USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 28, 20 April 2004

UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION AND HUMANITARIAN RELIEF April 20, 2004 Weekly Update #28, Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 This fact sheet highlights overall accomplishments and some weekly activities from USAID’s reconstruction efforts in Iraq. For more information on USAID’s programs in Iraq please see: www.usaid.gov/iraq Program Overview: USAID assists Iraqis in reconstructing their country by working within the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). USAID programs are implemented in coordination with the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Coalition country partners, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector partners. The USAID Mission in Iraq carries out programs in education, health care, food security, infrastructure reconstruction, airport and seaport management, economic growth, community development, local governance, and transition initiatives. The USAID Mission in Iraq implements programs in four strategic areas: 1. Restoring Essential Infrastructure 2. Supporting Essential Health and Education 3. Expanding Economic Opportunity 4. Improving Efficiency and Accountability of Government Doura thermal power plant – On schedule for completion by the summer peak season. Table of Contents Program Overview 1 Economic Growth 8 Electricity 2 Food Security 10 Airports 2 Agriculture 10 Bridges, Roads, and Railroads 3 Marshlands 11 Umm Qasr Seaport 4 Local Governance 11 Telecommunications 4 Transition Initiatives 13 Water and Sanitation 5 Community Action Program 14 Health 6 Financial Summary 16 Education 7 1 Program Descriptions and Accomplishments 1. Restore Essential Infrastructure Electricity -- Objectives include the emergency repair or rehabilitation of power generation facilities and electrical grids. Teams of engineers from the Ministry of Electricity, USAID, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the CPA have been working since May to restore capacity to Iraq’s power system, which was dilapidated from decades of neglect, mismanagement, and looting. Accomplishments to Date: • Generated 4,518 MW on October 6—surpassing the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. Average production over the last seven days was 3,751 MW. • Generated 98,917 MW hours on February 14—the highest since reconstruction began. • Installed independent sources of power at Baghdad International Airport and Umm Qasr seaport. • Collaborating with Bechtel, CPA, and Task Force Restore Iraqi Electricity on projects to repair thermal units, replace and repair turbines, rehabilitate the transmission network, and install and restore generators. This collaboration is expected to produce 2,152 MW of incremental capacity. o USAID is adding 827 MW of capacity through maintenance, rehabilitation, and new generation projects. o USAID’s portion of the work includes: o Rehabilitating units 5 and 6 at Doura thermal power plant. o Rehabilitating units 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 at Bayji thermal power plant. o Continuing reconstruction of the country’s 400-kv transmission network by rebuilding 220 kilometers of Khor Az Zubayr-Nasiriyah 400-kv line. o Installing new generating capacity at Kirkuk and South Baghdad power plants. Highlights this Week: • Peak generation has been gradually decreasing due to scheduled spring maintenance outages. The spring maintenance outages began in late March and will continue through May. These planned shutdowns will allow power teams to perform substantial maintenance for power generation units in preparation for increased generation during summer. Regular maintenance is expected to mitigate unscheduled outages, the biggest obstacle to dependable generation during the high summer-time demand. This is the third round of scheduled maintenance being performed by the CPA, USAID, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Similar maintenance outages occurred in the summer and fall of 2003. • Work is progressing at Doura thermal power plant. Iraqi subcontractors to USAID partner Bechtel are continuing with the disassembly, repair, and restoration of valves. To date, they are 45 percent complete with the valve work and 8 percent with the pump work. • The restoration of the Khor Az Zubayr - An Nasiriyah 400kV transmission line is progressing and the scope of work being implemented by USAID partner Bechtel has been expanded to include additional conductor and shield wire that was damaged or missing. The 205 km transmission line runs through southern Iraq from Khor az Zubayr power plant in Al Basrah Governorate to An Nasiriyah power plant in Dhi Qar Governorate. Once it is completed, it will aid in the provision of reliable power from generation plants in southern Iraq to the national grid, helping to meet the great demand for power in Baghdad. 2 Airports -- Objectives include: providing material and personnel for the timely repair of damaged airport facilities, rehabilitating airport terminals, facilitating humanitarian and commercial flights, and preparing the eventual handover of airport operations to the Iraqi Airport Commission Authority. Accomplishments to Date: • Processing an average of 20 non-military arrivals and departures a day at Baghdad International Airport. o More than 5,000 military and NGO flights have arrived and departed at Baghdad International Airport since July 2003. • Completed infrastructure work to prepare Baghdad International Airport for commercial air operations. o Repaired Terminal C and administration offices. o Installed three X-ray machines. o Installed very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communications systems and new diesel powered generators, allowing Iraqi airport control centers to communicate. o Rehabilitated Iraqi customs office in the arrival hall. • Rehabilitated Baghdad International Airport’s East Fire Station; airport fire protection training for a team of more than 80 Iraqis is ongoing. • Preparing Al Basrah International Airport for commercial operations. Ongoing projects include: o Repairing runway, taxiway, and apron striping. o Installing two baggage X-ray units. o Repairing passenger support facilities. o Installing VSAT satellite communications. o Installing security fence. o Repairing airport water and sewage treatment plants. • Completed evaluation of reconstruction requirements