- ducing farmers to new technolo- gies and techniques through extension field days. • Animal Health: Several veteri- nary clinics in Kirkuk, Fallujah, and other cities are being reno- vated and a grant has been made for dipping tanks to im- prove sheep health and wool. • Technology Support: The Min- istry of Agriculture and a major universityís schools of Agricul- ture and Veterinary Science have been awarded grants to furnish and equip computer centers, improving research capabilities and consulting ca- pacity. • Date Palm Propagation: In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, 40,000 elite date palm offshoots are being used to establish mother orchards in 13 governorates as part of a multiplication program and the establishment of a national reg- ister of elite varieties. • Agriculture Sector Transition Plan: This plan, completed in mid-April, addresses the short- term recovery of agricultural infrastructure as well as medium and long-term implementation of policies to develop a market- based agricultural economy. Bread Wheat Durum Wheat Rice Wheat Wheat Salt resistant Barley Barley & Vetch Vetch Potato Total Execution (%) Ninawa 11 6 23 5 2 2 49 50% Arbil 10 5 3 2 20 100% Dahuk 4 2 3 9 100% Sulaymaniyah 7 2 3 12 100% Kirkuk 8 2 3 2 15 100% Diwaniya 7 2 1 10 100% Wasit 10 2 3 15 100% Baghdad 7 1 4 12 100% Babil 6 2 8 100% Najaf 2 2 100% TOTAL 70 17 8 5 35 5 2 10 152 85% Number of plots (one plot per farmer) by governorates and crops with percentage of execution up to January 4, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 5 EDUCATION JANUARY 26, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Facilities − Awarded 627 grants worth more than $6 million to rehabilitate schools and equip Directorates General. − Rehabilitated 2,405 schools countrywide. • Supplies − Distributed desks, chairs, cabi- nets, chalkboards, and kits for primary and secondary schools countrywide. − Printed and distributed 8.7 mil- lion revised math and science textbooks to grades 1-12 by mid-February 2004. • Institutional Strengthening − Completed a major initiative that trained nearly 33,000 secondary school teachers and administra- tors, including 860 master train- ers, nationwide. − Conducted a pilot accelerated learning program in five Iraqi cities to allow out-of-school chil- dren to complete two school years in one year. More than 550 students participated. − Assisted the Ministry in estab- lishing official baseline educa- tion data for Iraq. • Higher Education − Awarded five grants worth $20.7 million to create partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi universi- ties. Through these partner- ships, Iraqi universities are re- building infrastructure; re- equipping university facilities; participating in international conferences; attending work- shops and refresher courses; and reforming curriculum. USAIDís goals are to increase enrollment, improve the quality of primary and secondary education, ensure classrooms have sufficient supplies, facilitate community involvement, train teachers, implement accelerated learning pro- grams, and establish partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi colleges and uni- versities. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program is sup- porting a university partnership between two Iraqi universities and the University of Hawaii. This partnership is working to improve academic pro- grams, laboratory and research facilities, and administration in the agricultural sciences. Recent University of Hawaii project activities have included: Three additional Iraqi graduate students have arrived in Honolulu to pursue PhD degrees. A total of five Iraqi students are now enrolled in PhD pro- grams at the University of Hawaii through this program; an additional student is conducting PhD research there. All participants are completing an intensive four-month English language training course as a part of the pro- gram. The three new students are joining the following departments: Natural Resources and Environmental Management; Plant and Environmental Pro- tection Science; and Molecular Biochemistry and Biosystems Engineering. Intensive English classes were started on January 11, 2005 in order to develop English language abilities for faculty members of the College of Agriculture at one of the participating Iraqi universities. The classes will help the faculty actively participate at upcoming workshops in Statistics and Experimental Design, Field Crops, Soil & Water Resources, and Tech- nology Transfer. A refresher course in agricultural experimental design and analysis, lead by regional experts, was held at one of the participating Iraqi uni- versities. There were 27 participants, including six women. A learning center at one of the participating Iraqi universities has been completed with support from USAIDís HEAD program. The center has internet facilities as well as The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL). The TEEAL library includes 11 years