USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 22, 31 March 2005

RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE March 31, 2005 Workers lay a concrete foundation for water clarifiers at a power plant outside of Basrah. Contents: Electricity ...........................................................2 Water and Sanitation.........................................3 Education ..........................................................4 Economic Governance .....................................5 Agriculture ......................................................... 6 Health ............................................................... 7 Local Governance.......................................... 8 National Governance ..................................... 9 Transition Initiatives ....................................... 10 Disaster Assistance........................................ 11 Completed Activities....................................... 12 Financial Summary ........................................ 13 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 Installation of water treatment units at four major power plants in Basrah is nearing completion. For years, these plants have been op- erating without func- tioning water treat- ment units. When un- treated brackish water is circulated through boiler tubes, it cor- rodes the tubes and eventually causes them to rupture. Long term use of poor qual- ity water results in per- manent damage to the boiler and heat ex- change system, addi- tional 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 mechanical systems, electrical systems, plumbing, and water storage tanks. Two of the plants are entirely finished, the third is undergoing final inspections, and the fourth is laying concrete foundations for clarifiers and tanks. The entire project is 83 percent complete and is expected to be finished by mid-May. The new facilities will improve the efficiency and reliability of Bas- rah’s power plants. March 31, 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 600 MW of capacity through maintenance and rehabilitation work, and also repaired a 400 KV transmission line. • USAID and the Ministry of Elec- tricity are working with partners to add a total of more than 792 MW to the national grid by De- cember 2005 through mainte- nance, rehabilitation, and new generation projects. • USAID completed a project to convert two units that produce 80 MW each to operate on crude/heavy fuel oil instead of diesel which is in short supply. • 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. Workers lay a concrete foundation for water clarifiers at a power plant outside of Basrah. The water treatment facili- ties will improve efficiency and reliability of Basrah’s power supply. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 2 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE 150,000 people will benefit from the sewage plant rehabilitation. 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 Engineers are working to refur- bish mechanical equipment at a Karbala sewage treatment plant. The plant was never en- tirely completed by the previous regime, and has not provided sat- isfactory primary sewage treat- ment. Prior to the refurbishment activity, the plant processed only about 30 percent of the sewage produced by Karbala’s 549,000 inhabitants. Moreover, at some point its secondary aerobic di- gesters were contaminated with diesel fuel, making them unsuit- able to process sludge. Recent activity at the plant has included the refurbishment of mechanical equipment at the primary sedimentation tank, sludge pumping station, inlet pumping station and flocculation tanks. Pile- driving continues at the secondary sedimentation tanks. Alteration of the final discharge channel to adapt to a new primary effluent screw pump station is ongoing. The aeration tank is being prepared for refurbishment and its infil- trated water sump-pumped out. Preparatory work and dewatering continues at several pumping stations. Mechanical and electrical work is underway at water and sanitation fa- cilities serving rural areas of Diyala governorate. The plants require reha- bilitation and expansion to better serve the 60,000 residents of the region. The water treatment plant is operating well below capacity and only provides 33 percent of the potable water needed for the region. As a result, many local residents rely on untreated well water which can lead to outbreaks of danger- ous water-born diseases like typhoid and cholera. This project is 66 percent finished and is set for completion in May 2005. The trunk sewer systems serving Zafaraniyah, a district in South Eastern Baghdad, are being augmented due to their dilapidated state. The cur- rent sewer system is undersized and unreliable. Sections have collapsed, de- teriorated or been damaged. This disrepair causes leaks and flow blockage which results in frequent overflows sending raw sewage into homes and onto neighborhood streets. The flooding generates exposed pools of raw sewage which contribute to the spread of water-borne communicable diseases such as typhoid, cholera, diphtheria, and malaria. The project will add gravity-flow lines and pumps to the existing main trunk sewage line. To make the system reliable, two major pump stations also require a total of 10 pumps, both verti- cal and horizontal types, and supporting electrical systems. March 31, 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 EDUCATION March 31, 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 A Baghdad university law library has been restored with assistance from the International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University. This is the first of three law library renovations that the institute has undertaken as part of the $3.8 million legal education reform component of the Higher Edu- cation and Development (HEAD) program. Two more libraries will soon be reopened after renovations. The university's library has suffered from 30 years of neglect. Reconstruction efforts include contributions in the areas of techni- cal and administrative support, library resource assistance, repairs, and con- struction that helped to get the library functioning again. Renovations included building facilities, new print and electronic resources, a cataloguing system, new furniture and shelving, internet access, and a basic collection of books. Iraqi law faculty are engaged in the constitution