at Mosul Airport. Bridges and Railroads -- Objectives include: rehabilitating and repairing damaged transportation systems, especially the most economically critical networks. Accomplishments to Date: Bridges: • Demolished irreparable sections of three key bridges (Khazir, Tikrit, and Al Mat) and started reconstruction. o Al Mat Bridge: A key link on Highway 10 that carries over 3,000 trucks daily on the main route between Baghdad and Jordan. • Work was completed, and the four-lane bridge was reopened to two-way traffic on March 3. o Khazir Bridge: Critical to the flow of fuel and agricultural products to the north. • Repaired the south span of the bridge—two of the bridge’s four lanes—and reopened it for two-way traffic on January 16. Complete repairs are expected by late April 2004. o Tikrit Bridge: An important link for passengers and commerce over the Tigris River between Tikrit and Tuz Khurmatu. USAID completed the rehabilitation of Al Mat bridge on March 3. The bridge is a key link on Highway 10 in Al Anbar Governorate. 3 • On the upstream side of Pier 7, steel beams have been erected and dowels are installed. Work is expected to finish in May 2004. • Repaired a floating bridge on the Tigris River in Al Kut, improving traffic for approximately 50,000 travelers a day. Railroads: • Iraqi Republican Railways (IRR) contributes equipment and labor, while USAID contributes project management, material, and parts. Work on the railways includes: o Repairing 16 km of track at the port of Umm Qasr and 56 km of track between the port and Shuiaba Junction near Basrah to facilitate cargo shipments, including foodstocks, from the seaport to main rail line. o Completed explosive ordinance disposal at all 53 sites of the rail line project near Shuiaba Junction (Al Basrah Governorate) in preparation for installation of new track. Umm Qasr Seaport -- Objectives include: managing port administration, coordinating transport from the seaport, and facilitating cargo-handling services such as warehousing, shipment tracking, and storage. Accomplishments to Date: • Reopened to commercial traffic June 17; completed first passenger vessel test on July 16. • Offloading cargo from more than 40 cargo ships per month. • Dredged the port to an average depth of 12.5 meters. Previously, the port was 9-10 meters deep, and limited cargo could arrive only during high tide. o An Iraqi dredger, which has been rehabilitated by USAID, will assist in maintaining the harbor. • Renovated grain-receiving facility, which can process up to 600 metric tons of grain an hour. • Instituted interim port tariffs, which provide a revenue stream for financially sustainable port operations. • Installed generators, energizing all three 11-kv ring mains which distribute electricity throughout the port. • Completed security fencing at the old and new ports and grain facility. • Completed the renovation of the administration building, passenger terminal and customs hall building and continuing the renovation of the electrical substations. • Employing 500 Iraqi staff, the majority of which are in the Marine Department of the Port Authority. Telecommunications -- Objectives include: installing switches to restore service to 240,000 telephone lines in Baghdad area, and repairing the nation’s fiber optic network from north of Mosul through Baghdad and Nasiriyah to Umm Qasr. Accomplishments to Date: • Handed over the Al Mamoun Telecommunications site to the Ministry of Communications on February 26. Twelve new telephone switches and an International Satellite Gateway have been integrated with fourteen Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company (ITPC) switches. • Purchased tools, equipment, and parts to enable Iraqi engineers to restore the network. o Audited over 1,200 km of the fiber optic backbone network. o Repairing the national fiber optic network from Mosul to Umm Qasr, connecting 20 cities to Baghdad. • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines of capacity. Installed new switches and main distribution frames at 12 sites. o Baghdad’s largest exchange, Al Mamoun, opened on December 13. More than 140,000 individual subscriber lines are now active; work to allow final activation for all subscribers is underway. o Completed installation of a satellite gateway system at Al Mamoun and restored international calling service to Iraq on December 30. 4 o Al Mamoun was handed over to the Ministry of Communications on February 26. • Training Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company operators and engineers at Al Mamoun on telecommunications site operations, maintenance, and repairs. Water and Sanitation -- Objectives include: rehabilitating and repairing essential water infrastructure to provide potable water and sanitation to communities and improve irrigation. Accomplishments to Date: • Nationwide: Rehabilitating sewage and water treatment plants that are currently by-passing untreated sewage generated by millions of people into the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. o Repairing and rehabilitating water systems throughout Iraq. o Repaired hundreds of breaks in Iraq’s critical and long neglected water network, significantly increasing water flow. • Baghdad: Expanding one water plant and rehabilitating three sewage plants. o Rehabilitating and adding 45 percent capacity to Baghdad’s Sharkh Dijlah water plant (previously named Saba Nissan water plant), adding an additional 225,000 cubic meters a day to the water supply by The rehabilitation of the Sweet Water Canal reservoir in Al Basrah Governorate is complete and both halves have been refilled, contributing to the supply of water to 1.75 million Basratis. July 2004, mostly in the overpopulated eastern sections. o Installing back-up electrical generators at 41 Baghdad water facilities and pumping stations to ensure continuous water supply. o Rehabilitating Baghdad’s sewage treatment plants—Rustimiyah North, Rustimiyah South, and Kerkh to benefit 3.8 million people by October 2004. o Rehabilitated 70 of Baghdad’s non-functioning waste lift and pumping stations. • South Central: Rehabilitating two water plants and four sewage plants. o Rehabilitating An Najaf and Karbala’ water treatment plants. The projects will be complete in August and November 2004, respectively. o Rehabilitating Ad Diwaniyah and Karbala ́ sewage treatment plants, which serve 200,000 residents and currently discharge untreated