USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 43, 4 August 2004

UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION AND HUMANITARIAN RELIEF August 4, 2004 Weekly Update #43, 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 with Iraq’s Interim Government. 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 management, economic growth, community development, democracy and 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 Three new Oshkosh TI-3000 fire trucks arrived at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) on July 24. The trucks have both water and chemical fire fighting capabilities. Table of Contents Program Overview 2 Economic Growth 6 Electricity 2 Food Security 7 Airports 2 Agriculture 7 Umm Qasr Seaport 3 Marshlands 9 Bridges, Roads, and Railroads 3 Democracy and Governance 9 Telecommunications 3 Transition Initiatives 11 Water and Sanitation 3 Community Action Program 12 Health 4 Financial Summary 14 Education 4 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, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working since May of 2003 to restore capacity to Iraq’s power system, which was dilapidated from decades of neglect, mismanagement, and looting. Accomplishments to Date: • By October 2003, facilitated the rehabilitation of the national electric grid to produce a peak capacity greater than the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. In June, after months of power reduction for generation unit maintenance, generation began steadily increasing and reached 5,000 MW in July of 2004. Average daily generation for the past week was 4,707 MW. • With partner Bechtel, collaborating to 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 more than 1,300 MW of additional capacity. Airports and Seaports -- 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. Also: managing port administration, coordinating transport from the seaport, and facilitating cargo-handling services such as warehousing, shipment tracking, and storage. Accomplishments to Date: Airport • Processing an average of 45 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 sufficient infrastructure work to prepare Baghdad International Airport for commercial air operations. • Preparing Al Basrah International Airport for commercial operations. Highlights this Week: The Oshkosh TI-3000 • Three new Oshkosh TI-3000 fire trucks arrived at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) on July 24. The trucks have both water and chemical fire fighting capabilities. New boots, helmets, work gloves, uniforms, tools, and equipment were also provided—fully equipping BIAP’s firefighters for fire protection duties. An extensive acceptance test and inspection will be performed before the three vehicles are put in service. The 83 firefighters recently received extensive training in airport firefighting techniques. They trained at BIAP in early 2004 with the TI-3000 on a decommissioned Iraqi Airways Boeing 727. The training program was conducted jointly by Skylink and the US Air Force as part of an ongoing effort to prepare the firefighters to assume airport fire protection 2 duties from the United States Military. Thirty firefighters have recently finished an Aviation Rescue and Firefighter Training in order to qualify for International Civil Aviation Organization. Seaport • USAID’s $14 million program for the management of the southern Iraqi port of Umm Qasr was completed on June 30. • Reopened port to commercial traffic June 2003; completed first passenger vessel test in July 2003; Cargo, which has increased by 400% since June 2003, includes bulk grain, bagged rice, sugar, and construction materials. • Offloading cargo from up to 50 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 Two Iraqi dredgers, which have been rehabilitated by USAID, are assisting with maintenance dredging. • Instituted port tariffs, which provide revenue stream for financially sustainable port operations. Roads, Bridges and Rail -- Objectives include: Rebuilding major transportation routes that were damaged during the conflict or from two decades of neglect in order to restore the flow of goods and services, including humanitarian assistance. Accomplishments to Date: Bridges • Demolished irreparable sections of three key bridges and started reconstruction. Two of the three are complete and have reopened to traffic. • Repaired a floating bridge on the Tigris River, improving traffic for approximately 50,000 travelers a day. Railroads • Reconstructing 56 km of rail track between Umm Qasr and Shuaiba Junction near Basrah and 16 km of siding at Umm Qasr Seaport. Telecommunications -- Objectives include: install switches to restore service to 240,000 telephone lines in Baghdad area, and repair 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. • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines of capacity. Training Iraqi telephone engineers to ensure continued operations and maintenance of the systems. Water and Sanitation -- Objectives include: rehabilitate and repair essential water infrastructure to provide potable water and sanitation to communities and improve irrigation. 3 Accomplishments to Date: • Rehabilitating sewage and water treatment plants that currently by-pass 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. Highlights this Week: • In Anbar Governorate, a water treatment plant which currently provides water to only 60 percent of the 350,000 population of a major city needs repair and is currently operating at 30 percent of its 54,000 m3/day capacity. After long years of neglect the sewage pumping stations are operating at only 35% of capacity resulting in raw sewage currently being emptied directly into the surrounding areas. USAID will rehabilitate the plant. Project activity will include the rehabilitation of the water treatment plant to full capacity (54,000 m3/day), repair of three sewage pumping stations, and repairs to the water distribution system. 