USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 30, 26 May 2005

RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE May 26, 2005 This water pump was supplied by community members in Diyala governorate to connect them to the water network. Contents: Electricity ...........................................................2 Water and Sanitation.........................................3 Economic Governance ......................................4 Agriculture.........................................................5 National Governance......................................... 6 Community Action Program ........................... 7 Transition Initiatives ....................................... 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 Work is nearing comple- tion on a project that will allow Baghdad Interna- tional Airport (BIAP) to achieve 100 percent elec- trical self-sufficiency which will free up more power for the national grid. The BIAP electrical system has a generation output design range of 18 to 22.3 MW and consists of three 33kV power trans- formers, 11kV and 400V distribution systems, five diesel generators, and numerous smaller emergency generators. The project includes the refurbishment of the distribution system to facilitate the management and control of generation and load and the addi- tion or replacement of 17 generators. The facilities are expected to be turned over to the airport authorities by June 2005. Recent work includes the installation of grounding resistors and controllers for the generators and the repair of fuel pumps’ seals. USAID’s work at BIAP began in May 2003. Initial work focused on emergency repairs, such as the installation of a 5MW generator, to allow the immediate re-opening of the airport by July 2003. USAID also repaired the airport termi- nal and administration offices, installed communication systems, rehabilitated customs offices, and repaired passenger support facilities. May 26, 2005 • By October, 2003, rehabilitated electric power capacity to pro- duce peak capacity greater than the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. Production reached 5,365 MW on August 18, 2004. • Since achieving record power production in Summer ‘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 792 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. Laying power cables between generators. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 2 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE 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 Work is continuing on a project to repair the sewage collection system in Kadhamiya, a northern suburb of Baghdad with about 1.5 million peo- ple. Security issues and line collapses have recently caused some delays, but work is continuing at all sites and the scope of work was recently revised to address the line collapses and refur- bish vertical pumps. Kadhamiya neighborhoods frequently Improvements to the sewage collection endure flooding of raw sewage which system in northern Baghdad will serve remains as pools in streets and homes. 1.5 million people. These overflows occur because of inadequate or blocked sewer lines, and because inoperable pump stations cannot convey sewage from homes and mains to sewage treatment plants. Kadhamiya’s blocked, deteriorating and collapsed sewer lines require extensive repair or replacement. Public health risks from water-borne diseases (typhoid, cholera, malaria) are increased by pools of exposed raw sewage in neighborhoods. The scope of this project is to clean, repair, replace, and expand sewer lines and equipment of Kadhamiya’s sewage collection system as necessary to im- prove its performance. The Scope of Work will be completed in three phases, roughly corresponding to the three sections of Kadhamiya. Section 1A, which consists of clearing and repairing sewer lines in the western section, is sub- stantially complete. Section 1B consists of similar work in the eastern section. Vertical pump lift station rehabilitation (including civil, mechanical, electrical, and general building repairs) continues at eight locations as part of the 1B sub-project. Upon completion, Kadhamiya’s sewage collection system will lift and convey sewage flows to Kerkh Wastewater Treatment Plant, eliminating flooding and pooling of raw sewage. Over 4,000 houses have been connected to Baghdad’s revitalized main water system. Contractors have installed 47 kilometers of new pipeline to date, providing approximately 40,000 people with safe drinking water. After years of neglect and inconsistent repair, the Baghdad Municipal water system was badly deteriorated. The entire distribution network had neither a Master Plan nor a hydraulic model. The planning was non-existent and the maintenance negligent. The system lost about 60 percent of its water due to leaks, illegal connections, and un-metered water uses. Failing water mains in densely-populated districts, such as Sadr City, caused low water pressure and sustained pools of contaminated water which resulted in frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases. USAID’s Baghdad Water Distributions Mains project involves modeling the distribution system and repairing, replacing and install- ing new water pipes in Sadr City. May 26, 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 USAID’s Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) recently ap- proved nine new small business grants; an additional 56 grant applica- tions are now in process. Grants were provided to a broad variety of small businesses, including clinics, cafes, a carpentry shop, a tile venture, a ceram- ics shop, and an auto services business. Four training sessions in business skills