waste into the Euphrates River. These projects are expected to be complete by August 2004 and October 2004, respectively. o Rehabilitating An Najaf and Al Hillah sewage treatment plants to serve 194,000 residents. These projects are expected to be completed by December 2004 and August 2004, respectively. • South: Rehabilitating the entire Sweet Water Canal system, including the canal and its reservoir, 14 water treatment plants and pumping stations, and the Safwan water system o The system provides drinking water to 1.75 million residents of Basrah City. It had been operating at less than half capacity. o Rehabilitated and removed 34,000 cubic meters of sand and silt from the west lobe of the settling- reservoir of the Canal, allowing it to be refilled with clean water. o Began work on Basrah’s 14 water treatment plants in January. By summer 2004, water quality and volume will surpass prewar levels. o Completed the restoration of the Safwan water system. All 40,000 residents now have access to potable drinking water. 5 • North: Rehabilitating two water plants and one sewage plant. o Rehabilitating Kirkuk and Al Dujayl water treatment facilities and Al Dujayl sewage plant. o Procuring reconstruction materials for the Ninawa’ Sewer and Water Directorate. This Directorate will repair projects in Mosul and the surrounding areas. o Constructing potable water sources for towns and villages of less than 1,000 residents. Highlights this Week: • The rehabilitation of the Sweet Water Canal reservoir in Al Basrah Governorate is complete and both halves have been refilled, contributing to the supply of water to more than 1.75 million people in the area. This accomplishment comes after six months of rehabilitation work by USAID partner Bechtel under the Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction contract. The reservoir rehabilitation is part of a larger Bechtel project to refurbish the entire the Sweet Water system, which includes dredging and cleaning the canal and reservoir, refurbishing treatment plants and pump stations, providing backup power sources, replacing worn and broken parts and repairing canal embankments. Work is expected to be completed by July 2004. • The expansion of the Sharkh Dijlah water treatment plant by USAID partner Bechtel is progressing and on schedule for July completion. Sharkh Dijlah is one of two main water treatment plants that serve 4.7 million Baghdad residents. Current production at the plant is estimated at 510 million liters per day, but there is still a shortage in Baghdad of 800 million liters per day. Work at the plant will increase potable water flow to east Baghdad by 45 percent, benefiting 2.5 million people. The expansion will add 250 million liters per day to the water supply. 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 lactating women and malnourished children, establishing a rapid referral and response system for the most serious cases, providing basic primary health care equipment and supplies, training and upgrading health staff, providing health education and information, and identify the specific needs of the health sector and of vulnerable populations such as women and children. Accomplishments to Date: • Procured more than 30 million doses of vaccines since July with support from the Ministry of Health and UNICEF. • Vaccinated three million children under the age of five through the Expanded Immunization Program since June 2003. USAID will provide vaccines for a total of 4.2 million children under five and 700,000 pregnant women. • Continuing a monthly catch-up immunization campaign with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health with 4,000 health workers and 124 supervisors. • Awarding $1.8 million in small grants to support Iraqi NGO healthcare efforts throughout Iraq. • Developing a hospital and clinic facility database for the Ministry of Health on facility type, location, service distribution, cost information, and building condition. • Renovated 52 primary health care clinics and re-equipping over 600 to provide essential primary healthcare services. • Trained 340 master trainers in 18 governorates who are training more than 2,000 primary healthcare providers to treat and prevent acute respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases. • Distributed high-protein supplementary food rations to more than 240,000 pregnant and nursing mothers and malnourished children. • Evaluated 18 national and regional public health laboratories for equipment needs. 6 • Rehabilitated the National Polio Laboratory. • Training more than 1,000 health workers and volunteers to identify, treat and monitor the growth of acutely malnourished children. • Working with the Iraqi Ministry of Health to develop a strategic plan to reduce child mortality and increase the level of preventative care available to the Iraqi people through assistance to their nine working groups which address: public health, health care delivery, health information systems, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, health care finance, education and training, human resources, legislation and regulation, and licensing and accreditation. • Distributing 1.4 million liters of clean water each day to people in the cities of Al Basrah, Al Muthanna’, Kirkuk, and Mosul. Highlights this Week: • More than 500,000 bed nets, necessary to prevent malaria and leishmaniasis borne by mosquitoes, have been procured for distribution throughout Iraq. This initiative was supported by USAID in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health. Upon ministry direction, WHO will support distribution to the governorates and the production of leaflets and educational material specifically designed for Iraq for both users and healthcare professionals. This initiative is part of an overall effort by USAID and WHO to prevent the spread of tropical diseases, including leishmaniasis, zoonosis, schistosomiasis, and malaria in Iraq. In addition to the bed net distribution, 40 entomological kits, for testing disease-carrying insects, are being procured in Amman and are expected to arrive soon. Education -- Objectives include: increasing enrollment and improving the quality of primary and secondary education, ensuring that classrooms have sufficient materials, facilitating community involvement, training teachers, implementing accelerated learning programs, and establishing partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi colleges and universities. Accomplishments to Date: • Immediately After the Conflict o Provided technical assistance for the resumption of Ministry of Education functions and salaries. o Funded 5.5 million examinations for transitional grades, which ensured the smooth continuation of education. o Surveyed secondary schools in all permissive areas of the country (4,541 participants total). • Facilities and Supplies o Awarded 627 grants worth more than $6 million to rehabilitate schools and equip Directorates General. o Rehabilitated 2,358 schools countrywide for the first term of the 2003/04 school year. o Provided materials, equipment and supplies: o Distributed nearly 1.5 million secondary school kits that include pens, pencils, paper, math equipment, and other supplies. o Distributed 159,005 student desks, 26,437 teacher desks, 59,940 teacher chairs, 26,050 metal cabinets, 61,500 chalkboards, and 58,500 teacher kits. o Delivered 808,000 primary student kits. o Delivered 81,735 primary teacher kits. o In consultation with the Iraqi Ministry of Education, reviewed 48 math and science textbooks for grades 1 through 12. o Printed and distributed 8,759,260 textbooks throughout Iraq. • Institutional Strengthening o Trained 860 secondary school Master Trainers during September 2003 to January 2004 nationwide. o Trained 31,772 secondary school teachers and administration staff. 7 o Conducting an accelerated learning program in Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Ad Diwaniyah, Karbala’, and Arbil. More than 600 students are participating in the program. In February 2004, the students completed mid-term exams. • Higher Education o USAID participated in the bi-national Fulbright scholarship review committee set up by the CPA. The Fulbright Scholarship Program returned to Iraq after a 14-year absence. The program awarded at least 25 scholarships for Iraqis to study in the United States in 2004. o Launched the Higher Education and Development Program. Awarded five grants worth an estimated $20.7 million for U.S.-Iraqi university partnerships: o A consortium led by Research Foundation of the State University of New York at Stony Brook partnering with Baghdad University, Al Mustansiriyah University/Baghdad, Basrah University, and Mosul University in archeology and environmental health. o The University of Hawaii College of Agriculture and Human Resources partnering with the University of Mosul Hamam Al-Alil and University of Dahuk for strengthening academic, research, and extension programs. o The Human Rights Institute at DePaul University College of Law and the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences (Italy) partnering with Universities of Baghdad, Basrah, and Sulaimanyah on legal education reform. o Jackson State University/MCID has partnered with University of Mosul, University of Dahuk, and the Nursing Institute (Dahuk) for public health and sanitation. o The University of Oklahoma and consortia has partnered with the Technology University/Baghdad, Al Anbar University, Basrah University, University of Babil, and the University of Salah ad Din in higher education initiatives. Highlights this week: • In support of Iraqi Ministry of Education and Coalition Provisional Authority priorities, on March 30, 2004, USAID completed the initiatives established as part of its year one education program, which began in May 2003. In response to the education sector’s urgent, post-conflict education needs, one of the most important accomplishments during USAID’s first year in Iraq was the rehabilitation of 2,358 schools through the Emergency School Rehabilitation Program. With the objective of ensuring that schools were safe and conducive to learning, USAID, the United Nations and local Education Director Generals throughout Iraq agreed on basic rehabilitation standards in early July 2003. Construction contractors, NGOs, and UN agencies were responsible for the rehabilitation which was implemented through local Iraqi contractors. Approximately 50,000 Iraqis were employed during this $70 million program. The project began with a goal of rehabilitating 1,000 schools by October 1, 2003, the start of the fall school term in Iraq. By the beginning of the school year, more than 1,500 schools had been rehabilitated. • Through USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, USAID partner CARE has rehabilitated 13 schools for the deaf. Work included repairs to latrines, piping, sanitation and sewage systems, tiles, floors, sinks, lighting, doors and windows. The first set of eight schools was completed in November and the second set of five was completed in mid-March. As a result of the repairs, more than 1,200 deaf children will be able to return to school. 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. 3. Expand Economic Opportunity 8 Accomplishments to Date: • With the Ministry of Finance, introduced the new national currency, the Iraqi dinar. o The currency exchange began on October 15, 2003, and was completed on January 15, 2004. o An estimated 6.36 trillion new Iraqi dinars are now in Iraq, and 4.62 trillion Iraqi dinars are circulating—106 percent of the original demand estimate of 4.36 trillion. • Conducting regular currency auctions for banks to exchange dinars and dollars. • Created more than 77,000 public works jobs through the National Employment Program. • Provided technical assistance on the implementation of a bank-to-bank payment system that allows 80 banks to send and receive payment instructions. • In support of the Iraqi Treasury’s goal to improve Iraq’s commercial banking system, USAID is working with the CPA to reconcile and close the year-end 2003 financial statements of Iraq’s two largest banks— the state-owned Rasheed and Rafidain—to ensure that the statements are consistent with international accounting standards. • Assisting in developing, installing, and training staff to use the Financial Management Information System, a new accounting and reporting system that will eventually be used by all Iraqi treasury offices and ministries. • Assisting CPA in managing a $21-million micro-credit program. • Supporting CPA’s Oil for Food (OFF) Program in planning, program management, logistics, database applications, and communications to support the CPA OFF Coordination Centers in the north and south. • Evaluating and updating commercial laws pertaining to private sector and foreign investment; assisted in the