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, 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: • Rehabilitating 110 primary health care clinics throughout the country. • Delivering primary healthcare kits to 600 clinics countrywide. • Training more than 750 primary healthcare providers in maternal and child health services. • Training health providers and communities on prevention and early intervention on causes of child mortality such as diarrhea. • Re-establishing the country’s vital disease surveillance system. • Supporting $1.3 million in grants for Iraqi NGO and civil society healthcare efforts. • Distributing eight million liters of clean water a day. • Immunized more than three million children under the age of five through routine immunization activities and five million school aged children aged 6-12 against measles, mumps and rubella. • Administered tetanus toxoid vaccine to more than 700,000 pregnant women. • Distributing high-protein biscuits to more than 240,000 children and pregnant and nursing mothers. • Supporting the development of a strategic plan to guide sector development over the next several years. 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 education functions and salaries. 4 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 included pens, pencils, paper, math supplies, and other essentials. 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 math and science textbooks throughout Iraq. • Institutional Strengthening o Trained 860 secondary school Teacher Trainers during September 2003 to January 2004 nationwide. o Trained 31,772 secondary school teachers and administration staff. o Conducted a pilot accelerated learning program in five Iraqi cities to allow out-of-school children to complete two school years in one year. More than 550 students participated in the program. o Approximately 87 percent of the students passed the year end exams and will now be integrated into the main school system. • Higher Education o Supporting the Higher Education and Development (HEAD) Program. Awarded five grants worth an estimated $20.7 million for U.S.-Iraqi university partnerships. The program supports rehabilitation of research laboratories, rebuilding library resources and establishing internet centers; invigorating academic human resources and university administration leadership through workshops, seminars, conferences, research grants and one year graduate studies in the U.S.; stimulating curriculum development through introduction of supplementary new materials. o In collaboration with Iraqi university partners, research laboratory needs assessments have been completed and procurement is underway; library facilities and internet centers have been rehabilitated and prepared for receiving materials and equipment; workshops, seminars and conferences are underway allowing senior Iraqi faculty to present papers in an international forum. Highlights this Week: • A 240-seat auditorium at a medical building at a university in northern Iraq was recently equipped and furnished as part of the Higher Education and Development project that is working to revitalize higher education in Iraq with the assistance of several U.S. and international universities. This project is a joint effort between the northern Iraqi university and a consortium of U.S. and international universities to assist the Iraqi university in becoming a premier education and research institution of advanced learning in the Middle East. This partnership targets public health and sanitation as the main sectors of support but will also work to develop new avenues to strengthen civil society. • Three presidential palaces have been handed over to a northern Iraqi university for their use. The renovation of all three palaces is being coordinated by USAID and supports the goals of the Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program. • Under an initiative of USAID’s Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program, a highly versatile broadband package has been acquired from Iraqi-based vendors and installed at the College of Agriculture and Forestry at a university in northern Iraq. The system will enhance teaching delivery and research 5 information and will help the university reconnect with the international academic community after years of isolation. These broadband capabilities will allow video-streaming and other state of the art communications necessary modern academic environments. Twenty five state-of-the-art computers will allow effective and efficient electronic access for many students and faculty users simultaneously and continuously. Similarly, a satellite-dish based system with twenty computers has been acquired and installed to serve users at another university in northern Iraq. Computer and internet classes at both the universities will develop the faculty members’ competencies for using advanced electronic communication capability. 