and business development were provided to a total of 81 Iraqis, includ- ing 55 who were grantees under the Marla Ruzicka Iraqi War Victims Fund. VEGA is working to expand its services into areas of Iraq that have been con- sidered less secure, or non-permissive. Recently, 77 Iraqi loan officers from non-bank financial institutions took part in training provided by USAID’s Private Sector Development II initia- tive to learn the basics of small-business lending, cash flow analysis, and business loan analysis. In addition, they received training regarding the importance of starting with smaller loans in order to build a credit history with each borrower as well as the concept of granting loans in which the borrower has at least as much or more capital invested in the business than the lender, so that it is not easy for the borrower to “walk away” from the loan. Non-bank financial institutions in Iraq are already providing business loans to small gro- cery and retail stores, hairdressers, carpenters, ironsmiths, taxi drivers, small manufacturers and farmers. The loans, which usually range from $250 to $25,000, are being used to expand businesses and create jobs. Advisors from USAID’s Iraq Economic Governance II (IEG II) program completed a first draft of a Credit Procedures Manual and a Credit Policy Manual, both of which will be translated and shared with Iraq’s state-owned banks. IEG II advisors have been providing sustained technical assistance to the banks on credit and risk analysis. Advisors recently reviewed a new dol- lar-denominated loan application processed by one of the state-owned banks and observed that credit assessments had improved. Twelve new dollar loans have been approved, totaling $240,000, including three loans to clients that had repaid previous loans. Iraq’s state-owned banks are strengthening their ability to extend credit and manage risk, with support from IEG II. IEG II advisors recently com- pleted a first draft of a Credit Procedures Manual and a Credit Policy Manual, both of which will be translated and shared with the state-owned banks. IEG II advisors have been providing sustained technical assistance to the banks on credit and risk analysis. Advisors recently reviewed a new dollar- denominated loan application processed by one of the state-owned banks and observed that credit assessments had been improved since the beginning of technical assistance to the banks, with more client financial information in- cluded and assessed. Twelve new dollar loans have been approved, totaling $240,000, including three loans to clients that had repaid previous loans. May 26, 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. 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 The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruc- tion and Development for Iraq program recently partnered with an Iraqi farmers’ cooperative that was in need of assistance to improve the pro- vision of services to its members. USAID approved a grant to renovate the cooperative’s training hall; work will begin shortly. As Iraqis continue to rebuild their society, the success of their efforts depends on local entities. Community-based organizations are important supplements to official government institutions and a key component of civil society. The need for these organizations is particularly strong in the agricultural sec- tor. In Iraq, with its thousands of small, often remote villages throughout the countryside, community organizations and NGOs supplement government ex- tension services. These organizations cooperate with government to provide informational materials, training, and other services to farmers. The cooperative that recently partnered with MOA/USAID to renovate their training hall has significant previous experience providing services to local farmers. The organization was established in April 1999 by a group of agricul- tural engineers and farmers with the shared goal of protecting farmers’ rights and developing agriculture. It seeks to achieve this objective by supporting farmers’ solutions to their problems, the introduction of new farming methods, facilitating new training, and encouraging scientific analysis. Since its founding, the cooperative has rapidly grown in size. Today it in- cludes more than 140 members and attracts scores of other visitors who are interested in the group’s work. By expanding the training hall, MOA/ARDI will help the cooperative advance its mission. More training sessions can be held and larger field days and seminars can be conducted. With its increased ca- pacity, the new agricultural hall will touch the lives of more than 4,000 Iraqis. In addition to providing funds for the construction of the training hall, MOA/ USAID will also work with the cooperative to help them use their facility as ef- fectively as possible. MOA/USAID’s organizational development specialist has crafted a new association manual that is designed for small, community organizations in Iraq. Through several training and planning workshops, MOA/USAID specialists will help the key figures in the cooperative identify clear strategic goals and deter- mine the necessary steps to reach their objectives. Work with this coopera- tive is a pilot program, and the lessons learned from the project will direct fu- ture partnerships. By continuing to support local organizations such as the farmers’ cooperative on an individual basis, MOA/USAID are working to cre- ate a network of local farmers throughout the country that will be a supple- ment to the government’s capacity building and extension services. These efforts will be an important component of MOA/USAID efforts to re-establish the capacity of the agricultural sector in Iraq. May 