development of the new company law. Rafidain bank, Baghdad – One of the two state owned banks in Iraq. • Assisted in developing the reconstruction levy in collaboration with the CPA and the UK Customs Service; this levy imposes a five percent tariff on imports to Iraq. Highlights this Week: • Twenty-seven loan officers from six Iraqi banks completed an intensive training course held April 3-10. The course provided instruction on the basics of credit services with a special emphasis on cash flow lending, and used case studies of individual lending situations. The credit staff also received instruction on using new measures for collateral. The bank lending staff participating in this training are representatives of private commercial banks throughout Iraq who will specialize in lending to small and medium-sized enterprises. This was the first of three credit training courses conducted by USAID partner BearingPoint. o USAID trained loan officers at Iraq’s two largest state banks—the Rafidain and Rasheed Banks—and is working to improve the operational activities, accounting, management information systems, and auditing practices of the Central Bank of Iraq and local, small-scale commercial banks. • To reactivate tax administration, the Iraqi Tax Commission is developing a wage withholding tax. A monthly income tax table for wage withholding has been developed that includes rates for different categories of taxpayers. An employer’s guide to the tax is undergoing revision. The guide will be an important tool in educating employers on the new tax and will assist in implementation by allowing them to calculate the tax, ensuring consistency. 9 • Seventeen Central Bank staff members completed a “Basic Bank Supervision Seminar” that introduced modern supervision techniques, international best practices, and basic bank supervision concepts and terminology. The course is a prerequisite for a more advanced bank supervision course to be conducted at the end of April by the International Monetary Fund and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in Amman, Jordan. • The process of identifying and assessing potential companies for participation in the Firm Level Assistance Program has begun. The Firm Level Assistance Program is being implemented by USAID partner BearingPoint in support of the CPA’s goal to increase the ability of small business to meet corporate lending requirements. Food Security -- Objectives include: providing oversight support for the countrywide Public Distribution System, which provides basic food and non-food commodities to an estimated 25 million Iraqis, participating in the design of a monetary assistance program to replace the commodity-based distribution system to support local production and free-market infrastructure, and promoting comprehensive agriculture reform to optimize private participation in production and wholesale markets. Accomplishments to Date: • Worked with the UN World Food Program (WFP) and Coalition Forces to re-establish Iraq’s Public Distribution System (PDS) in less than 30 days, avoiding a humanitarian food crisis and maintaining food security. • Contributed cash and food aid totaling $425 million to WFP’s emergency operations immediately following the conflict, making the United States the foremost contributor to WFP emergency operations in Iraq. • Placed food specialists in Baghdad, Al Basrah, Al Hillah, and Arbil to support food operations immediately after the conflict. • Provided ongoing support and technical assistance to WFP and local Iraqi authorities in the Ministry of Trade and the Kurdish Food Departments to ensure the smooth transition of PDS management tasks to the Iraqi government. Special attention was given to the transition phase in the northern governorates of Dahuk, As Sulaymaniyah, and Arbil. The initial handover of responsibilities occurred on November 21 without significant problems. • Played a role in negotiating a memorandum of understanding between the CPA, the Ministry of Trade, and the WFP that details areas of responsibility including: capacity building and training, procurement of food commodities, renegotiation of certain food contracts, shipment and overland transport of food commodities, and pipeline management. The WFP will continue to assist with supporting the public distribution system through June 2004 and will begin work immediately to assure continuation of food deliveries. • Currently providing food aid expertise to CPA and Ministry of Trade in Baghdad and assisting with the CPA OFF Coordination Center as WFP and CPA and the Ministry continue to distribute food to all Iraqis. Agriculture -- Objectives include: expanding agricultural productivity, restoring the capacity of agroenterprises to produce, process, and market agricultural goods and services, nurturing access to rural financial services, and improving land and water resource management. Accomplishments to Date: Since October 2003, USAID partner DAI has been implementing the Agricultural Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI) to formulate a long-term vision for the sector, while designing activities for quick impact including: 10 • Winter Crop Technology Demonstrations: On 334 hectares in 15 governorates, 128 farm families are establishing plots with new crop varieties for extension field days. • Kirkuk Veterinary Hospital Renovation: Fifty communities will benefit from a $96,000 grant to renovate a hospital that serves more than 100,000 livestock in the area. • Taza and Rashad Veterinary Clinic Rehabilitation: A $50,000 grant will be matched by supplies and equipment from the Ministry of Agriculture. These rural clinics are the two principal sources of vaccines and medicines for animals in 125 local communities. • Internet Connectivity and Repairs to a Student Union Building: The Baghdad University School of Agriculture will receive a $75,000 grant that will benefit 4,509 students. • Seven grants, totaling $394,000, were approved in February 2004 to build the capacity of Iraq’s agriculture sector. The grants’ emphasis on veterinary programs allows an immediate, highly visible response to the challenges that face herders and farmers in the North and Central regions. • The Ministry of Agriculture is establishing 18 date palm nurseries throughout Iraq in support of its goal to reestablish Iraq's dominant position in the international date market, a position it lost under the former regime. Dates are a