USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 28, 11 May 2005

RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE May 12, 2005 When complete in September, the Karbala water treatment plant will serve millions of residents and religious pilgrims. Contents: Electricity ...........................................................2 Water and Sanitation.........................................3 Economic Governance ......................................4 Agriculture.........................................................5 National Governance......................................... 6 Transition Initiatives ....................................... 7 Community Action Program ........................... 8 Education ....................................................... 9 Health............................................................. 10 Completed Activities....................................... 11 Financial Summary ........................................ 12 USAID assists Iraqis in reconstructing their country by working with Iraq’s Interim Government. Programs are implemented in coordination with the United Nations, country partners, nongovernmental organizations and private sector partners. This report highlights USAID’s overall accomplishments and recent reconstruction efforts in Iraq. For more information, please visit www.usaid.gov/iraq. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WWW.USAID.GOV MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE ELECTRICITY USAID’s goals include the emergency repair or rehabilitation of power genera- tion facilities and electrical grids. Teams of engineers from the Ministry of Electricity, USAID and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been working since May 2003 to restore the capacity of Iraq’s power system. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK The installation of water treat- ment units at four major power plants in Basrah nears comple- tion. For years, these plants have been operating without functioning water treatment units. When untreated brackish water enters a power plant, it corrodes the boiler tubes, leaves mineral deposits, and eventually causes the tubes to rupture. Long term use of poor quality water results in permanent damage to the boiler and heat exchange system, additional power outages, and costly repairs. USAID sponsored the restoration of water treatment at the four Basrah power plants by installing reverse osmosis and electronic de-ionizing units. These units neutralize and remove salts and other minerals in the water. Other work on these water treatment units included repairing and replacing enclosures, mechanical systems, electrical systems, plumbing, and water storage tanks. Two of the plants are entirely finished and a third is undergoing final inspec- tions. The fourth plant nears completion; to date, workers have completed the instal- lation of a water clarifier, filtered water tank and two desalinated water tanks. Also, nearly 7,700 meters of cable have been pulled and 700 meters of cable tray has been installed for the electrical systems. Finally, the hoisting systems for the waste water pit’s pumps are completed and in operation. The entire project is expected to be completed by mid May. The new facilities will improve the efficiency and reliability of Basrah’s thermal power plants. May 12, 2005 • By October, 2003, rehabilitated electric power capacity to pro- duce peak capacity greater than the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. Production reached 5,365 MW on August 18, 2004. • Since achieving record power production in Summer ‘04, the Ministry of Electricity—with as- sistance from USAID—has be- gun the standard Fall mainte- nance process which will neces- sarily reduce the amount of power available for consump- tion. USAID worked with the MOE to conduct last Fall’s maintenance program. • Repairing thermal units, replac- ing turbines, rehabilitating the power distribution network, and installing and restoring genera- tors. • USAID has added 685 MW of capacity through maintenance and rehabilitation work, and also repaired a 400 KV transmission line. • USAID and the Ministry of Elec- tricity are working with partners to place an additional 971 MW in the national grid by Decem- ber 2005 through maintenance, rehabilitation, and new genera- tion projects. • USAID completed a project to convert two units that produce 80 MW each to operate on crude/heavy fuel oil instead of diesel which is in short supply. • USAID initiated a project to re- habilitate 13 existing substa- tions and construct 24 new sub- stations in Baghdad. These 37 substations will improve the distribution and reliability of electricity for more than two million Baghdad resi- dents. USAID recently handed over work on 12 of these sub- stations to the Ministry of Elec- tricity. Newly installed desalination equipment will im- prove the plant’s efficiency. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 2 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE Workers are continuing to build foundation pads for compact water treatment units. WATER AND SANITATION USAID’s goal is to improve the efficiency and reliability of existing water and wastewater treatment facilities, especially those in the south where water quantity and quality are particularly low. An anticipated 11.8 million Iraqis will benefit from USAID’s $600 million in water and sanitation projects. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Workers continued placing concrete foundations for treat- ment units, as work moves for- ward on the refurbishment of a water treatment plant in Kar- bala. The plant is located in the city’s center, near one of Shia Islam’s holiest shrines. In addi- tion to providing water to city resi- dents, potable water is supplied seasonally to an estimated three million pilgrims. The plant’s origi- nal clarifiers were replaced with four undersized clarifiers that did not treat water to standards needed for efficient downstream treatment. Some of the plant’s processes were becoming overloaded by sedi- ment. Marginal disinfection was effective with most bacteria, but was less ef- fective with pathogens that cause amoebic dysentery, a public health risk ex- acerbated by the seasonal influx of millions of pilgrims. Recently, work continued on connecting compact units to raw water lines us- ing PVC pipe. Concrete will be poured next week for the foundation pads of one compact unit. Installation of equipment is ongoing and the first flows are expected in July. The project is now 26 percent finished and will be complete in the fall of 2005. Work is 81 percent complete to rehabilitate the water and sewage treat- ment plant facilities serving rural, north-central Diyala Governorate. The plants require rehabilitation and expansion to better serve the 60,000 resi- dents of the region. Currently, the water treatment plant is operating well be- low capacity and is only providing 33 percent of the potable water needed for the region. As a result, many residents rely on untreated well water (contaminated by canal water) during summer months. Use of untreated wa- ter can lead to outbreaks of dangerous water-born diseases like typhoid and cholera. This project is set for completion in the summer of 2005. To ameliorate water shortages in Sadr City, Baghdad, a modern water treatment plant will be designed and constructed to increase the quantity and quality of potable water to the neighborhood. Work in progress includes design reviews, shop drawings, and schedule submittals. Engineers are ad- justing the foundation design to offer alternatives between raft and pile foun- dations. Surveying for filter building, guard house, and boundary fence has been completed. This is one of the most densely-populated (2.5 million resi- dents) and high growth districts of Baghdad. Current plans call for construc- tion of a 25 MGD plant. Extensive Operations and Maintenance training will be provided to the plant’s O&M staff as a part of this project. May 12, 2005 • Nationwide: Repaired various sewage lift stations and water treatment units. • Baghdad: Expanding and reha- bilitating one water treatment plant and constructing another to increase capacity by approxi- mately 120 million gallons per day; rehabilitating sewage treat- ment plants. − A major wastewater treatment plant in Baghdad began operat- ing in June of 2004; this is the first major sewage plant in the country to operate in over 12 years. − The sewage treatment system in Baghdad, barely functioning for years before the conflict, will be restored to almost 100- percent capacity, serving 80 percent of Baghdad’s popula- tion. − Standby generators are being installed at 41 Baghdad water facilities. • South: Rehabilitated parts of the Sweet Water Canal system, including repairing breaches, cleaning the main reservoir, and refurbished 14 water treatment plants around Basrah serving 1.75 million people. • South Central: Rehabilitating two water plants and four sew- age plants. − Completed the rehabilitation of a sewage plant in Babil Gover- norate. − Sewage plants in An Najaf, Al Qadisiyah, Karbala, and Babil Governorates will serve 440,000 upon completion. − Water treatment in Najaf and Babil will serve residents and visitors at Iraq’s holiest shrines. • North: Completed rehabilitation of Kirkuk water plant and con- tinuing refurbishment of sewage plant near Mosul. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 3 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE USAID supports sustainable economic reforms in Iraq including examining and reforming laws, regulations, and institutions and providing a framework for private sector trade, commerce, and investment. The reforms will strengthen the Central Bank and the Ministries of Finance, Trade, Commerce and Indus- try—among others. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Iraqi officials and private sector representatives are continuing to work closely with USAID’s Private Sector Development II (PSD II) program to prepare for accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Acces- sion, which could take place as soon as 2007, would be a major accomplish- ment for Iraq, both in terms of its reintegration into the community of nations and its emergence as a vibrant market economy. PSD II advisors are currently working with Iraqi counterparts to draft docu- ments that are part of the WTO accession process and to assess compliance with standards that must be met in order for accession to move forward. Re- cent activities include: Memorandum of Foreign Trade Regime. One of the key initial steps in WTO accession is for the candidate country to prepare a memorandum of foreign trade regime (MFTR), to be submitted to the WTO in Geneva. The MFTR de- scribes the country’s trade policies and efforts to meet WTO standards. PSD II advisors are working closely with Iraqi officials to prepare Iraq’s MFTR. Ad- visors are also working with local subcontractors to research and analyze eco- nomic policies, import/export regulations, institutional framework for trade rela- tions with third countries, statistics, import licensing, international agreements, and other topics that must be addressed in the MFTR. Food safety. By some estimates, agriculture and agriculture-related industries account for as much as 40% of jobs in Iraq today. Although agriculture’s con- tribution to GDP is not as high as that of the oil industry, many more Iraqis’ livelihoods are directly tied to the health of the sector. WTO accession will benefit these Iraqis by opening up world markets to their