26, 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 partner providing support to the Iraqi National Assembly (INA) held a second round of training sessions on Legislative Drafting for De- mocratic Social Change in early May for 12 INA senior staff members. The course discussed legislative theory and methodology and its application to drafting research reports and bills focusing on security, human rights and court administration. The first round of training was conducted in late March for the group of staff members who have a background and previous training in legal affairs. It is anticipated that this training group will be considered to support the drafting process. The INA’s Public Affairs team conducted further consultancy work with one of USAID’s partners, the State University of New York’s Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) on the establishment of pool re- porting for the INA, in order to reduce the number of media personnel to a manageable size. A pool would permit different media companies to take turns covering and freely sharing the media feed to all other media, instead of having an unnecessary and cumbersome overlap of media personnel and equipment. In order to create such a pool, the Public Affairs staff will be re- quired to carefully coordinate among all media representatives who will be benefiting from such a setup. USAID’s Iraq Civil Society and Media Support Program (ICSP) recently organized workshops for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on a host of Human Rights related issues at all four of the program’s regional Civil Society Resources Centers (CSRC). A Human Rights training manual was also created and shared with CSRC staff by an external ICSP consultant who supervised the training and reported on staff competencies in planning and implementing Human Rights events. In addition, a variety of citizens’ forums were held focusing on incorporating Human Rights into the constitution. USAID held another training session recently as part of its ongoing “Engendering the Constitution” project for 42 women including INA rep- resentatives, five members of the Baghdad City Council and 35 NGO staff. The trainings focused on improving the women’s abilities to develop ad- vocacy campaigns including defining goals and messaging, developing a power map of decision-makers (of allies, undecided individuals and oppo- nents) and different approaches in media outreach. Participants formed “break-out” groups to work on draft advocacy campaign strategies, related to the constitutional process. The group also considered various ways of distrib- uting the soon-to-be published Popular Guide to Women and the Constitution. Approximately 70 CSO training activities were held in March and April by the ICSP’s Baghdad CSRC on women’s advocacy, civic education, anticor- ruption or human rights. Trainees came from Baghdad, Al Anbar, Salah Ad Din and Diyala’ governorates. May 26, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 6 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE 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 A Baghdad community worked with the Community Action Program (CAP) to complete the construction of an important market in the capital city. The project renovated an existing market and constructed new facilities after the removal of damaged buildings and trash on an adjacent lot. The new market consists of 736 shops offering various services to local residents and will benefit 30,000 people. The municipality contributed by donating the land for the market, which has an estimated value of $40,000. The work created a new public space for the residents of the community and increased opportunities for income generation. The renovation provided cen- tral management and medical facilities and replaced existing make-shift ven- dor stalls with more safe and efficient stalls. The facilities are also further back from the adjacent four-lane road, thereby improving traffic. Finally, build- ing over an unused, trash-filled lot contributed to the improvement of the neighborhood. USAID’s CAP partner working in Maysan Governorate will construct an educational outreach center in the governorate with the cooperation of several Community Action Groups from the surrounding area and local authorities. The center will contain four large halls, a computer and internet center, an English language lab, and a library. To ensure its accessibility for People with Disabilities, the Iraqi Red Crescent will assist in rehabilitating the sidewalk surrounding the building. The estimated budget of the project is $127,000 and the number of direct beneficiaries is 16,000 men and 4,600 women. The work brought together Community Action Groups from eight neighbor- hoods in the vicinity. After the educational outreach center is completed, the Community Action cluster group will organize a drawing and poetry writing activity for the students of seven intermediate and secondary schools in the area. The Red Crescent Society also plans to hold lectures on landmines and hygiene in the center. The CAP partner working in Diyala Governorate is planning to supply 3500 meters of pipes to a city of about 20,000 people on the eastern plains of Iraq, where residents are trying to recover from the devastation caused by the Iran/Iraq war. The entire city has had little to no water. The wa- ter treatment pumps have been renewed, but the water network was dam- aged, and is too small to cover the whole city. CAP will supply the pipes and connect them to the water network while the Iraqi Community Action Groups working in the city will supply new water pumps. Soon, all of the people of the city and neighboring town will have