writing process by pre- senting research papers at international law conferences and compiling their findings into a briefing packet for Transitional National Assembly members. Their research topics include the Iraqi elections, the new constitu- tion, principles of good governance, and federalism. The research will be in- cluded in a briefing book in Arabic on major legal issues facing the drafters. DePaul University is working as part of the HEAD program to empower faculty members in Iraqi colleges of law to undertake leading roles in legal reform. Law students from a university in As Sulaymaniyah governorate are par- ticipating in the Jessup International Moot Court Competition in Wash- ington, DC in late March. They have been preparing for this competition for months, studying international law, preparing briefs, and practicing in moot court classrooms. Three of the four competitors are women. DePaul Univer- sity is sponsoring their trip under the HEAD program. This project empha- sizes practical knowledge, courtroom experience, and ethical practices, so that students leave college prepared to undertake their responsibility as public servants rebuilding Iraq’s legal system. A University in Mosul will modernize its facilities with new technology and necessary equipment. Under the HEAD program, Jackson State Uni- versity is supplying Iraqi universities with improved facilities and new equip- ment. At the Mosul university, they will install a computer network, Internet Protocol phone systems and internet access as part of the IT Infrastructure project. This technology will improve the institutional viability of the university. UNICEF held a meeting to coordinate donor and Ministry of Education efforts to supply education materials for Iraqi school children for the 2005/2006 school year. The meeting should help expedite the procurement of essential supplies needed for the coming school year and strengthen Minis- try of Education capacity. The participants decided to procure 5.9 million school kits for primary school children which include school materials such as notebooks, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, crayons, drawing books, rul- ers, etc. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 4 March 31, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE USAID supports sustainable economic reforms in Iraq including examining and reforming laws, regulations, and institutions and providing a framework for private sector trade, commerce, and investment. The reforms will strengthen the Central Bank and the Ministries of Finance, Trade, Commerce and Indus- try—among others. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Iraqi officials are working to develop a transparent and modern tax and government finance system; such a system is essential to ensuring that government revenue is collected and managed in a way that does not interfere with the basic functioning of the economy. USAID’s Iraq Eco- nomic Governance II (IEG II) program is supporting Iraqi government counter- parts to build their capacity to implement reforms in support of these goals. Recent activities have included: Financial Management Information System. IEG II recently installed financial management information system (FMIS) hardware in the Ministry of Transpor- tation, the Ministry of Housing, and the Ministry of Health. IEG II also worked with Ministry of Finance (MoF) officials to brief them on the FMIS in anticipa- tion of a meeting with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. FMIS is an automated networked accounting and budget execution system with online access and a real-time updated centralized database for all spend- ing organizations in Iraq. Tax Policy and Revenue Analysis. IEG II staff have completed and delivered a draft mobile phone user tax (in both Arabic and English versions) to the General Commission for Tax (GCT) and the MoF. IEG II advisors have had intensive discussions with the GCT on the proposed tax and have initiated a Mobile Phone Tax working committee. Advisors have also completed drafting an income tax briefing book which is now undergoing final internal reviews. Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations. Advisors recently completed the final draft of the Local Government Revenue policy paper. This paper will be part of a policy brief on decentralizing services of the Iraqi government, along with three other, already-completed policy papers on Intergovernmental Controls, Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations, and Intergovernmental Relationships and Decentralization. The final required paper that will be part of the brief is an expenditure assignment policy review. • 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 ● 5 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) has approved a national program to identify and map areas of the country best suited to particular types of crops. This type of analysis is known as agro-ecological characterization and will lead to the preparation of land suitability maps for major crops in Iraq. The project will apply modern concepts of “Agro-Ecological Zoning” for resources planning and management with an underlying goal to increase agricultural productivity, improve food security, preserve natural resources and contribute to enhanced prosperity for the whole population. All Iraqi farmers and live- stock producers will benefit from the data generated by the project to assess production priorities and manage scarce resources. Grants from USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruction and Development for Iraq (ARDI) program will provide field equipment for the MOA mapping facility, in- cluding computer workstations, a high-capacity server, a scanner, large format printer and a digitizing table, as well as software and satellite imagery neces- sary to produce high-quality land-use and crop suitability maps. The major area of ARDI support, however, will be to train MOA personnel to generate and input raw data, and to produce the final maps in both electronic and hard formats. Ten officials from Water Resource Departments in five Iraqi gover- norates attended a training course in Amman, Jordan with support from ARDI. The course, prepared and delivered by staff from the Jordan Valley Au- thority (JVA) and Jordanian universities, covered principles of water resource management. The course lasted eight days, with four days devoted to lectures