agricultural products, if they meet WTO safety standards. PSD II advisors are currently working with Iraqi counterparts to assess the adequacy of existing laws governing sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) measures – steps to safeguard food safety. Advisors have also begun initiating interest among Ministry of Agriculture offi- cials who would take part in SPS training that may be necessary for WTO ac- cession. May 12, 2005 • Developed WTO Accession Roadmap in cooperation with Iraqi officials. • Provided technical assistance as well as information on con- tracting opportunities for Iraqi businesses and entrepreneurs through business centers. • Worked with the Ministry of Fi- nance to introduce the new Iraqi dinar. • Created more than 77,000 pub- lic works jobs through the Na- tional Employment Program. • Provided technical assistance on accounting, budgeting and lending activities at Iraq’s com- mercial banks. Trained 116 bankers from the Rafidain and Rasheed banks in six training courses. • Assisted in management of $21 million micro-credit program. • Improved statistical analysis, monetary policymaking, and bank supervision procedures at Iraq’s Central Bank; offered a two-week banking course to Central Bank staff with the Fed- eral Reserve Bank of New York. • Evaluated and updated com- mercial laws on private sector and foreign investment. • Assisted in developing the five percent reconstruction levy on imports; built capacity of cus- toms officials to implement levy. • Developed a government-wide IT strategy to support the auto- mation of planning, budgeting and reporting processes across ministries. • Provided technical support for the re-opening of the Iraq Stock Exchange after it was closed down for more than 15 months; 3.6 billion Iraqi dinars ($2.4 mil- lion USD) in shares were traded in the first day. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 4 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Summer and Winter Crop Technology Demonstrations: These demonstrations are intro- ducing farmers to new technolo- gies and techniques through extension field days. • Animal Health: Several veteri- nary clinics in Kirkuk, Fallujah, and other cities are being reno- vated and a grant has been made for dipping tanks to im- prove sheep health and wool. • Technology Support: The Min- istry of Agriculture and a major university’s schools of Agricul- ture and Veterinary Science have been awarded grants to furnish and equip computer centers, improving research capabilities and consulting ca- pacity. • Date Palm Propagation: In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, 40,000 elite date palm offshoots are being used to establish mother orchards in 13 governorates as part of a multiplication program and the establishment of a national reg- ister of elite varieties. • Agriculture Sector Transition Plan: This plan, completed in mid-April, addresses the short- term recovery of agricultural infrastructure as well as medium and long-term implementation of policies to develop a market- based agricultural economy. Farmers clean the irrigation canal. AGRICULTURE USAID’s goals are to work in conjunction with Iraqi ministries, the private sec- tor, and higher education institutions to revitalize agricultural production, stimulate income and employment generation, nurture rural initiatives, and rehabilitate the natural resource base. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Sixty farmers are cleaning an irrigation canal in their village with the support of a grant from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and USAID’s Agriculture Recon- struction and Development for Iraq program; the activity was de- signed through a cooperative de- cision-making process between USAID and the villagers. Work continues at a pace of about 250 meters per day, with a total of 2,500 meters cleaned so far. The farmers are removing silt, mud, plants and stones that have built up in the canal since the last cleaning three years ago. The farmers have been provided with equipment such as hand shovels, pick axes, hoes and hand carts through the MOA/USAID grant that is funding the project. Hybrid corn trials are taking place in As Sulaymaniyah with support from the MOA and USAID. The trials use demonstration plots that were planted in mid-April, containing 21 varieties. The objective of the trials is to test the per- formance of the hybrid varieties in northern conditions, as well as to compare performance to the Iraqi open-pollinated varieties. The corn is currently being tested in the short spring planting season, which lasts from April to July. Last year, MOA/USAID tested the hybrid varieties in Baghdad, Wasit, At’ Tamim, Diwaniyah and Babylon. Based on the positive results, the trials were expanded into northern Iraq this year. A total of 200,000 rodents have been collected in the past 30 days under a rodent control program supported by the MOA and USAID. The program reduces the number of rodents in areas where large rodent populations have been detrimental to agricultural production. Spring potato demonstrations supported by the MOA and USAID are un- derway in Baghdad, where the potatoes planted in late winter have reached the stages of reproduction and expansion. A variety of new tech- nologies have been employed in the demonstration plots, including fertilizers and center pivot sprinkler irrigation. The center pivot irrigation sprinklers en- able ‘fertigation,’ a technique in which fertilizer is mixed with the irrigation wa- ter and delivered through the sprinklers. Herbicides and pesticides were used to control nematodes and wireworms. May 12, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 5 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES • Strengthen the capacity of the legislative branch of the