fresh water. The city was emptied for the full eight years of the Iran/Iraq war. All government offices were dam- aged, and the war left no standing health facilities, schools, or electricity. Fol- lowing the end of the war, people returned to the ethnically mixed city, which is made up of 30 percent Kurds, 60 percent Arabs, and 10 percent Turkmen. May 26, 2005 • USAID has committed over $131 million to 3,120 projects while Iraqi communities have committed more than 25% of total funding. CAP has established over 600 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 433 projects with over $29 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 322 projects and have over $21.5 million in project commitments. • Income generation is an important emphasis in the Baghdad pro- gram where 522 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 $22.3 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 625 projects with total com- mitments of $21.9 million. Pro- jects have focused on immediate community needs such as sew- age clean up, water treatment and distribution, public health, and girls’ access to education. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 7 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 governing council in southern Iraq repaired, refilled and cleaned city roads with the support of a series of Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI) grants. The work provided short-term employment opportunities to 493 unskilled, un- employed local laborers who, over the past two months, cleared away trash, filled in potholes, and re-graded roads. Road repair has been a top priority for this governorate and the improvements provided through the ITI grants have given the local government the necessary time to build up their resources and maintain the road themselves. Enabling the local government to provide this key public service strengthens public confidence in their local government. A city council in southern Iraq provided temporary employment to 896 local residents over 60 days to clean up trash and debris from a number of neighborhoods through a series of ITI grants. By providing labor and equipment for this cleanup, ITI has improved living conditions in the area, miti- gating tensions that arise from unemployment. May 26, 2005 • Awarded more than 3,531 small grants totaling more than $273.9 million for quick impact activities that support good gov- ernance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, human rights and transitional justice. • Funded over 107 grants totaling $3.8 million that focus on women’s issues, including sup- porting the establishment of 24 women’s centers in Iraq. Reha- bilitated over 264 Iraqi national ministries, schools, clinics and other municipal buildings. Sup- porting 65 Iraqi groups in docu- menting human rights abuses of the Ba’athist regime and pro- moting peace, tolerance, and reconciliation. • Met critical needs during and immediately after the conflict by providing short-term employ- ment, restoring basic govern- ment and community services, increasing Iraqi access to infor- mation and communication and encouraging protection of hu- man rights. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 8 EDUCATION May 26, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • 2,457 schools have been rehabili- tated through direct contracting and grants to communities. • Hundreds of thousands of desks, chairs, cabinets, chalkboards, and kits for primary and secondary schools have been distributed countrywide. • Nearly 33,000 secondary school teachers and administrators, in- cluding 860 master trainers, have been trained nationwide. Over the next year, up to 100,000 addi- tional teachers will receive in- service training. • Eighty-four primary and secon- dary schools (four in each gover- norate) are being established to serve as “centers of excellence.” Teachers will receive six weeks of training, and schools will be equipped with computer and sci- ence laboratories. • More than 550 out-of-school youth completed a pilot acceler- ated learning program. An ex- panded program, targeting 50,000 out-of-school youth , will be imple- mented during the 2005–06 school year. • Satellite Internet access and com- puters installed at the Ministry of Education and in all 21 Director- ates of Education. To improve resource management, an Educa- tion Management Information System is being developed. • More than 8.7 million math and science textbooks have been edited, printed, and distributed throughout Iraq. • Partnerships have been estab- lished between five American and ten Iraqi universities. Through these partnerships, more than 1,400 Iraqi faculty and students have participated in workshops, trainings, conferences, and courses in Iraq, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. • University facilities, such as librar- ies, computer and science labora- tories, lecture halls, and buildings, have been rehabilitated at col- leges of law, engineering, medi- cine, archeology, and agriculture. In addition, books and electronic resources have been provided to university libraries. 