and training and four days for field trips to local farms and the JVA headquar- ters to observe the control center, operation room, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA). Iraqi farmers recently participated in a planning workshop as part of the wheat technology demonstration project being implemented by ARDI. The three-hour workshop in Arbil addressed the farmers’ progress in imple- menting improved practices over the past 30 days, including rodent control and application of pesticides, weed control and spraying of herbicides, and nitrogen fertilization. Under the crop technology program, one field is culti- vated using traditional agriculture practices and an adjacent field is cultivated using the improved practices. This allows the participating farmers to directly compare the impact of both methods. The farmers who attended the work- shop agreed that the plots where the improved practices have been used ap- pear in much better condition than the traditional plots. The improved prac- tices have been so successful that many farmers attending the workshop ex- pressed interest in implementing improved practices for the next planting sea- son. The group shared their experiences of the program to date and offered suggestions and constructive criticism for possible modifications in the future. March 31, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 6 HEALTH March 31, 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 leaders and youth to mobilize commu- nities 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’s goals include supporting a reformed Iraqi Ministry of Health, deliver- ing essential health services, funding vaccines and high protein biscuits for pregnant and nursing mothers and malnourished children, providing basic pri- mary health care equipment and supplies, training and upgrading health staff, providing health education and information, and identify the specific needs of the health sector and of vulnerable populations such as women and children. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Essential health care equipment arrived in emergency rooms and supply houses throughout Iraq to help Iraqis strengthen their health services. This project is being implemented by UNICEF with the support of a $36 million USAID grant. Recent emergency health equipment deliveries include 300 Emergency Health Kits, intravenous fluids and 29,332 tubes of Flamazine cream, a medicine essential in managing burns. To contribute to combating malnutrition, UNICEF supplied 405 clinical scales for infants and newborns. Since the project commenced, a total of 2,300 scales have been delivered to maternity wards, pediatric wards, and delivery rooms where they are used to register and manage low birth weight infants. To reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency disorders, 76 feeders have been also delivered to wheat flour mills throughout the country. These feeders will allow mills to enrich wheat flour with iron and folic acid, nutrients deficient in diets throughout Iraq. To enhance immunization coverage, UNICEF facilitated a four-day train- ing program for twenty-two district immunization managers in Dahuk governorate. The training will build the capacity of the mangers to efficiently distribute and properly administer medical supplies and vaccines. UNICEF led a massive immunization campaign immediately following the 2003 conflict. Routine immunization services for all children were disrupted and approxi- mately 270,000 children born at the time went without inoculations. The exist- ing stock of vaccines in the country was rendered useless during the war af- ter the cold-chain system was broken. After the conflict, UNICEF supported the distribution of vaccines enabling routine immunization to resume. A Baghdad clinic and medical school training center received new furni- ture and equipment through the support of their local Community Action Group (CAG) and USAID’s Community Action Program (CAP). The cen- ter serves about 400 patients daily, approximately 250 Bachelor’s Degree stu- dents and 20 doctors pursuing higher studies. The facilities were neglected under the previous regime. The project provided furniture and equipment which will help the staff to do their job properly. The Center’s manager, a doc- tor living in the same neighborhood, said that the new equipment will allow the center to function as it was originally intended. The project is not only vital for the immediate community but throughout Iraq as the students training at the center come from all regions of the country. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 7 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE LOCAL GOVERNANCE USAID’s Local Governance Program goals include promoting representative citizen participation in governance; strengthening the management skills of city and provincial administrations and civic institutions; promoting advocacy and participation of civil society organizations; enhancing leadership skills; and serving as a recruiting tool for future leaders. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Twenty-five technicians from the Wasit Governorate Agriculture Direc- torate recently completed a five-day basic computer training course that was sponsored by the Local Governance Program (LGP) team in South Central Iraq, in conjunction with the Wasit Agricultural Media Extension Cen- ter. The training focused on internet research and a refresher on Word and Excel. With modern computer skills, agricultural experts can find data on prices and pursue up-to-date research on technical or biological problems related to agricultural production. The LGP Policy Reform Team (PRT) continued its efforts to promote de- centralized governance in Iraq. The PRT met with officials from the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works (MMPW) decentralization task force to dis- cuss the legal basis for the decentralization of municipal services and to out- line an implementation plan for a pilot project. The MMPW decentralization task force recently completed its first draft of a ministerial order delegating ad- ditional responsibilities to two designated pilot sites and submitted the draft to the Director General of the Municipalities Directorate at the MMPW for review/ approval. The pilot project will delegate both resources and decision-making authority to two local departments of the Ministry. LGP is conducting Community