of agricultural sciences lit- erature from over 140 journals. The HEAD program is also sponsoring a cooperative effort between three Iraqi universities and a consortium of US universities led by Jack- son State University. This partnership is working to improve equipment and textbooks, faculty training, and institutional organization in the areas of public health and sanitation. Recent project activities have included: One of the participating Iraqi universities received an oxygen bottle, regulator and patientís bed through program funding to improve labo- ratory equipment. These inputs, worth $ 1100, will improve the nursing laboratory of the Clinical Medical Science Department of the Nursing Col- lege at the university. Health faculty from participating US universities are working with counterparts at Iraqi universities to produce a CD ROM-based curricu- lum and course materials. Currently the course outline is being discussed. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 6 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Established regional offices in Al Basrah, Al Hillah, Baghdad, and Mosul and operations in all governorates. • Awarded $15.5 million in rapid- response grants in the first pro- gram year to strengthen the capacity of municipal authorities to deliver core municipal ser- vices. The grants were used to restore services in agriculture, education, health, electricity, sanitation, and water. • Facilitated the establishment and refreshment of 16 gover- norate councils, 90 district coun- cils, 194 city or sub-district councils, and 445 neighborhood councils. • Organized and facilitated nu- merous selection processes for governors and mayors, as well as local council members, throughout Iraq. • Committed more than $2.4 mil- lion for the nationwide Civic Education Campaign, which educates Iraqis on democracy and Iraqís political situation. More than 28,500 democracy dialogues have been conducted to date. • Supported preparation of 2004 city council budgets in Baghdad, Mosul, Al Hillah, Babil, and An Najaf. • Supporting a series of National Agenda Dialogue Conferences, which engage stakeholders such as academics, journalists, women, tribal leaders, and local government officials in discus- sions on their roles in Iraqís emerging democracy. DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE USAIDís goals in the Democracy and Governance sector include promoting representative citizen participation in governance at the national and sub- national level; supporting the administration of transparent and credible elec- toral processes; strengthening the management skills of national, city, and provincial administrations and civic institutions; promoting advocacy and par- ticipation of civil society organizations; enhancing leadership skills; and serv- ing as a recruiting tool for future leaders. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Local Governance Program (LGP) specialists completed installation of the accounting, payroll, and procurement systems for the Baghdad May- oralty and held meetings with accounting staff to discuss the development and implementation of the new accounting system. LGP specialists also continued their review and assessment of Geo- graphic Information Systems (GIS) equipment at the Baghdad Mayoralty to facilitate planning in infrastructure sectors, health, emergency, land cadas- tre and eventually for an electronic fee collection system. Officials from a major Iraqi bank are working with LGP staff to imple- ment direct deposit for Baghdad Mayoralty employee salaries. Currently, 6,700 employees--out of a potential 15,000--are participating in the program. Coordination is being conducted with bank officials and USAIDís Economic Governance program to resume account acceptance in order to achieve 100 percent employee participation. A four day Basic Management and Supervisory Training Workshop was held for 37 officials from the As Sulaymaniyah Ministry of Municipalities and facilitated by the LGP. The workshop covered topics including time man- agement, leadership skills, skills of effective local government, managerís skills, and delegation and problem solving. South Centralís LGP staff supervised the acquisition and transfer of fur- niture to five agriculture department offices throughout Al Qadisiyah governorate. Staff also supervised the installation of internet infrastructure in agriculture department offices to provide farmers with on-line access to mod- ern agricultural techniques and strategies. LGP specialists recently completed the installation of 50 computers for the Baghdad governorate Wa- ter and Sewage offices and are currently configur- ing the systems. All 15 lo- cations which received com- puters were setup, con- nected to the internet, and tested before handover to authorities for water and sewage monitoring. Basic training is ongoing for 30 staff members on the new computer systems. JANUARY 26, 2005 Computer installation at Baghdad governorate Water