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 The Iraqi Ministry of Education (MoE) is working with USAID and a Jorda- nian firm to develop an Early Child- hood Learning television program. A team of 14 Iraqis and 24 Jordanians are currently working in Amman on pro- duction and guidelines for the programs for preschool children. To ensure that this type of television programming continues in Iraq, four representatives from the MoE are working together with the production and design teams to gain skills in children’s television production. Thirteen important themes have been identified for the television programs which will help pre-school age children develop learning and comprehension skills. So far, narration, music and storyboards have been completed for three of the themes. The producers included Iraqi elements in the program in terms of character design, background design, and narration. In the programs, Iraqis narrate classic Arabic stories and the music is preformed by a well known Iraqi musician. The production team is also developing handouts and booklets to be used as companions to the shows allowing parents and chil- dren to continue learning at home. Two new greenhouses were received at universities in Mosul and Dohuk in May. The greenhouses support teaching and research, especially for Mas- ters and Ph.D. programs, at the two universities’ colleges of agriculture. Their arrival is a step toward revitalizing agricultural education in Iraq. The pur- chase of the greenhouses was supported by the agricultural component of USAID’s Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program. Over 40% of the Iraqi workforce is employed in the agriculture sector. Improved agricul- tural understanding and techniques will improve both job security and food security in Iraq. The installation of advanced laboratories within Iraqi universities contin- ues to progress. Modern equipment and chemicals have been shipped, and laboratory spaces renovated. Labs for animal science, cell biology, veterinary medicine, and soil sciences will be installed and ready to use in the coming months. This project, led by the University of Oklahoma, is part of USAID’s Higher Education and Development program (HEAD) program. In late April, an Iraqi University representative attended an environ- mental conference at the United Nations in New York. The conference discussed The Eden Project, action plans for water resource management in Iraq. In discussions with other attendees, the Iraqi representative stressed the fundamental role that Iraqi university research centers play in shaping water policy for Iraq. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 9 HEALTH May 26, 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 One million sachets of Oral Rehydration Salts are being delivered by UNICEF to the Ministry of Health in May as contingency stocks for treat- ment during the diarrhea/cholera season. Present circumstances suggest the possibility of higher incidences of diarrheal diseases this year. Diarrhea is a major killer of children in Iraq causing over around 25% of child deaths. Curing and preventing the disease is a top priority, which entails distri- bution of medications, revitalizing the deteriorated sewage system and provid- ing safe drinking water. USAID, in cooperation with WHO and UNICEF, is supporting the Ministry of Health’s campaign to vaccinate children aged 9 months to five years against measles, mumps and rubella. In the first few days of the campaign, approximately 36% of the target population of children received vaccinations. 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 26, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 11 FINANCIAL SUMMARY May 26, 2005 FY 2003-2005* Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation Reconstruction USAID/ANE Subtotal: $4,054,735,796 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $23,031,886 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 America's Develop- ment Foundation Civil Society Countrywide $42,880,157 Army Corps of Eng. Architecture and Engineering Services Countrywide $30,842,037 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $79,583,885 BearingPoint Economic Governance II Countrywide $103,500,000 Bechtel Airports, buildings, emergency communications, power, railroads, roads and bridges, Umm Qasr seaport, water and sanitation Countrywide $1,029,833,259 Bechtel 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 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 Community Action Program Development in impoverished communities Countrywide $258,820,000 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 $52,171,260 Logenix Health North/Central $105,006 Louis Berger Vocational Education Countrywide $75,016,115 Louis Berger Private Sector Development II Countrywide $60,000,000 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 12 FINANCIAL SUMMARY May 26, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation MSI Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $5,284,781 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $241,910,757 RTI Local Governance II Countrywide $70,000,000 RTI Health Training Countrywide 15,000,000 SkyLink Airport Management Baghdad, Basrah, Mosul $27,200,000 SSA Port Management Umm Qasr $14,318,985 UNDP Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 UNESCO Textbook Printing & Distribution: Math & Science Countrywide $10,000,000 UNICEF Health, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $36,700,000 UNICEF Education Countrywide $19,600,000 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 University Countrywide $20,730,000 VEGA Business Skills Training Countrywide $12,089,702 VFH Elections Support Countrywide $1,000,000 WHO Strengthen Health System Countrywide $10,000,000 WHO Health Countrywide $1,273,894 World Bank Trust Fund Contribution Countrywide $5,000,000 Yankee Group Telecoms Planning Countrywide $58,150 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 26, 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: $372,322,670 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $10,365,205 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............................................................$5,019,283,214 * 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