Council Liaison Activities in the often contentious Salah Ad Din governorate. By late February, the Community Council Liaison Activities had generated the following actions: • The Tuz District Council of Salah Ad Din Governorate discussed taking further action on paving the five kilometer main road in their village. • The Sulaiman Beg Subdistrict Council discussed frequent electricity short- ages due to the collapse of power pylons in the area. • The need for a new cemetery for the sub-district was discussed in the Samarra District Council. • In Tikrit District, the village of Al Hamra needs a secondary school • Al Mihzim village agricultural fields need hydraulic pumps for irrigation. The Al Dujail District Council discussed the need to build a new hospital in the district. which was ultimately approved by the council. Fifteen council members of the Al Aziza District Council in Wasit gover- norate recently completed a three-day workshop on the functions and operations of local councils, sponsored by the LGP team in South Central Iraq. The council members represent a population of 300,000, or 30% of the provincial population. Councils such as Aziza were elected last year but had no preparation for their new democratic duties. March 31, 2005 • Established regional offices in Al Basrah, Al Hillah, Baghdad, and Mosul and operations in all governorates. • Awarded $15.5 million in rapid- response grants in the first pro- gram year to strengthen the capacity of municipal authorities to deliver core municipal ser- vices. The grants were used to restore services in agriculture, education, health, electricity, sanitation, and water. • Facilitated the establishment and refreshment of 16 gover- norate councils, 90 district coun- cils, 194 city or sub-district councils, and 445 neighborhood councils. • Organized and facilitated nu- merous selection processes for governors and mayors, as well as local council members, throughout Iraq. • Committed more than $2.4 mil- lion for the nationwide Civic Education Campaign, which educates Iraqis on democracy and Iraq’s political situation. More than 28,500 democracy dialogues have been conducted to date. • Supported preparation of 2004 city council budgets in Baghdad, Mosul, Al Hillah, Babil, and An Najaf. • Supporting a series of National Agenda Dialogue Conferences, which engage stakeholders such as academics, journalists, women, tribal leaders, and local government officials in discus- sions on their roles in Iraq’s emerging democracy. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 8 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 The newly elected Iraqi Transitional National Authority (TNA) will write a constitution this year and it is essential that women be involved in the process in order to guarantee their rights. USAID’s partner implementing the project to support the TNA and the drafting of the Iraqi Constitution hosted a meeting in late February with 26 women leaders to discuss an initiative to ensure that women's rights are included in the constitution. Over the next year, the implementing partner will work with women elected officials and civil society representatives to educate Iraqis on the importance of constituting women's rights, and to train them in the necessary advocacy and education skills they will need to promote their rights with the Iraqi Government and the society at large. At the meeting, the women agreed that they want a constitution that will allow them to exercise their civil, political, economic and social rights. Further, that women's issues need to be integrated into the articles of the constitution in- stead of having an independent women's charter as has happened in other countries. Other issues discussed were the representation of women in government and specific civil rights such as freedom of travel, marriage and divorce laws, and family and inheritance laws. Broader issues included the protection of minori- ties; the structure of the judicial system, legislature and executive; adherence to international treaties and conventions; and protection of minorities. Whether Iraq has a unicameral or bicameral legislature, an executive cabinet or a state religion is still to be debated; what is clear is that Iraqi women saw their rights as human rights, and are ready to work inside and outside the TNA to guaran- tee them in the constitution. Because constitutional rights espouse the fundamental values of a country, constituting women's rights means that these rights are recognized, valued and promoted. Furthermore, constituting their rights provides women with the tools to challenge government activity (or inactivity) on women's issues, and offers greater protection than other legislated or common law. Guaranteeing their rights in the constitution protects women from such problems as employ- ment discrimination, political under-representation and unfair family or divorce laws. The timeline is short, however. The Iraqi Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) states that the TNA must write the first draft of the Constitution by Au- gust 15 followed by two months of public education on its contents, before a popular referendum is held on October 15. If the TNA's Constitutional Com- mission decides that it needs more time, the members can ask for a one time, six month extension. March 31, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 9 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Awarded more than 3,150 small grants totaling more than $257.8 million for quick impact activities that support good gov- ernance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, human rights and transitional justice. • Funded over 100 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. 