Iraqi interim and transitional govern- ments and its staff during the interim and transition period to include lawmaking, representa- tion, executive oversight, and other responsibilities as pro- vided by the Transitional Admin- istrative Law (TAL) • Assist the Executive Authority, the Presidency Council, and the Council of Ministers and its pre- siding Prime Minister to develop governing processes, rules of procedure, regulations and di- rectives necessary to enforce the laws, and to implement gov- ernment programs and policies • Support the process for adop- tion of an Iraqi constitution that promotes democratic principles and values through the provi- sion of technical assistance that includes, but is not limited to, providing comparative constitu- tional expertise; organizing con- stitutional conferences and con- ventions; facilitating public awareness, education, and par- ticipation; and assisting in the conduct of a national referen- dum or other ratifying mecha- nism. NATIONAL GOVERNANCE In the post-election period, USAID will continue to plan and implement a vari- ety of programs matching the needs of the evolving Iraqi democracy, under- taken in full partnership with Iraqi counterparts. In particular USAID is accel- erating activities in the national governance support area to ensure compre- hensive continued support to the Iraqi democratic transition. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAID’s Election Violence Education Resolution (EVER) Project is mak- ing some inroads into the Sunni-dominated areas north and west of Baghdad. In late March, the project’s office in Arbil held trainings for all new Civil Society Organization (CSO) partners, including four from Mosul, four from Tikrit and two from Kirkuk. The Salah ad Din representative of the Inde- pendent Election Commission of Iraq (IECI) also attended. In total, 17 people were trained. This represents tremendous progress; in January, Tikrit had no participating CSOs, Kirkuk had only one and Mosul had only two. During the training, all program officers from these locations were present and now feel very united in purpose and comfortable with this northern partnership. In late April, USAID’s partner providing support to the Transitional Na- tional Assembly (TNA) conducted an orientation seminar for 31 individu- als, including 26 members of the TNA, as part of an ongoing training pro- gram aimed at offering members a practical overview of key issues including: legislative drafting, effective executive-legislative relations, the role and func- tions of a parliamentary speaker’s office, TNA committee roles and functions, parliamentary rules of procedure, and the constitutional drafting process. On April 20, USAIDs partner providing support to the TNA officially awarded 20 micro-grants to civil society organizations (CSOs) from South and South Central Iraq. The grants finance projects focused on pro- moting public awareness in the constitutional process. The program also identifies CSOs with the potential and skills to become active members of the program’s “Constitution and Civil Society” related activities. USAID and its partners will therefore closely monitor the implementation of this project to identify new and long-term partners. A second group of NGOs will be awarded grants on May 15. In April, representatives from USAID’s partner supporting the Iraqi tran- sitional government met with the Speaker of the TNA and his Chief of Staff to discuss the focus of their work. The Chief of Staff confirmed that he felt USAID was in a position to productively assist the TNA and the Speaker’s Office in a number of specific areas, prior to and following the Au- gust 15 deadline for the writing of the constitution. The Speaker’s office re- quested weekly meetings with USAID’s implementing partner that will contrib- ute to USAID’s overall assistance to Iraqi governance partners. From April 16 to 19, the State University of New York’s Center for Inter- national Development (SUNY/CID), in collaboration with the Coalition Forces’ Combined Press Information Center (CPIC), organized a second round of training for 10 members of the TNA Public Affairs Office. The train- ing was organized after it was found that the Public Affairs Office was not well prepared to liaise with the Arabic media during the March 16th inaugural TNA session. May 12, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 6 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE TRANSITION INITIATIVES USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supports the transition to a par- ticipatory, stable, and democratic country. OTI provides quick-dispensing, high-impact grants meeting critical needs—providing short-term employment, restoring basic government and community services, increasing access to in- formation and communication, and encouraging protection of human rights. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK A Directorate of Municipalities in northern Iraq renovated ten municipal offices and received equipment through an Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI) grant, improving the local government body’s ability to provide better public services such as street cleaning and maintenance, lighting, and water and sanitation services. Increasing the efficiency and productivity of local govern- ment will improve its standing in public’s perception, contributing to an im- provement in stability and peace. An NGO which promotes equality of women and defends women from violence, renovated their facilities and received equipment and furniture through an ITI grant. The assistance allows the organization to expand out- reach services and activities for women in the community to promote their equality and defend their rights. May 12, 2005 • Awarded more than 3,639 small grants totaling $273.6 million for quick impact activities that sup- port good governance, civil soci- ety, conflict management and mitigation, human rights and transitional justice. • Funded over 104 grants totaling more than $4 million that focus on women’s issues, including supporting the establishment of 24 women’s centers in Iraq. Rehabilitated over 264 Iraqi national ministries, schools, clinics and other mu- nicipal buildings. Supporting 65 Iraqi groups in documenting human rights abuses of the Ba’athist regime and promoting peace, tolerance, and recon- ciliation. • Met critical needs during and immediately after the conflict by providing short-term employ- ment, restoring basic govern- ment and community services, increasing Iraqi access to infor- mation and communication and encouraging protection of hu- man rights. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 7 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE Business development grants provide thousands of jobs. COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM The Community Action Program works in rural and urban communities to pro- mote democracy and prevent and mitigate conflict. Working directly through partner NGOs and in consultation with local government representatives, USAID is creating representative, participatory community groups to identify critical priorities and implement programs to address those needs. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Since May 2003, USAID’s Community Action Pro- gram (CAP) has been working in the poorest neighborhoods in Bagh- dad at the grassroots level, empowering Iraqi communities to develop and implement reconstruction projects and improving indi- vidual lives. Under the pro- gram, a U.S. partner non- governmental organization works with Baghdad Iraqis to create representative, partici- patory Community Action Groups (CAGs) that identify critical needs and priorities, which are translated into projects funded by USAID. The program focuses on community mobiliza- tion and cooperation, social and economic infrastructure development, em- ployment and income generation, and environmental protection and manage- ment. The goal is to foster stability and improve lives by ensuring that citizens’ basic needs are met within their communities. Baghdad Business Development Program CAP’s Business Development Program in Baghdad focuses on sustainable long term job creation, with a goal of creating over 100,000 jobs over the next fiscal year. Baghdad was severely looted during the spring of 2003, destroy- ing much of the capital which kept businesses functioning, and leaving thou- sands of workers unemployed. The program looks at the economic structure of a community and brings in new capital to revitalize the economy. Building a Foundation for Democracy in Baghdad The CAP program also plays an essential role in building a foundation for de- mocracy in Baghdad. Working with—and being represented by—CAGs, im- parts an understanding of what a representative democracy should look like and how it can act to provide services to the citizenry. For example, a CAG selected as a priority the construction of a health clinic in their community. Within three months, the community members celebrated the opening of a clinic that can provide 200,000 residents with health benefits. Although pro- jects like clearing debris from a road and pumping sewage out of facilities seem a small part of improving Iraq’s future, these challenges impact every aspect of people’s lives. When they see daily challenges changed through a democratic process, one CAP partner explained, it gives Iraqis the incentive to “stay in the system and stay in the movement for a better Iraq.” May 12, 2005 • USAID has committed over $129 million to 2,844 projects while Iraqi communities have committed more than 25% of total funding. CAP has established over 700 community action groups (CAGs) in 17 governorates. Five U.S. NGOs each concentrate on a region: north, Baghdad, south- west central, southeast central, and south. • The northern program focuses on the conflict prone areas of the Sunni Triangle, Mosul, Kirkuk and the Iran-Iraq border. The partner NGO has completed 354 projects with over $18 million in project commitments including improving the Tikrit water supply, and devel- oping income generation projects in the north. • In the southwest central region, the partner NGO has established a strong presence in Hillah and the Shi’a holy cities Najaf and Karbala. Emphasis on critical infrastructure needs has improved community water/sanitation ser- vices and schools, and repaired vital social infrastructure. They have completed 296 projects and have over $21.3 million in project commitments. • Income generation is an important emphasis in the Baghdad pro- gram where 495 projects have been completed through CAGs. A marketplace for over 700 vendors is being constructed, and crews are cleaning up medical waste dumps. Total project commit- ments are $21.8 million. • In the southeast central region, 179 projects are complete with a total of $16.7 million in commit- ments. In the Shi’i heartland, these projects address needs resulting from decades of govern- ment neglect and focus on water, sewerage, community clean-up, and school rehabilitation. • The southern program has com- pleted 595 projects through 138 CAGs which average 40% women’s participation. Projects have focused on immediate com- munity needs such as sewage clean up, water treatment and distribution, public health, and girls’ access to education. Total commitments are $21.2 million. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 8 EDUCATION May 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Facilities − Awarded 627 grants worth more than $6 million to rehabilitate schools and equip Directorates General. − Rehabilitated 2,405 schools countrywide. • Supplies − Distributed desks, chairs, cabi- nets, chalkboards, and kits for primary and secondary schools countrywide. − Printed and distributed 8.7 mil- lion revised math and science textbooks to grades 1-12 by mid-February 2004. • Institutional Strengthening − Completed a major initiative that trained nearly 33,000 secondary school teachers and administra- tors, including 860 master train- ers, nationwide. − Conducted a pilot accelerated learning program in five Iraqi cities to allow out-of-school chil- dren to complete two school years in one year. More than 550 students participated. − Assisted the Ministry in estab- lishing official baseline educa- tion data for Iraq. • Higher Education − Awarded five grants worth $20.7 million to create partnerships between 10 Iraqi universities and U.S. counterparts in the Higher Education and Develop- ment (HEAD) program. − The HEAD program has pro- vided training opportunities for approximately 1,000 Iraqi fac- ulty and students, awarded more than 75 mini-grants, and supported a dozen graduate students in full-time study. − HEAD is helping Iraqi universi- ties rebuild and re-equip facili- ties; send students and profes- sors to international confer- ences; and reform curricula. USAID’s goals are to increase enrollment, improve primary and secondary education, ensure classrooms have sufficient supplies, facilitate community involvement, train teachers, implement accelerated learning programs, and establish partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi colleges and universities. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Initial results are in from agricultural research conducted by Iraqi schol- ars with the support of USAID’s Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program. The program is strengthening agricultural research and education in Iraq through a partnership between agriculture colleges at the University of Hawaii and Iraqi universities. One key HEAD initiative is a re- search grant program that enhances Iraqi capabilities and expertise in such fields as agricultural biotechnology, aquaculture, and agribusiness. More Iraqis are employed by agriculture-related jobs than any other sector of the economy. Unfortunately Iraqi agricultural science suffers from years of iso- lation from the tools and techniques of modern agribusiness. Improved agri- cultural research will allow farmers and agricultural firms to develop more prof- itable exports while improving domestic food security. The 18 grants awarded ranged from $5,000 to $30,000 (totaling $205,500) and funded the equipment, supplies and support services not otherwise avail- able to Iraqi scientists. The research grants addressed high priority needs in Iraqi agriculture and forestry and were awarded through a competitive process in July 2004 to Iraqi faculty at three colleges of agriculture. Iraq’s Ministry of Education is implementing reforms to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of the education sector. A primary focus of USAID’s basic education program is to assist the Ministry in its efforts to plan education reform, conduct needs assessments and recruit Iraqi professionals. The education program is currently helping develop several education leader- ship development modules and is considering proposals submitted for leader- ship development workshops. Data is also being collected through a needs assessment activity that help the Ministry identify key areas for further train- ing. USAID is helping the Ministry prepare and post job descriptions in order to hire additional technical officers to implement these strategies. USAID's basic education program is developing a television series to help Iraqi preschool children develop early childhood learning skills. Five members of an Iraqi team selected to produce an animated educational children’s program traveled to Amman, Jordan where they are working as il- lustrators, script writers, and producers for an early childhood development program to be broadcast throughout Iraq. The animated series will feature Iraqi characters from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds. The program promotes tolerance and community ser- vice while teaching basic lessons related to themes such as counting, colors, shapes, and time. Early childhood education is important because it encour- ages families to invest in their children's education, and develops the habit of enjoying learning at an early age. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 9 HEALTH May 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Vaccinated over 3 million chil- dren under five and 700,000 pregnant women with vaccina- tion campaigns that included monthly immunization days. • Provided supplementary doses of vitamin A for more than 600,000 children under two and 1.5 million lactating moth- ers. • Provided iron folate supple- ments for over 1.6 million women of childbearing age. • Screened more than 1.3 million children under five for malnutri- tion. • Distributed high protein bis- cuits to more than 450,000 children and 200,000 pregnant and nursing mothers. • Provided potable water for 400,000 persons each day in Basrah city and 170,000 per- sons in Kirkuk and Mosul. • Provided skills training for 2,500 primary health care pro- viders and 700 physicians. • Trained 2,000 health educa- tors, teachers, religious lead- ers and youth to mobilize com- munities on hygiene, diarrhea, breastfeeding, nutrition and immunization issues. • Disseminated information on essential health messages to families around the country. • Renovated 110 primary health care centers. • Provided vaccines and cold chain equipment to selected health centers. • Developed a national plan for the fortification of wheat flour with iron and folic acid. USAID is supporting the Iraqi Ministry of Health, to strengthen essential health services, improve the capacity of health personnel, and respond to the spe- cific health needs of vulnerable populations such as women and children. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK With funding from USAID, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is implementing a comprehensive package of activities designed to help Iraq meet Millennium Development Goals in public health, and educa- tion. In the health sector, UNICEF conducted extensive vaccination and pub- lic health campaigns. Their work in Iraq currently focuses on disease preven- tion and treatment. In the education sector, UNICEF’s activities focus on en- suring that Iraqi children stay in school, providing safe and effective learning environments, and supporting education reform. Key recent accomplishments include: • The Ministry of Health distributed 48 million tablets of Ferrous Sulfate and Folic Acid to maternal and child health units to contribute to the reduction of iron deficiency anemia, prevalent in children and women of child bear- ing age. This emergency drug distribution is part of a larger program funded by USAID and other partners to improve health care throughout Iraq. • In support of the Ministry of Health’s immunization campaign, Iraq’s central vaccine storage facility in Baghdad is being rebuilt. To date, all cold/ freezer rooms are operational and ready to store vaccines. The facility has already received 500,000 doses of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine—which prevents tuberculosis—into its cold storage units. • UNICEF recently delivered Information Technology equipment to the Min- istries of Youth and Sports, and of Women’s Affairs as part of their com- mitment to create effective learning environments for young Iraqis. Equip- ment included laptops, PCs, scanners, printers, TV’s, DVD players, and photocopiers. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 10 COMPLETED ACTIVITES Since the cessation of the 2003 conflict, USAID has completed their planned work at Umm Qasr Seaport, re- stored significant portions of Iraq’s telecommunications network, rebuilt three major bridges and restored the rail line connecting Umm Qasr with Basra city and points north. USAID also helped avert a humanitarian cri- sis during the conflict by providing assistance to the United Nations’ World Food Program. USAID advisors continue to assist with the management and distribution of food rations for all Iraqi citizens. SEAPORTS • The $45 million program to rehabilitate and improve management at Umm Qasr seaport was completed in June 2004. • Port reopened to commercial traffic on June 17, 2003; completed first passenger vessel test July 16. • Up to 50 ships offload at the port every month. • Completed dredging to open all 21 berths to deep-draft ships; maintenance dredging is ongoing. • Applied port tariffs on June 20, 2003. • Renovated the grain-receiving facility to process 600 MT of grain an hour. • Renovated the administration building, passenger terminal, customs hall, and electrical substations. TELECOMMUNICATIONS • Audited more than 1,200 km of the fiber optic backbone network and performed emergency repairs, reconnecting 20 cities and 70% of the population. • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines at 12 sites. • Installed and fully integrated 13 new switches with 14 existing switches. • Worked with the Ministry of Communications to reactivate more than 215,000 subscriber lines. • Installed a satellite gateway system at Baghdad’s largest telecom exchange and restored international service. • Trained telecom engineers and technicians in the operation and maintenance of the satellite gateway system and the new switches. BRIDGES AND ROADS • Rebuilt three major bridges—Khazir, Tikrit and Al Mat bridges—critical for the movement of people and commercial products throughout the country. • Rebuilt a substantial portion of the Iraqi Republican Railway line connecting Basrah with the port of Umm Qasr includ- ing physical track construction, installing culverts, and repairing gatehouses. The remainder of the work has been handed over to the Ministry of Transportation. This work facilitates the shipment of bulk cargo from the port to Bagh- dad and throughout the country. FOOD SECURITY • Worked directly with the World Food Program (WFP) and Coalition Forces to re-establish the Public Distribution Sys- tem in less than 30 days, avoiding a humanitarian food crisis and providing food security throughout the country. • With Iraqi food distributors, Food for Peace, the WFP, and Coalition Forces maintained deliveries from June through December 2003 in all 18 governorates. • Played a key role in an agreement between the WFP, CPA, and the MoT that provided the WFP with the resources and authority to continue to support the PDS through June 2004. • In partnership with the United States Embassy in Iraq, providing on-going support to the Public Distribution System Working Group to assist the Ministry of Trade with improving PDS management. May 12, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 11 FINANCIAL SUMMARY May 12, 2005 FY 2003-2005* Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation Reconstruction USAID/ANE Subtotal: $3,964,262,683 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $23,031,886 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 Army Corps of Engineers Architecture and Engineering Services Countrywide $30,842,037 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $79,583,885 BearingPoint Economic Governance II Countrywide $103,500,000 Louis Berger Group Vocational Education Countrywide $75,016,115 Louis Berger Group Private Sector Development II Countrywide $60,000,000 