and Sewage offices UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 7 JANUARY 26, 2005 • USAID has awarded a coopera- tive agreement to the Consor- tium for Election and Political Processes Strengthening (CEPPS) which includes three US NGOs. This agreement has a $50 million ceiling, of which $23 million has been obligated to date. Within this electoral processes grant USAID seeks to achieve the following: − Educate voters and promote participation in the electoral process − Build the capacity of Iraqi elec- tion monitoring organizations − Support efforts to monitor and mitigate electoral conflict. • USAID also awarded a $40 mil- lion cooperative agreement to an NGO to support the Inde- pendent Electoral Commission of Iraq's (IECI) administration of the transitional election cycle, which includes the January 2005 elections, the October 2005 Constitutional Referen- dum, and the December 2005 National Assembly Elections. This program is being imple- mented at the request of the IECI and in direct coordination with UN activities. • For more information on the upcoming elections, please visit the website of the Iraqi Election Information Network, www.iraqiein.org/english. EIN is an NGO coordinating elections support across Iraq. ELECTIONS UPDATE Consistent with USAIDís policy with regard to supporting elections, USAID activities in Iraq make a good faith effort to assist all political organizations with equitable levels of assistance, do not seek to determine election out- comes, and support representative multiparty systems. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK The Civic Coalition for Free Elections (CCFE), a non-partisan movement of 76 civic organizations from across Iraq, is continuing to educate Iraqis about the upcoming elections and the importance of voting. The coalition is supported by a USAID-funded NGO. Recent activities include: Television Messaging ó More than five television messages have been pro- duced by the CCFE, including two that are already being aired on Iraqi tele- vision channels including Sharqia, Iraqia, Sumeriya, and numerous regional broadcast stations in Sunni areas. The messages promote awareness about the CCFE as a group of Iraqi civic leaders, while encouraging Iraqis to go to the polls on January 30th . Candidate Debates ó CCFE will host televised debates between Transi- tional National Assembly candidates. Local Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) Campaign ó The distribution of CCFE bro- chures and posters began last week as part of a grass-roots GOTV cam- paign. A series of town hall meetings and conferences is also underway en- couraging participation in the January elections. Ten senior Election Information Network (EIN) representatives and two regional accountants attended a one-day financial, accounting and lo- gistics training provided by a USAID partner NGO. This training was for EIN regional branches in the northern governorates, and provided the tools needed for the management of financial operations related to the deployment of thousands of election monitors. USAID has completed nearly all of the training sessions for election monitors and the EIN. Election monitoring train- ers are now training thousands of monitors on the ground, while the EIN is preparing itself for the final steps leading to Election Day. Twenty Iraqi NGO representatives from the cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, as well as other areas in the north, attended a workshop on election regulations and logistical issues relating to the training and manage- ment of networks of election monitors. Topics covered included training methodology, financial reporting and record-keeping. Workshop participants were all members of the Coalition of Iraqi Non- Partisan Domestic Election Monitors (CINEM). CINEM members, based in all 18 Iraqi governorates, have by now received the information necessary to manage the training, deployment and coordination of thousands of election monitors. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 8 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Rehabilitated 105 water treat- ment units and 396 kilometers of water networks to ensure the provision of potable water in critical areas. • Rehabilitated 72 health facilities and re-equipped 238 to improve the quality of health care. • Vaccinated over 3,000 women and children against measles. • Registered internally displaced persons and provided them with water, blankets, medical kits, and hygiene kits. • Rehabilitated a water treatment plant in a poor area of Baghdad. The rehab is benefiting 1 million residents. DISASTER ASSISTANCE In the first year of programming, USAIDís humanitarian assistance focused on emergency interventions to prevent food and water shortages and provide adequate shelter and medical supplies throughout Iraq. USAID is now direct- ing humanitarian assistance efforts through the Office of Foreign Disaster As- sistance (OFDA) to specifically target Iraqís internally displaced people (IDP), primarily in northern Iraq, but also in two southern governorates. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK As residents begin returning to Fallujah following the reestablishment of Iraqi Interim Government (IIG) control there last month, USAIDís Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is working with the IIG and its part- ners to ensure that returnees have access to the basic supplies and ser- vices they need. According to the U.S. military, as of January 10, 2005, 59,000 people have entered the city. The majority of returnees are adult male heads of house- holds checking on the condition of property. An accurate number of return- ees permanently staying in the city is not yet available. To support the returnees in reintegrating into the community, each re- turning family will receive a heater, fuel rations, and an immediate pay- ment of 150,000 Iraqi dinars (USG $100), provided by the Iraqi govern- ment. The Ministry of Oil reports that kerosene and liquid propane gas dis- tributions are going well, but there is some concern that demand might ex- ceed supply if the number of returnees jumps significantly. Distributions to IDP sites around Fallujah by implementing partners began December 20 and are continuing as planned. Approximately 36,290 fami- lies (more than 250,000 people) have been reached. Since November, USAID/OFDA and partners have assisted more than 204,000 Fallujah IDPs. An additional 6,000 plastic containers for kerosene, 10,000 tarpaulins, 450,000 plastic bags (for breakdown of bulk supplies into family size ra- tions), and 20,000 blankets have been delivered to the IIG through one of USAID/OFDAís partners for distribution to IDPs. The IIG also plans compensation for each house destroyed or dam- aged during the fighting. Meanwhile, security measures, including a nightly curfew and ID checks, will continue to safeguard incoming citizens. JANUARY 26, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 9 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE TRANSITION INITIATIVES USAIDís Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supports the transition to a par- ticipatory, stable, and democratic country. OTI provides quick-dispensing, high-impact grants meeting critical needsóproviding short-term employment, restoring basic government and community services, increasing Iraqi access to information and communication, and encouraging protection of human rights. Since August 2004, OTI has been engaged in quick-reaction post-battle re- construction activities in strategic cities across Iraq. OTI will continue to sup- port initiatives in strategic cities through temporary employment projects and small-scale public infrastructure rehabilitation, as well as nationwide Good Governance/Civil Society and Transitional Justice/Human Rights activities. Najaf In the aftermath of clashes between the Al Mahdi Army and Coalition Forces, OTI deployed a team to respond to the emergency situation in Najaf. In coor- dination with the US State Department, the Civil Affairs team, the Defense De- partments Project and Contracting Office (PCO), Najaf local government offi- cials, moderate leaders, and community activists, OTI developed a rapid, flexi- ble, political transition strategy to support stabilization efforts in Najaf. To this end, a number of projects were identified in the cities of Najaf and Kufa to miti- gate conflict, promote reconciliation and support democratic transformation. In a little over a monthís time, OTI was able to identify project sites and clear funds for approximately 35 grants totaling just over $5 million. OTI-funded ac- tivities included short-term employment clean-up projects and school and clinic rehabilitations. TalíAfar Following military operations, OTI initiated six grants in TalíAfar totaling over $400,000. All of these projects were developed in coordination with city lead- ers, Ninewa provincial council members and representatives from the US Em- bassyís Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, PCO, and the Civil Affairs unit. In an effort to support the growth of transparent local government, OTI is providing furniture and equipment to the Municipality Directorate, which will allow staff to effectively provide services. OTI is also renovating the TalíAfar Fire Station. This assistance will enable firefighters to respond to community emergencies. OTI is also upgrading area pump stations to increase capacity of the water network by 10-15%. These projects allow officials to demonstrate tangible changes and increased employment, restoring trust and hope to a community prone to insurgency. OTI is currently in process of developing fur- ther projects in coordination with the parties mentioned above. Samarra In response to operations in Samarra, OTI programmed approximately $700,000 for five projects to improve community infrastructure and respond to the priorities of the Samarra City Council. The five approved projects