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 Iraqi citizens from 85 villages attended public meetings intended to heighten awareness of marriage laws. Based on traditional practices, many Iraqis throughout the region enter into illegal marriages which can result in human rights violations and imminent legal confusion. Some of these women, who are frequently under the legal marriage age of 18, are deprived of basic rights and children from these marriages have difficulty establishing their legal identity. An Iraqi non-governmental organization (NGO) working in the north sent mobile teams to the villages to hold the public meetings over a three-month period. The NGO plans to print a report about the meetings in the local newspaper. The mobile teams were supported by funds from an Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI) grant which will allow the Iraqi NGO to contribute to empowering women to protect themselves in marriage and to promote social stability by addressing the social problems arising from illegal marriages. A human rights NGO in northern Iraq is strengthening the capacity of human rights and peace advocates. Through an ITI grant, the NGO held thirty workshops educating participants on democracy and building their ca- pacity to advocate for human rights and participate in Iraq's transition to a de- mocratic system. Participants included students, youth, teachers, lawyers, media professionals, members of women’s organizations, and NGOs. May- ors, district directors, and security personnel attended separate seminars di- rectly addressing their needs. A women’s rights NGO in northern Iraq procured equipment and re- sources to expand its outreach and educational activities under an ITI grant. ITI enabled the NGO to provide literacy courses and social outreach to area women, thus empowering them to become more active participants in their communities. Teaching uneducated women basic reading and writing skills also enabled them to improve their economic well-being thus strengthen- ing confidence in Iraq’s transition to a democracy. A photography NGO in northern Iraq purchased office equipment, sup- plies and furniture through an ITI grant. The association promotes high- quality photography in Iraq and empowers photographers to play a significant role in the development of an independent artistic community, essential to an open, transparent and democratic Iraq. The NGO also aims to expand its ex- hibitions and improve the skills of its 2000 members. A sub-district council in northern Iraq beautified one of their secondary schools to provide a safer and more student-friendly environment. The labor and equipment for the project was provided by an ITI grant. By using local labor, this project provides employment opportunities for young resi- dents. Many of the residents in this area endured pressures to join the former regime. As a result, this region became an epicenter for insurgency and con- flict. The school beautification project increases the community’s hope for a brighter future. March 31, 2005 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 10 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Rehabilitated 105 water treat- ment units and 396 kilometers of water networks to ensure the provision of potable water in critical areas. • Rehabilitated 72 health facilities and re-equipped 238 to improve the quality of health care. • Vaccinated over 3,000 women and children against measles. • Registered internally displaced persons and provided them with water, blankets, medical kits, and hygiene kits. • Rehabilitated a water treatment plant in a poor area of Baghdad. The rehab is benefiting 1 million residents. DISASTER ASSISTANCE In the first year of programming, USAID’s humanitarian assistance focused on emergency interventions to prevent food and water shortages and provide adequate shelter and medical supplies throughout Iraq. USAID is now direct- ing humanitarian assistance efforts through the Office of Foreign Disaster As- sistance (OFDA) to specifically target Iraq’s internally displaced people (IDP), primarily in northern Iraq, but also in two southern governorates. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAID’s Office of Foreign Dis- aster Assistance (OFDA) is dis- tributing Livelihood Packages to displaced families in south and west Kirkuk. Local Commu- nity Development Groups helped OFDA assess the community and prioritize the families in greatest needed. Over 2,300 family packages have been distributed among the dis- placed population. These pack- ages include blankets, clothes, heaters, cookers, and plastic sheeting – non-food items, which would help people stay warm and dry during the winter. In addition more than 50 jobs were created during procurement, with addi- tional jobs being generated dur- ing the distributions. In seven villages north and east of Kirkuk generators have been connected to deep wells to provide approximately 2,500 persons with safe drinking water. This project was undertaken in coordination with the Kirkuk Directorate of Water. March 31, 2005 An Iraqi man receives a Livelihood Assets Package for his family in Kirkuk. Over 2,300 packages have been distributed to displaced families throughout Kirkuk. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 11 COMPLETED ACTIVITES March 31, 2005 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. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 12 FINANCIAL SUMMARY March 31, 2005 FY 2003-2005* Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation Reconstruction USAID/ANE Subtotal: $3,874,775,557 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 $241,910,757 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 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 13 FINANCIAL SUMMARY March 31, 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 $98,006 SSA Port Management Um Qasr $14,318,985 SkyLink Airport Management Baghdad, Al Basrah, Mosul $27,200,000 MSI Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $5,038,772 University Partners • The Research Foundation of the State University of New York/Stony Brook and the Universities of Chicago, Boston and Oxford • The Human Rights Institute, DePaul University College of Law and 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 Emergency Relief USAID/DCHA/OFDA...................................................................................Subtotal: $171,615,822 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,996,855 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 ● 14 FINANCIAL SUMMARY March 31, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation IMC Health, IDP Assistance, Food Security, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, Capacity Building Countrywide $28,952,898 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: $372,029,240 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $10,071,784 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............................................................$4,836,991,619 * 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. 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