Bechtel National Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanitation Countrywide $1,029,833,259 Bechtel National Infrastructure II: Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanita- tion, Basra Hospital Countrywide $1,386,809,782 Community Action Program Development in impoverished communities Countrywide $168,820,000 DAI Marshlands Dhi Qar Al Basr Maysan $4,000,000 DAI Agriculture Countrywide $101,352,912 Fed Source Personnel Support Countrywide $300,000 IRG Reconstruction Support Countrywide $51,698,152 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $326,910,757 America's Develop- ment Foundation Civil Society Countrywide $42,880,157 CAII Education Countrywide $56,503,000 CAII Education II Countrywide $51,809,000 CEPPS Iraq Governing Council Countrywide $675,000 CEPPS Transitional Government Countrywide $20,700,000 CEPPS Voter Education, Domestic Observation and Con- flict Resolution Countrywide $47,175,000 CEPPS Elections Administration Support Countrywide $40,000,000 CHF Reconstruction Support Countrywide $2,961,228 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 12 FINANCIAL SUMMARY May 12, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation VFH Elections Support Countrywide $1,000,000 UNICEF Health, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $36,700,000 UNICEF Education Countrywide $19,600,000 UNESCO Textbook Printing & Distribution: Math & Science Countrywide $10,000,000 WHO Strengthen Health System Countrywide $10,000,000 Logenix Health North/Central $105,006 SSA Port Management Um Qasr $14,318,985 SkyLink Airport Management Baghdad, Al Basrah, Mosul $27,200,000 MSI Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $5,284,781 University Partners • The Research Foundation of the State University of New York/Stony Brook and the Universities of Chicago, Boston and Oxford • The Human Rights Institute, DePaul University College of Law and Italy’s International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences • University of Hawaii, the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, University of Jordan and the American University in Beirut • Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Benetech, US-Iraq Business Resources • University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Cameron University and Langston Univer- sity Countrywide $20,730,000 Yankee Group Telecoms Planning Countrywide $58,150 VEGA Business Skills Training Countrywide $12,089,702 UNDP Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 World Bank Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 WHO Health Countrywide $1,273,894 Emergency Relief USAID/DCHA/OFDA...................................................................................Subtotal: $166,653,748 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $8,034,781 AirServ Logistics Countrywide $5,309,876 ARC Capacity Building Al Basrah $537,746 CARE IDP Assistance, Quick-impact projects, Water and Sanita- tion, Health, Emergency Relief Commodities Countrywide $9,043,148 The Cuny Center Research Studies Countrywide $40,260 GOAL Coordination, Nutrition Al Muthanna $1,507,900 InterAction Coordination Kuwait City $92,860 IDA Health Countrywide $1,318,437 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 13 FINANCIAL SUMMARY May 12, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation IMC Health, IDP Assistance, Food Security, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, Capacity Building Countrywide $30,952,898 IOM IDP Assistance Countrywide $16,392,470 IRC IDP Assistance, Health, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $8,000,411 IRD IDP Assistance, Health, Water and Sanitation Northern Iraq $15,000,000 Logistics Emergency Relief Commodities and USAID/DART Support Countrywide $22,771,653 Mercy Corps IDP Assistance, Health, Emergency Relief Commodities, Shelter, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $22,199,786 SCF/US Food Security, Health, IDP Assistance, Shelter, Nutrition, Emergency Relief Commodities, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $7,957,783 UNICEF Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $4,000,000 OCHA Coordination and Information Countrywide $1,200,000 USAID/Jordan Support for Emergency Water Activities Countrywide $500,000 WFP Food Security, Logistics Countrywide $5,000,000 World Vision Health, Logistics, Emergency Relief , Water and Sanitation Countrywide $6,793,739 USAID/DCHA/FFP.......................................................................................Subtotal: $425,571,000 WFP Operations Countrywide $45,000,000 WFP Emerson Trust—81,500 MT Countrywide $40,337,000 WFP P.L. 48– Title II emergency food commodities—163,820 MT Countrywide $140,234,000 WFP Regional Purchase—330,000MT Countrywide $200,000,000 USAID/DCHA/OTI........................................................................................Subtotal: $372,306,242 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $10,348,777 IOM Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $6,462,167 DAI Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $344,500,376 Internews Media Countrywide $160,359 Radio SAWA Media Countrywide $400,000 NDI/IRI National Governance Countrywide $650,000 IFES National Governance Countrywide $1,042,315 ICNL Civil Society Countrywide $39,238 Spa War** Inter-Ministry Communications Countrywide $8,703,001 TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ FROM 2003-2005............................................................$4,928,804,617 * Figures in funding sheet are subject to change and do not represent a final official accounting of USG obligations. ** For accounting purposes, funding for this activity has been obligated by OFDA under an existing interagency agreement. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 14