USAID Iraq: Fact sheet no. 11, 12 January 2005

RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE January 12, 2005 Above: Workers spread pipe bedding material as part of a project that is installing a new sewage trunk line in Baghdad. Contents: ElectricityÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...Ö.Ö...2 Water and SanitationÖÖÖÖ...ÖÖ...ÖÖ.Ö3 AirportsÖÖÖÖÖÖ..ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ....Ö....4 Economic Governance..ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..ÖÖ5 Agriculture..ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...6 Education.ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..7 HealthÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.......................................8 Democracy and Governance.............................9 ElectionsÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.10 Humanitarian AssistanceÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.11 Completed ActivitiesÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.12 Financial SummaryÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ...13 USAID assists Iraqis in reconstructing their country by working with Iraqís Interim Government. Programs are implemented in coordination with the United Nations, country partners, nongovernmental organizations and private sector partners. This report highlights USAIDís 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 ELECTRICITY JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • By October, 2003, rehabilitated electric power capacity to pro- duce peak capacity greater than the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. By October, 2003, reha- bilitated electric power capacity to produce peak capacity greater than the pre-war level of 4,400 MW. Hit 5,365 MW on August 18, 2004. • Since achieving record power production in Summer ë04, the Ministry of Electricityówith as- sistance from USAIDóhas 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 Fallís maintenance program. • Repairing thermal units, replac- ing turbines, rehabilitating the power distribution network, and installing and restoring genera- tors. • USAID has added 535 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 1,281 MW to the national grid by December 2005 through maintenance, 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. • Most recently, USAID has initi- ated a project to rehabilitate 13 existing substations and con- struct 24 new substations in Baghdad. These 37 substations will improve the distribution and reliability of electricity for more than two million Baghdad resi- dents. USAIDís 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 of 2003 to restore the capacity to Iraqís power system. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK A new V64 power generation unit at a Kirkuk power facility has come online. The Kirkuk facility is a large substation located north of Baghdad at the site of a major hub for the 132-kV and 400-kV grids. This area is near an existing natural gas pipeline, which was tapped to provide fuel gas to the new gas turbines which are being installed at the Kirkuk site. Gas turbines can be installed with a minimal amount of external infrastructure and are capable of burning a variety of fuels, including heavy oils. USAIDís work at the site will bring two new generators online, adding 325 MW of electrical generation capacity to the electrical grid. The recently completed V64 unit has added 65 MW to the national grid. The V94 generator, which will add 260 MW, is expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2005. Initial start-up and synchronization of the V64 was achieved on January 3. Work is being temporarily slowed down on the V94 unit while workers await the arrival of parts in-country. The overall project is now 83% finished, with completion anticipated by mid-2005. The renovation of water treatment facilities for four power plants in the Basrah region is 82 percent complete. Two of these power plants utilize steam turbines that require ultra clean water. The other two facilities operate gas turbines and use water to prevent overheating. All work is finished at two of the plants. At a third plant, the filtered water tank is complete and work has started on the third clarified water tank. Installation of new pumps, concrete foundations, electrical cables and the operators build- ing is also under way. At the fourth facility, sidewalls for the desalinated water tank and intermediate storage water tank were completed. Electrical and in- strumentation cabling and reverse osmosis skids are being installed, and in- struments calibrated. Without adequate water treatment, sustained and reliable operation of power plants is unlikely. Continued op- eration with poor quality water results in long term damage re- quiring extensive and costly re- pairs and possible power out- ages. The plants being rehabili- tated under this project are es- sential for the Basrah region and the national power supply. A desalinated water tank at a power plant. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 2 WATER AND SANITATION JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE •Nationwide: Repaired various sewage lift stations and water treatment units. •Baghdad: Expanding one water treatment plant and constructing another to increase capacity by approximately 70 million gallons per day; rehabilitating sewage treatment 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 Baghdadís population. −Standby generators are being installed at 41 Baghdad water facilities. •South: Rehabilitating parts of the Sweet Water Canal system, including repairing breaches, cleaning the main reservoir, and refurbishing 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 Iraqís holiest shrines. •North: Rehabilitating two water plants and one sewage plant near Mosul and Kirkuk. USAIDís 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 USAIDís $600 million in water and sanitation projects. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís projects to rehabilitate water and wastewater plants in Salah al Din Governorate are approximately 60 percent complete. Once finished, the wastewater treatment plant will serve a rural town of 60,000 residents and the water plant will produce approximately 3.8 million gallons per day of potable drinking water. Recently, a chemical engineer was added to the plant staff to help commis- sion and operate the plant. A trouble-shooting guide on plant treatment proc- esses was completed. Wastewater plant startup and testing is anticipated next week. Work on the water treatment plant component of the project has been temporarily halted due to security-related issues, and is expected to resume next week. The water treatment plant is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2005. Construction work is moving forward on a sewage trunk line in large, poor districts of eastern Baghdad. The trunk line will extend service to some areas that were not served by sewage lines before, and in other areas will replace an old system that was prone to leaks and blockages. When complete, this project will divert sewage that now often collects in the street to a functioning sewage system. The new trunk line will convey sewage to a nearby wastewater treatment plant. Where there were preexisting sewer lines in the area, they were primarily ìgravityî lines that are prone to block- ages if flow rates slow down. The rehabilitated system will include both grav- ity and pressure lines to improve drainage. Without this work, the district would continue to be blighted by pooling of sewage that floods local streets and poses serious health risks. Recently, workers continued to install the gravity line, with approximately 110 meters installed in the last week. USAID and its partners are cooperating closely with Baghdad municipal authorities to address issues related to the transfer of ownership of a site for a sewage pumping facility. The project cur- rently employs 85 Iraqis and is expected to be complete by the end of 2005. Workers install a new sewage line in Baghdad. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 3 AIRPORTS JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Flights have been arriving and departing Baghdad Interna- tional Airport since July 2003. BIAP is processing an average of 45 non-military arrivals and departures daily. • Completed emergency infra- structure work at BIAP for civil air operations, including repair- ing Terminal C and administra- tion offices and installing VSAT communications systems and adding power generators. • Completed work to prepare Al Basrah International Airport for commercial operations, includ- ing installing VSAT and radio communications; runway, taxi- way, and apron striping; and installing baggage x-ray units and a perimeter fence. Work to rehabilitate the water and wastewater treatment facilities are almost complete. USAIDís goal is to provide material and personnel for the repair of airport fa- cilities, rehabilitate airport terminals, facilitate humanitarian and commercial flights, and assist the Iraqi Airport Commission Authority. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Work is now approximately 72 percent complete to enhance the perma- nent generator capacity at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). The airport facility will be 100 percent electricity self-sufficient when this work is completed in February 2005. Additionally, electricity will be freed up for the Baghdad power grid. This project includes the refurbishment of an 11kV distribution system to fa- cilitate management and control of electrical generation and load at BIAP. The system is designed to produce a minimum of 18 MW. Under this project, USAID is adding 14 generators and replacing three generators. The BIAP power generation breakdown has 3 components: 1) three diesel generators, which will produce 3 MW each for a total of 9 MW at full load, will be the pri- mary source of the 11kV distribution breakers; 2) seven generators, which will produce approximately 0.95 MW each for a total of 6.65 MW at full load, are primarily for BIAP emergency power; and 3) seven generators, which will produce approximately 0.95 MW each for a total of 6.65 MW, have been commissioned and are currently running. USAIDís work at Baghdad International Airport began in May 2003. Initial work focused on emergency repairs, such as the installation of a 5MW gen- erator, to allow the immediate re-opening of the airport by July 2003. USAID also repaired the airport terminal and administration offices; installed commu- nication systems; rehabilitated the customs offices; and repaired passenger support facilities. 