were developed by OTI and the US military after having been identified by the Samarra City Council as priorities. OTIís projects in Samarra include: reha- bilitation of two primary health clinics, improvements to the Samarra Museum and provision of Internet and computers for the Samarra Courthouse. In addi- tion to these projects, work restarted on four school rehabilitation projects (totaling $82,700) which had been cleared prior to military engagement in Samarra. JANUARY 26, 2005 • Awarded more than 2,653 small grants totaling more than $210 million for quick impact activities that support good governance, civil society, conflict manage- ment and mitigation, human rights and transitional justice. • Funded over 60 grants totaling $3 million that focus on womenís issues, including sup- porting the establishment of 14 womenís centers in Iraq. Reha- bilitated over 264 Iraqi national ministries, schools, clinics and other municipal buildings. Sup- porting 65 Iraqi groups in docu- menting human rights abuses of the Baíathist regime and pro- moting peace, tolerance, and reconciliation. • Met critical needs during and immediately after the conflict by providing short-term employ- ment, restoring basic govern- ment and community services, increasing Iraqi access to infor- mation and communication and encouraging protection of hu- man rights. • Rehabilitated 105 water treat- ment units and 396 kilometers of water networks to ensure the provision of potable water in critical areas. • Rehabilitated 72 health facili- ties and re-equipped 238 to improve the quality of health care. • Vaccinated over 3,000 women and children against measles. • Registered internally displaced persons and provided them with water, blankets, medical kits, and hygiene kits. • Rehabilitated a water treat- ment plant in a poor area of Baghdad. The rehab is benefit- ing 1 million residents. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 10 COMPLETED ACTIVITES Since the cessation of the 2003 conflict, USAID has completed planned work at Umm Qasr Seaport and re- stored significant portions of Iraqís telecommunications network. USAID also helped avert a humanitarian crisis during the conflict by providing assistance to the United Nationsí World Food Program. USAID advisors continue to assist with the management and distribution of food rations for all Iraqi citizens. SEAPORT • USAIDís $45 million programs to rehabilitate and improve management at the port were completed in June 2004. • Port reopened to commercial traffic on June 17 2003; completed first passenger vessel test July 16. • Up to 50 ships offload at the port every month. • Completed dredging to open all 21 berths to deep-draft ships; maintenance dredging is ongoing. • Applied port tariffs on June 20, 2003. • Renovated the grain-receiving facility to process 600 MT of grain an hour. • Renovated the administration building, passenger terminal, customs hall, and electrical substations. TELECOMMUNICATIONS • Audited more than 1,200 km of the fiber optic backbone network and performed emergency repairs, re- connecting 20 cities and 70% of the population. • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines at 12 sites. • Installed 13 new switches, and fully integrated them with the 14 existing switches. • Ministry of Communications reactivated more than 215,000 subscriber lines. • Installed a satellite gateway system at Baghdadís largest telecom exchange and restored international service. • Trained ITPC engineers and technicians in the operation and maintenance of the satellite gateway system and the new switches. FOOD SECURITY • Worked directly with the World Food Program (WFP) and Coalition Forces to re-establish the Public Distri- bution System (PDS) in less than 30 days, avoiding a humanitarian food crisis and providing food security throughout the country. • With Iraqi food distributors, Food for Peace, the WFP, and Coalition Forces maintained deliveries from June through December 2003 in all 18 governorates. • Played a key role in an agreement between the WFP, CPA, and the MoT that provided the WFP with the resources and authority to continue to support the PDS through June 2004. • In partnership with the United States Embassy in Iraq, providing on-going support to the Public Distribu- tion System Working Group to assist the Ministry of Trade with improving PDS management. JANUARY 26, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 11 FINANCIAL SUMMARY JANUARY 26, 2005 FY 2003-2005* Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation Reconstruction USAID/ANE Subtotal: $3,818,356,906 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $23,031,886 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 Army Corps of Engineers Architecture and Engineering Services Countrywide $31,328,264 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $79,583,885 BearingPoint Economic Governance II Countrywide $103,500,000 Louis Berger Group Vocational Education Countrywide $27,200,000 Louis