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: Financial • Strengthening accounting, budgeting and lending activities at Iraq’s commercial banks. • Evaluating and updating commercial laws pertaining to private sector and foreign investment; assisted in the development of the new company law. • Recommended reforms for insurance regulations and trained Iraqi insurance staff. • Improved statistical analysis, monetary policymaking, and bank supervision procedures at Iraq’s Central Bank Fiscal • Assisting in developing, installing and training staff to use the Financial Management Information System (FMIS), a new accounting and reporting system for all Iraqi ministries. • 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. Private sector development • Providing technical assistance as well as information on contracting opportunities for Iraqi businesses through business centers. • Assisting Iraqi companies to prepare applications for loans ranging from $2 to 5 million through the firm- level assistance program. • Created more than 77,000 public works jobs through the National Employment Program. • Assisted CPA in managing a $21-million micro-credit program. • Provided technical assistance 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 million USD) in shares were traded in the first day. Utilities and Regulation • Developed an Electricity Master Plan and a Telecommunications Master Plan as a basis for reforms in these two sectors. Special projects • 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. 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. 6 • Provided technical assistance for the Oil for Food transition to prepare Iraqi ministries to assume responsibility for OFF contracts. • Developed a government-wide IT strategy to support the automation of planning, budgeting and reporting processes across ministries. Highlights this Week: • USAID announces the award of a multi-million dollar grant to the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) to implement the Iraq Private Sector Development Initiative. The VEGA Iraq Private Sector Development Initiative will establish new business centers and work in existing centers throughout the country to provide training and technical assistance to businesses of all sizes. VEGA will access over 20,000 volunteer advisors and experts covering all industrial and business sectors to provide Iraqi businesses with exposure to successful business methods. Services will include training courses, business kits, and technical assistance to businesses. Additionally, assistance will be provided to firms to compete for procurements under supplemental funds. Businesses that successfully complete the requisite training courses will be eligible to receive small grants to follow-through on implementing changes and pursuing opportunities suggested in training activities. VEGA is an alliance of sixteen economic growth volunteer organizations. More information on VEGA can be found at www.vegaalliance.us. • After six months of software development, an Arabic version of the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) was installed in the Ministry of Finance. The Arabic versions of the FMIS User Manuals – including five modular User Guides –are completed. Parallel operations with the current manual Iraqi accounting system begin this week and will continue until the end of 2004 after which all budget executions will be processed through the FMIS. 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) to re-establish the Public Distribution System 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 U.S. the foremost contributor to WFP emergency operations in Iraq. • 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. • 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 support the public distribution system through June 2004 and will begin work immediately to assure continuation of food deliveries. • Currently providing food aid expertise to the Ministry of Trade and assisting WFP and the Ministry to 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. 7 Accomplishments to Date: Since October 2003, USAID 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: • Summer and Winter Crop Technology Demonstrations: On 334 hectares in 15 governorates, 128 farm families established plots with new winter crop varieties for extension field days. Under the summer demonstration program, farmers are planting vegetables, maize, and rice. • Veterinary Hospital Renovation: The renovation of a hospital in At’ Tamim Governorate was completed in early April 2003 under a $96,000 ARDI grant; the hospital serves more than 100,000 livestock in the area. • 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 School of Agriculture at an Iraqi university 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. • Initiated an agricultural extension services program for farmers in late May. Extension agents are working with farmers to teach agricultural best practices by encouraging farmers to analyze their own problems and independently develop solutions. In collaboration with USAID, the Ministry of Agriculture expects to replicate the program in other villages, as extension services have been successful in increasing agricultural productivity in developing countries around the world. Highlights this Week: • The Ministry of Agriculture is supporting the establishment of agricultural trade associations in Iraq. Strong trade associations help improve the competitiveness of the various agricultural sub-sectors such as date palms, dairy, poultry, etc. .This campaign will be implemented in collaboration with USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI); the initial focus will be on the formation of an association to promote the export of dates. • A workshop on project management