national treasure for Iraq with both symbolic and economic significance. This project, which receives support and technical assistance from USAID, will ensure the preservation of Iraq’s 621 varieties of date palm. Marshlands -- Objectives include: construct environmental, social and economic baselines for the remaining and former marshlands, assist marsh dwellers by creating economic opportunities and viable social institutions, improve the management of marshlands, and expand restoration activities. Program Goals: • The $4-million Marshland Restoration and Management Program will support wetlands restoration and provide social and economic assistance to marsh dwellers. Initiatives include: o Creating a hydraulic model of the marshes to improve water management. o Equipping a soil and water quality lab at the new Center for Iraq Marshlands Restoration. o Implementing pilot projects to improve treatment of waste and drinking water. o Providing social-economic assistance through job- and income-generating activities in fisheries, aquaculture, livestock production, and date-palm reproduction. o Monitoring water quality in reflooded sites. o Extending healthcare services to marsh dwellers. o Building local capacity by partnering with Iraqi institutions such as the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of the Environment, the University of Basrah College of Agriculture, the AMAR Charitable Trust, and the Iraq Foundation, and the governments of Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Australia. 4. Improve Efficiency and Accountability of Government Local Governance -- Objectives include: promoting diverse and representative citizen participation in provincial, municipal and local councils, strengthening the management skills of city and provincial administrations, local interim representative bodies, and civic institutions to improve the delivery of essential municipal services, promoting effective advocacy and participation of civil society organizations, enhancing leadership skills, and serving as a recruiting tool for future leaders. 11 Accomplishments to Date: • Implementing local governance activities in 18 governorates. More than 20 million Iraqis engage in policy discourse through local government entities and civil society organizations to: o Enhance transparency and participation in local decision-making processes. o Restore basic services. o Improve the effectiveness of local service delivery. o Establish, develop, and expand the number of civil society organizations that can interact with local government entities. • Established 16 governorate councils, 78 district councils, 192 city or sub-district councils, and 392 neighborhood councils, creating local representation for over 80 percent of the Iraqi population • Awarded $13.4 million to government agencies and civil society organizations to enable municipal authorities to deliver core municipal services. • Committed $2.4 million to support the CPA’s nationwide Civic Education Campaign, which facilitates dialogue and increases democracy awareness. • Supporting preparation of 2004 city council budgets in Mosul, Al Hillah, Babil, and An Najaf. • Recruited more than 400 democracy facilitators to help Iraqis prepare for the upcoming transition. Highlights this Week: • The Baghdad Mayoralty has completed its 2004 budget and re-organized its financial records in an effort to improve financial transparency and accountability. As part of the financial re-organization, Mayoralty staff is also working to computerize personnel and salary information. The Mayoralty also developed a new chart of accounts system and began work on a computerized property management system. USAID’s Local Governance Program (LGP) contributed to the success of this activity. • The Najaf Electrical Distribution Department will rehabilitate the lighting of the Najaf Cemetery with support from a $190,308 grant from USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiatives program. The project was identified as a priority by citizens of Najaf and will support the local government’s efforts to respond to community safety concerns. • The Baghdad City Water Authority has developed a new draft of the city’s Water Law, which governs water use for residences, power production, plant operations, and economic and agricultural activities. The law will provide legal parameters for the development of waterways, the construction of harbors and water plants, fish production for economic development, the usage of public water resources in the economy and recreation. The Baghdad Water Authority receives assistance from USAID’s Local Governance Program (LGP). • The Salah ad Din Governorate Treasury Department is working with the LGP to build its capacity to manage Tikrit’s financial resources, specifically for processing the payrolls of local teachers and council members. LGP also met with the Deputy Governor to discuss changes to the Finance and Administration Department that would improve its financial operations. • The LGP has helped local government in Najaf rebuild its city hall and four major fire stations, rehabilitate the Najaf college arts building, repaired two ruptured water mains, helped develop the city’s Chamber of Commerce and provided security lights and telephones for schools within the city. Neighborhood groups, tribal groups, and communities in and around Najaf city are now actively participating and demand services from their selected governorate officials. • In support of the Coalition Provisional Authority, USAID is facilitating the implementation of the Civic Dialogue Program to engage Iraqis in democracy through a variety of events including Democracy Dialogue Activities. Ultimately, the program supports greater understanding of democratic societies and stimulates civic participation by reaching out to all segments of the population to help everyone understand, support, and join in the political process. Last month, facilitators nationwide held more than 2,600 democracy dialogues. 