Berger Group Private Sector Development II Countrywide $60,000,000 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 sanita- tion, Basra Hospital Countrywide $1,386,809,782 Community Action Program Development in impoverished communities Countrywide $165,830,000 DAI Marshlands Dhi Qar Al Basr Maysan $4,000,000 DAI Agriculture Countrywide $101,352,912 Fed Source Personnel Support Countrywide $300,000 IRG Reconstruction Support Countrywide $51,698,152 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $236,911,000 America's Develop- ment Foundation Civil Society Countrywide $42,880,157 CAII Education Countrywide $56,503,000 CAII Education II Countrywide $51,809,000 CEPPS Iraq Governing Council Countrywide $675,000 * 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. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 12 FINANCIAL SUMMARY JANUARY 26, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation CEPPS Transitional Government Countrywide $20,700,000 CEPPS Voter Education, Domestic Observation and Conflict Resolution Countrywide $47,175,000 CEPPS Elections Administration Support Countrywide $40,000,000 UNICEF Health, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $36,700,000 UNICEF Education Countrywide $19,600,000 UNESCO Textbook Printing & Distribution: Math & Science Countrywide $10,000,000 WHO Strengthen Health System Countrywide $10,000,000 SSA Port Management Um Qasr $14,318,985 SkyLink Airport Management Baghdad, Al Basrah, Mosul $27,200,000 MSI Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $5,038,772 University Partners • The Research Foundation of the State University of New York/Stony Brook and the Universities of Chicago, Boston and Oxford • The Human Rights Institute, DePaul University College of Law and Italyís International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences • University of Hawaii, the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, University of Jordan and the American University in Beirut • Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Benetech, US-Iraq Business Resources • University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Cameron University and Langston University Countrywide $20,730,000 Yankee Group Telecoms Planning Countrywide $58,150 VEGA Business Skills Training Countrywide $12,089,702 UNDP Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 World Bank Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 Emergency Relief USAID/DCHA/OFDAÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.Ö.ÖSubtotal: $124,938,229 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,633,952 AirServ Logistics Countrywide $5,309,876 ARC Capacity Building Al Basrah $537,746 CARE IDP Assistance, Quick-impact projects, Water and Sanita- tion, Health, Emergency Relief Commodities Countrywide $9,043,148 The Cuny Center Research Studies Countrywide $40,260 GOAL Coordination, Nutrition Al Muthanna $1,507,900 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 13 FINANCIAL SUMMARY JANUARY 26, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation InterAction Coordination Kuwait City $92,860 IDA Health Countrywide $1,318,437 IMC Health, IDP Assistance, Food Security, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, Capacity Building Countrywide $17,952,898 IOM IDP Assistance Countrywide $6,545,780 IRC IDP Assistance, Health, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $8,000,411 Logistics Emergency Relief Commodities and USAID/DART Support Countrywide $22,553,653 Mercy Corps IDP Assistance, Health, Emergency Relief Commodities, Shelter, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $8,699,786 SCF/US Food Security, Health, IDP Assistance, Shelter, Nutrition, Emergency Relief Commodities, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $7,957,783 UNICEF Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $4,000,000 OCHA Coordination and Information Countrywide $1,200,000 USAID/Jordan Support for Emergency Water Activities Countrywide $500,000 WFP Food Security, Logistics Countrywide $5,000,000 World Vision Health, Logistics, Emergency Relief Commodities, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $6,793,739 USAID/DCHA/FFPÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.ÖÖ..ÖSubtotal: $425,571,000 WFP Operations Countrywide $45,000,000 WFP Emerson Trustó81,500 MT Countrywide $40,337,000 WFP P.L. 48ñ Title II emergency food commoditiesó163,820 MT Countrywide $140,234,000 WFP Regional Purchaseó330,000MT Countrywide $200,000,000 USAID/DCHA/OTIÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..Ö.Ö.ÖSubtotal: $318,268,126 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $10,000,513 IOM Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $6,462,167 DAI Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $290,810,533 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 FROM 2003-2005ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..Ö.$4,611,304,127 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 14