was conducted for officials from the Ministry of Agriculture in an effort to accelerate the implementation of agricultural projects being planned with funds from the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI). The workshop offered instruction on the development of simple project implementation plans. The projects included a soil-testing program in which laboratories will be re-equipped and testing services will be provided, as well as the rehabilitation of an agricultural research center. • The Ministry of Agriculture has established a working group to assess the level of veterinary services available to livestock producers and to formulate a plan for the sub-sector. The State Veterinary Company and USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI) are members of the group that will prioritize all of the State-owned veterinary clinics with regard to beneficiary impact and clinic needs. The group has already selected the first set of four clinics considered to have the greatest 8 beneficiary impact and most in need of renovation, and has released an RFP for the rehabilitation of two additional clinics. Renovations are carried out under in-kind grants. Work on the four clinics will begin this month and will end in September. The renovation of veterinary clinics is a major initiative under the ARDI program. • USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruction and Development program for Iraq (ARDI) is working with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to improve and modernize Iraq’s land registration system. Agriculture is the second largest source of income in Iraq. As this process moves forward, property rights need to be clarified and recorded. • The MOA Department of Technical Affairs is working with ARDI to rebuild their map archives which contained a complete map record of agricultural lands in Iraq. Because many maps were destroyed during the post-conflict looting, the Department has purchased 2,800 maps from the State Board of Surveys in the Ministry of Water Resources. • ARDI is also currently working with the Department of Computers and Microfilm to computerize information on land distribution, statistics on crop cultivation, and to record agricultural land use. This information was previously stored in ledgers. The Department is also computerizing information concerning extant leases in order to provide a general administrative and accounting record. Finally, they are scanning Departmental records – including letters issued by the Iraqi State Board of Surveys – to create as complete a record as possible and to preserve records. 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. Accomplishments to Date: • Operating at both national and regional levels, the Marshlands Restoration Program developed an integrated strategy for wetland restoration and management and is providing social and economic assistance to Marsh Arabs. • The first date palm nursery was established with 1,000 mother trees of different varieties. The trees will produce 10,000 off-shoots, of which about 7,000 will survive. • The Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Public Works have selected a first site to build a constructed wetlands for treating domestic wastewater. The service area is the largest settlement in the marshlands, and will serve roughly 5,000 people. • Demonstrations of alfalfa cultivation to improve livestock nutrition and dairy production in five locations are ongoing. • The program will re-establish a water and soil laboratory in the Ministry of Water Resources headquarters in Baghdad. A proposed list of equipment has been developed and is being reviewed by the Ministry staff for immediate procurement and training in their use. • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Ministry of Water Resources are jointly developing a hydrologic model of the Tigris and Euphrates basin. • Work began on setting up demonstration plots for field crops and horticulture in eight locations in the marshlands. Plans are underway to do soil and water analyses at possible demonstration sites. The program is recruiting staff to implement the establishment of date palm nurseries for growing and distributing off-shoots. 4. Improve Efficiency and Accountability of Government Accomplishments to Date: • Implementing local governance activities in 18 governorates, engaging Iraqis in policy discourse through local government entities and civil society organizations to: 9 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 or refreshed 16 governorate councils, 91 district councils, 194 city or subdistrict councils, and 445 neighborhood councils. • Awarded $15.5 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. • Conducted more than 15,000 democracy dialogue activities throughout Iraq. Highlights this Week: • In At Tamim Governorate, an LGP team conducted its first workshop on “Budgeting in Local Government: A Democratic Process,” for municipal councils. Topics included case studies on prioritization and the role of the municipal council in the budgeting process. • Babil Governorate Local Governance Program staff conducted a management-training workshop for 18 representatives from five governorate departments including Water, Water Resources, and Sewage. The participants discussed the importance of strategic planning for local development and presented information on how to prepare a master plan for a water supply system. LGP will assess existing plans and equipment and prepare a workshop on strategic plan implementation. • Local Governance Program staff