2005. Four students from an airport in northern Iraq completed a three-month ìBasic Air Traffic Controlî training program with the assistance of USAIDís Local Governance Program (LGP). Kurdistan Regional Govern- ment (KRG) officials, through weekly steering committee meetings with LGP staff, had described the need for a functional regional airport with trained staff to promote tourism and economic development. Air traffic control training is es- sential to safe airport operations, and Iraqi officials determined the training to be a priority step to- ward restoring services at the regional airport. The trainees must attend a course at Bagh- dad International Airport and complete 60 hours of additional supervised training before they Workers install a new sewage line in Baghdad. Air traffic controller students. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 4 ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • 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 Iraqís com- mercial banks. • Improved statistical analysis, monetary policymaking, and bank supervision procedures at Iraqís Central Bank. • Provided technical assistance for CPAís $21 million micro- credit program. • Provided technical assistance for the Oil for Food transition to prepare Iraqi ministries to as- sume responsibility for OFF contracts. • Evaluated and updated com- mercial laws on private sector and foreign investment. • Assisted in developing the re- construction levy in collabora- tion with the CPA and the UK Customs Service; this levy im- poses a five percent tariff on imports to Iraq. • Developed a government-wide IT strategy to support the auto- mation of planning, budgeting and reporting processes across ministries. • Provided technical assistance as well as information on con- tracting opportunities for Iraqi businesses through business centers. • 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. USAID supports sustainable economic reforms in Iraq including examining and reforming laws, regulations, and institutions and providing a frame- work for private sector trade, commerce, and investment. The reforms will strengthen the Central Bank and the Ministries of Finance, Trade, Com- merce and Industryóamong others. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís Iraq Economic Governance II (IEG II) staff are continuing to work closely with the Iraqi government to reform commercial laws and institutions. IEG II and Iraqi counterparts have made progress in developing commercial legislation, and are now focusing on analyzing the current state of commercial law and identifying strategies for moving for- ward with reforms. Recently, IEG II advisors met with the senior legal advisor to Prime Minis- ter Ayad Allawi to discuss the Iraqi Interim Governmentís priorities for commercial law reform. IEG II staff also completed an initial diagnostic assessment of the current status of key commercial laws in the country. At a meeting with the Director General of the Land Registry, real estate registry laws were discussed, and both sides agreed on the need for re- forms. In recent weeks, background research was initiated on Iraqi law schools and the law school accreditation system and on current conditions for registering NGOs. IEG II staff also completed development of a curriculum for information technology training courses that will be held in northern Iraq for Business Registry staff. Advisors are continuing work on the computer application for the registry. The development of a new Business Registry is a critical element of a modern economy. The registry will improve transparency in procedures for registering companies in Iraq and will provide a valuable resource for companies that need information on other businesses, as well as government entities with responsibilities for licensing and taxing. Registered businesses will be assigned a unified business registration number, taxpayer identification number and Central Statistics Organiza- tion reporting number. When complete, the business registry will be fully automated, including web-based applications for registering companies and retrieving information. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 5 AGRICULTURE JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Summer and Winter Crop Technology Demonstra- tions: These demonstra- tions are introducing farm- ers to new technologies and techniques through extension field days. • Animal Health: Several veterinary clinics in Kirkuk, Fallujah, and other cities are being renovated and a grant has been made for dipping tanks to improve sheep health and wool. • Technology Support: The Ministry of Agriculture and a major universityís schools of Agriculture and Veteri- nary Science have been awarded grants to furnish and equip computer cen- ters, improving research capabilities and consulting capacity. • Date Palm Propagation: In collaboration with the Minis- try of Agriculture, 40,000 elite date palm offshoots are being used to establish mother orchards in 13 gov- ernorates as part of a multi- plication program and the establishment of a national register of elite varieties. • Agriculture Sector Transi- tion Plan: This plan, com- pleted in mid-April, ad- dresses the short-term re- covery of agricultural infra- structure as well as me- dium and long-term imple- mentation of policies to develop a market-based agricultural economy. USAIDís goals are to work in conjunction with Iraqi ministries, the private sector, 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 Efforts continue on building the capacity of Iraqís agriculture sector, a vital part of Iraqís economy. Current activities include: Agricultural Statistics In the three northern governorates of Dahuk, Arbil and Sulaymaniyah, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) officials are participating in a program to strengthen their