12 • Iraqi engineers working with USAID’s Local Governance Program (LGP) are providing technical assistance for infrastructure projects being implemented by local governments in Al Basrah Governorate. These engineers have assisted with project design, scopes of work, and implementation for projects that are then conducted in coordination with other organizations. Transition Initiatives -- Objectives include: building and sustaining Iraqi confidence in the transition to a participatory, stable, and democratic Iraq and working closely with the CPA, USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative assists Iraqi NGOs, national government institutions, and local governments to increase Iraqi support for the transition to sovereignty through quick-dispersing, high impact small grants. Accomplishments to Date: • Awarded 675 small grants totaling more than $45 million for quick impact activities that support good governance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, and human rights and transitional justice. • Supporting initiatives crucial to the democratic transition, including civic education, civil society and media development, increased women’s participation, conflict mitigation, and transitional justice. Groups targeted for assistance include women’s and youth groups, professional associations, and human rights organizations. • Met critical needs during and immediately after the conflict by providing short-term employment, restoring basic government and community services, increasing Iraqi access to information and communication, and encouraging protection of human rights. • Awarded two grants worth $475,000 to the Ministry of Human Rights for the rehabilitation of buildings to house the National Evidence Storage Facility (NESF). The NESF will serve as a venue to analyze recovered documents and store forensic evidence of mass graves and human rights abuses of the Ba’ath government. The facility is part of a larger effort to help build Iraq’s capacity to investigate complex crimes and implement international law enforcement best practices. Highlights this Week: • Iraq’s Central Statistics Office will begin a review of the Iraqi food public distribution system (a mechanism for distributing food to Iraq’s 25 million citizens) to determine its suitability as a foundation for an interim voter’s list. The office will work with the International Foundation for Election Systems, an international NGO that provides technical assistance in establishing elections, rule of law, governance, and civil society whose work in Iraq is funded by the CPA. The study is being supported by a $24,100 grant from USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative. • USAID continues to work with city governments to rehabilitate their facilities, including a new grant for the rehabilitation of the administration building of the Diwaniyah Municipality. Poorly maintained under the former regime, the building was looted and damaged after the conflict in 2003. Municipal personnel are temporarily operating in the central library, but have been unable to return to their pre-conflict capacity. This project will rehabilitate the administration building and allow municipal government civil servants to resume critical services in Ad Diwaniyah Governorate. The reactivation of municipal services will help to increase community confidence in the city government. The grant was made through USAID’s Iraq Transition Initiative. • Local Iraqi human rights organizations are working to raise awareness for human rights in their communities. Recent activities in support of this effort include: o The Iraqi Hope Organization in Kirkuk (At’ Tamim Governorate) has received a $10,000 grant under the Iraq Transition Initiative to support the procurement of new furniture and equipment for the organization’s main office, improving their ability to work to increase human rights awareness. 13 o The Iraqi Institute for Human Rights received a $45,650 grant under the Iraq Transition Initiative for the design and production of a booklet on human rights to be distributed to citizens of At’ Tamim Governorate. As part of this grant, 25 staff members will be trained on public outreach on human rights issues. o On April 14, twenty representatives of Iraqi Civil Society Organizations (CSO) participated in a three-day training in Kirkuk aimed at developing a stronger relationship between local government and CSOs. Participants were trained on the steps necessary to develop “social partnerships” between local governments and CSOs to become more effective advocates for their causes. Community Action Program -- Objectives include: promoting diverse, representative citizen participation in and among communities to identify, prioritize, and satisfy critical community needs, while utilizing local resources. CAP is implemented by five U.S. NGOs with offices in nine major Iraqi cities. Each concentrates on one region in Iraq: ACDI/VOCA (North), International Relief and Development-- IRD (Baghdad), Cooperative Housing Foundation International--CHF (Southwest Central), Mercy Corps (Southeast Central), and Save the Children (South). Accomplishments to Date: • Established more than 650 Community Action Groups in 16 governorates. The projects undertaken by these groups are part of a campaign targeting grassroots democratic development. • CAP has committed $48.4 million for 1,364 community projects across Iraq; 845 projects have already been completed. • Iraqi communities have contributed $15.3 million to community projects. Contributions have included labor, land, buildings, and other in-kind assistance. • ACDI/VOCA focuses on the conflict prone areas of Mosul, Kirkuk, the area northwest of Baghdad, and the Iran-Iraq border. Their work bringing communities together has resulted in 146 completed projects and another 135 are in development. These include establishing a youth center in Halabja and establishing a new local water supply in Tikrit. • CHF has established a strong presence in the communities of the Shi’a holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, as well as Hillah by establishing very active community associations. An emphasis Road rehabilitation in Baghdad's Karada district. on critical infrastructure has provided these communities with access roads, sewage and water rehabilitation, school repairs, and swamp clean-up in addition to vital social infrastructure such as community centers and sports clubs. They have completed 105 projects. • IRD has completed 234 projects with another 72 projects in development. IRD’s projects are increasingly focused on income and employment generation to address these critical needs around Baghdad. • Mercy Corps has completed 89 projects and has 93 more in development. These projects focus on water, sewage, community clean-up, and school rehabilitation. • Save the Children has completed 271 projects in the south, which include about 40 percent female membership. 