also coordinated with the Solidarity and Peace Organization to convene the first symposium for Women in Municipal Government in Babil Governorate. Twenty-six women participated representing nearly all of the governmental offices in the city. The discussion focused on strategies to encourage women to participate in the upcoming elections. • The fourth International Policy Review group meeting was held with representatives from the Policy Reform Unit, the Emergency Public Administration Project and Advisors to the Ministry of Public Works. • A civic dialogue conference was recently held in Tikrit, Salah ad Din in the Sunni Triangle for 106 participants. • Basrah Governorate’s Local Governance Program staff convened 27 democracy events with 571 participants on July 21. • Arbil’s Local Governance Program staff completed the first of two weeks of on-site training for the professional staff of the State Board of Tourism. The training began as a follow-up initiative to recommendations in the Arbil Economic Development Strategy to enhance the institutional capacity to develop the tourism and hospitality industry in northern Iraq. The training is preparatory to the development of a Strategic Tourism Plan for northern Iraq and the initial sessions focused on how to define tourism markets and promote attractions in the region. • Courses at the City Hall (Amanat) training center are continuing in an effort to build the capacity of Baghdad municipal workers to deliver basic services. Three training sessions finished last week for 68 City Hall staff members to help them improve operational efficiency and management capabilities. The ‘Amanat’ 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. Participants are from all departments of the Baghdad City Hall. The training center was developed by the Baghdad Mayoralty in coordination with USAID’s Local Governance Program. 10 • As Sulaymaniyah’s Local Governance Program staff is working with Northern Iraq Women’s Mobile Teams. The teams increase rural women’s access to information to improve their health and security. Specifically, the teams try to empower women and inform them about domestic violence, its causes and how to combat it. They also discuss family planning, crisis intervention, mine awareness, Islam and democracy, and family care education. • Basrah Local Governance Project (LGP) staff conducted audits of the Supreme Audit Board (SAB) in the 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. Dhi-Qar and Al Muthanna governorates and found that the lack of computers and staff skills negatively impacted financial reporting. To improve financial reporting, LGP staff is working to provide computers and training to 102 employees. • Iraqi local governments are working with Local Governance Project staff to train governorate treasurers, local bank managers, and city department officials on budgeting, accounting, and auditing as well as on financial planning and management. Accomplishments to Date: • Awarded 1,459 small grants totaling more than $109 million for quick impact activities that support good governance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, 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 60 grants totaling $3 million that focus on women’s issues, including supporting the establishment of 14 women’s centers in Iraq. Rehabilitated over 264 Iraqi national ministries, schools, clinics and other municipal buildings. Supporting 65 Iraqi groups in documenting human rights abuses of the Ba’athist regime and promoting peace, tolerance, and reconciliation. Highlights this Week: • To date, USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative has awarded 1,396 small grants for quick impact activities that support good governance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, human rights and transitional justice. Recent grants include: o 113 grants will create over 11,000 three-month, short-term jobs on neighborhood infrastructure projects for Sadr City residents. This initiative is part of the larger First Cavalry activities. o 18 grants in support of the Mayor of Baghdad’s summer employment program, presently employing 10,000 Baghdad residents. 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 NGO concentrates on one region in Iraq, which includes the north, south, southwest central, southeast central, and Baghdad regions. 11 Accomplishments to Date: • Established more than 670 Community Action Groups in 17 governorates. The projects undertaken by these groups are part of a campaign targeting grassroots democratic development. • CAP has committed $78 million for 1,485 projects across Iraq; 1,145 projects have 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. • The north program focuses on areas of Mosul, Kirkuk and the Iran-Iraq border. Their work has resulted in 259 completed projects and another 44 in development. These include establishing a youth center in At’ Tamim Governorate and developing a new local water supply in Salah ad Din Governorate. • The southwest central program has established a strong presence in the Shi’ia 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 125 projects. • The Baghdad program has completed 278 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. • The southeast central program has completed 122 projects and 88 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. • The south program has completed 361 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: • USAID’s Community Action Program Baghdad Project Review Committee recently met with 14 Community Action Groups