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 works through implementing partners with communities that have come to a consensus through action groups on their development priorities. The residents of Najaf city 14 held civil reconstruction as a high priority. From September to March, residents contributed $23,000 to supplement Cooperative Housing Foundation grants worth $1.06 million for the rehabilitation of city roads, lighting and rain water drainage and sanitation systems. CAP project contributions to the city reached $1.8 million in total while residents’ contributions reached $44,000. • Community members of Baghdad’a Karada and 9 Nissan districts have rehabilitated sewerage systems and roads in their communities with assistance from USAID Community Action Program partner International Relief and Development (IRD). In the 9 Nissan district, new pipes were supplied to replace damaged pipes. In Karada, the project included unclogging the pipelines, paving the street, and removing accumulated trash. This project alleviated the problems with raw sewage and stagnant water that flooded the streets and deteriorated the health and sanitation conditions in those communities. The projects, which cost $43,100, will benefit 66,500 people by allowing them to live in a healthier environment. 15 USAID Iraq Reconstruction Financial Summary Agency Implementing Partner Sector Regions Amount FY 2003-2004* RECONSTRUCTION USAID/ANE ..................................................................................... Subtotal: $2,634,819,155 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $20,995,000 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 Army Corps of Engineers Architecture and Engineering services Countrywide $16,500,000 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $62,800,000 Bechtel National Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanitation Countrywide $1,029,833,259 Bechtel National Infrastructure II: Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanitation Countrywide $809,521,939 Community Action Program Development in impoverished communities Countrywide $114,500,000 DAI Marshlands Dhi Qar Al Basrah Maysan $4,000,000 DAI Agriculture Countrywide $8,397,156 Fed Source Personnel Support Countrywide $163,572 IRG Reconstruction Support Countrywide $29,087,094 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $236,911,000 CAII Education Countrywide $56,503,000 UNICEF Health, Water, and Sanitation Countrywide $36,700,000 UNICEF Education Countrywide $19,600,000 UNESCO Textbook Printing and Distribution: Math and Science Countrywide $10,000,000 WHO Strengthen Health System Countrywide $10,000,000 SSA Port Management Umm Qasr $14,318,985 SkyLink Airport Management Baghdad Al Basrah Mosul $27,200,000 MSI Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $5,500,000 University Partners Consortium led by the Research Foundation of the State University of Baghdad University, Al Mustansiriyah $20,730,000 16 New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook which includes Columbia University, Boston University and Oxford University (England), University of Hawaii, DePaul University College of Law and the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences in Siracusa, Italy; and Jackson State University and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development; and Oklahoma State University. University in Baghdad, Mosul University, Mosul University’s College of Agriculture and Forestry in Hamam al-Alil, Basrah University, Al- Anbar University, and University of Salahaddin. Yankee Group Telecoms Planning Countrywide $58,150 UNDP Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 World Bank Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 EMERGENCY RELIEF USAID/DCHA/OFDA ...............................................................................................$100,699,384 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,294,561 AirServ Logistics Countrywide $5,309,876 ARC Capacity building, Disaster support Al Basrah $537,746 The Cuny Center Research studies Countrywide $40,260 GOAL Coordination, Nutrition Al Muthanna’ $1,507,900 International Dispensary Association Health Countrywide $1,284,972 InterAction Coordination Kuwait City $92,860 IOM IDP programs Countrywide $5,000,000 Logistics Commodities and DART support Countrywide $20,902,534 UNICEF Health, nutrition, water/sanitation Countrywide $4,000,000 UN OCHA Coordination and Information Countrywide $1,450,000 USAID Amman Support for emergency water activities Countrywide $500,000 WFP Logistics and pre-positioning of food Countrywide $5,000,000 IMC Food Security, Health, Nutrition, Water/Sanitation, Capacity building Countrywide $13,702,900 IRC Health, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $6,198,685 Mercy Corps Health, Non-Food Items, Shelter, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $7,000,000 SCF/US Food Security, Health, Shelter, Nutrition, Non-Food Items, Water/Sanitation, NGO Consortium Countrywide $6,883,131 World Vision Health, Logistics, Non-Food Items, Water/Sanitation Countrywide $4,993,959 CARE Quick-impact projects, Water/Sanitation, Health, Blankets Countrywide $9,000,000 USAID/DCHA/FFP .................................................................................................$425,571,000 WFP Operations Countrywide $45,000,000 WFP Emerson Trust – 81,500 MT Countrywide $40,337,000 WFP P.L. 480 Title II emergency food commodities – 163,820 MT Countrywide $140,234,000 17 WFP Regional Purchase – 330,000 MT Countrywide $200,000,000 USAID/DCHA/OTI.................................................................................................. $161,328,914 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $3,346,406 IOM Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $7,087,595 DAI Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $139,900,000 Internews Media Countrywide $160,359 Radio SAWA Media Countrywide $400,000 NDI/IRI National Governance Countrywide $650,000 IFES National Governance Countrywide $1,042,315 ICNL Civil Society Countrywide $39,238 Spa War** Inter-Ministry Communications Countrywide $8,703,001 TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003/2004 .............................................$3,322,418,453 * 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. 18