from eight Baghdad Districts. The groups presented a diverse range of projects and sixteen were recommended for approval. • The Ministry of Agriculture recently established a Bee Products Department and is working with USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI) to develop a model apiculture (beekeeping) program in a village in As Sulaymaniyah. • USAID’s Community Action Program is also helping restore a bee-keeping cooperative in At’ Tamim Governorate where eucalyptus trees and flowers grow that help make some of the best honey in Iraq. In 2004, the co-op is expected to produce two tons of honey for sale and plans to produce four to six tons next year. • In Basrah Governorate, CAP is implementing an environmental project providing garbage containers for a community in a major city. The community’s action group led a clean-up campaign in their community and then requested the containers to maintain cleanliness. The group also went to the Local Council and agreed on ongoing municipal collection of the garbage in the provided containers. • A newly rehabilitated playground and sports club will provide the youth of an Al Qadisiyah governorate city with safe locations and equipment to practice their hobbies. Both of these locations were rehabilitated by USAID through the Community Action Program at the request of the communities in order to provide safe opportunities for the children and young people there. • USAID’s Community Action Program partner in Najaf conducted an environmental awareness and youth volunteerism campaign in a small city in the Governorate in coordination with community youth, a local Community Association Group, teachers from a local school and local businesses. Community youth attended a workshop in the school on volunteerism and the environment and following the workshop planted citrus trees in their school and on the sidewalks in their community. 12 13 USAID Iraq Reconstruction Financial Summary Agency Implementing Partner Sector Regions Amount FY 2003-2004* RECONSTRUCTION USAID/ANE ..................................................................................... Subtotal: $3,334,388,054 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $20,995,000 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 Army Corps of Engineers Architecture and Engineering services Countrywide $22,000,000 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $79,583,885 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, Basra Hospital Countrywide $1,363,276,367 Community Action Program Development in impoverished communities Countrywide $120,080,000 DAI Marshlands Dhi Qar Al Basrah Maysan $4,000,000 DAI Agriculture Countrywide $9,352,912 Fed Source Personnel Support Countrywide $163,572 IRG Reconstruction Support Countrywide $51,698,152 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $236,911,000 CAII Education Countrywide $56,503,000 CAII II Education II Countrywide $50,670,000 CEPPS Education Activities in Support of Electoral Processes Countrywide $18,000,000 CEPPS Iraq Governing Council Countrywide $675,000 CEPPS Transitional Government Countrywide $20,700,000 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 $5,038,772 14 University Partners Consortium led by the Research Foundation of the State University of 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. Baghdad University, Al Mustansiriyah 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. $20,730,000 Yankee Group Telecoms Planning Countrywide $58,150 VEGA Business Skills Training Countrywide $4,800,000 UNDP Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 World Bank Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 EMERGENCY RELIEF USAID/DCHA/OFDA ...............................................................................................$110,648,771 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,389,348 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 $1,318,437 InterAction Coordination Kuwait City $92,860 IOM IDP programs Countrywide $6,545,780 Logistics Commodities and DART support Countrywide $20,901,947 UNICEF Health, nutrition, water/sanitation Countrywide $4,000,000 UN OCHA Coordination and Information Countrywide $1,200,000 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 $16,252,898 IRC Health, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $7,800,411 Mercy Corps Health, Non-Food Items, Shelter, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $8,499,786 SCF/US Food Security, Health, Shelter, Nutrition, Non-Food Items, Water/Sanitation, NGO Consortium Countrywide $7,957,783 World Vision Health, Logistics, Non-Food Items, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $6,793,739 CARE Quick-impact projects, Water/Sanitation, Health, Blankets Countrywide $9,000,000 USAID/DCHA/FFP .................................................................................................$425,571,000 WFP Operations Countrywide $45,000,000 15 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 WFP Regional Purchase – 330,000 MT Countrywide $200,000,000 USAID/DCHA/OTI.................................................................................................. $165,935,167 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,042,126 IOM Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $7,087,595 DAI Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $140,810,533 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 IN FY 2003/2004 .............................................$4,036,542,992 * 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. 16