capability to maintain accurate and timely agricultural data. USAIDís Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI) is organizing the training, which will also help policy makers, researchers, national agencies and farmers access agricultural information. Government Services MOA officials from Arbil governorate participated in focus groups to identify pri- ority areas for improving service provision to farmers. Priority areas identified included: skill-building in soil chemistry analysis to assist farmers in the strategic use of fertilizer for specific crops; farm equipment maintenance and repair; im- proved livestock and poultry feed systems; and skill-building in testing and diag- nosis of animal diseases. Farm mechanization The MOA issued press releases through several major Iraqi newspapers to in- form the public about a USAID-supported program to repair Case New Holland tractors and combines. Farmers will be asked to register their tractors or com- bines at MOA governorate offices, after which a team of engineers will inspect the machines to determine repair needs. The engineering teams will work through the MOA offices in each governorate. It is anticipated that actual re- pairs will begin in mid-January. Veterinary clinic grants Twenty grant proposals have received final approval; the funded activities will rehabilitate 14 veterinary clinics across the country. These clinics were selected in conjunction with the MOA, and are among 24 selected by an ARDI working group. To date, ARDI has rehabilitated 13 veterinary clinics in Iraq. Poultry sector survey The initial stage of a poultry sector survey opened in the last week of December with the training of a team of enumerators to interview commercial poultry pro- ducers in three northern governorates. Two separate training workshops were held in Sulaymaniyah and Arbil at MOA training facilities. Ten teams of enu- merators were trained to administer a questionnaire to obtain information on the production performance of poultry farms, including animal health and mortality, composition of feed diets, and feed conversion efficiency. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 6 EDUCATION JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Facilities − Awarded 627 grants worth more than $6 million to rehabilitate schools and equip Directorates General. − Rehabilitated 2,405 schools country- wide. • Supplies − Distributed desks, chairs, cabinets, chalkboards, and kits for primary and secondary schools countrywide. − Printed and distributed 8.7 million revised math and science textbooks to grades 1-12 by mid-February 2004. • Institutional Strengthening − Printed and distributed 8.7 million revised math and science textbooks to grades 1-12 by mid-February 2004. − Completed a major initiative that trained nearly 33,000 secondary school teachers and administrators, including 860 master trainers, nation- wide. − Conducted a pilot accelerated learn- ing program in five Iraqi cities to allow out-of-school children to complete two school years in one year. More than 550 students participated. − Assisted the Ministry in establishing official baseline education data for Iraq. • Higher Education − Awarded five grants worth $20.7 mil- lion to create partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi universities. Through these partnerships, Iraqi universities are rebuilding infrastructure; re- equipping university facilities; partici- pating in international conferences; attending workshops and refresher courses; and reforming curriculum. USAIDís goals are to increase enrollment, improve the quality of pri- mary and secondary education, ensure classrooms have sufficient sup- plies, facilitate community involvement, train teachers, implement ac- celerated learning programs, and establish partnership between U.S. and Iraqi colleges and universities. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program is continuing to help Iraqís higher education institutions attain stan- dards of excellence and integrate with the international academic community. One of five partnerships under the program is a coopera- tive effort between three Iraqi universities and the Mississippi Consor- tium for International Development, led by Jackson State University (JSU/MCID). Recent JSU/MCID project activities have included: • MCID staff are working with counterparts at a northern Iraqi univer- sityí to prepare its chemistry department for the installation of a state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system for use in research activities. NMR is used in chemical research, biochem- istry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer science, petroleum re- search, agricultural chemistry and medicine to identify and study molecules. • Two lists of journals were provided for one university to enhance its library collections and research materials. • Two engineers contracted by MCID to inspect an IT infrastructure project at a northern Iraqi university submitted their final reports. A second phase of the project will include the installation of network equipment (modems, servers, etc.). • Four faculty members from the Colleges of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science and Mathematics at an Iraqi University have confirmed travel plans to participate in the International Conference on Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technol- ogy, e-Business, and Applications (CSITeAí04) in Amman, Jordan, and the 1st International Computer Engineering Conference (ICENCOí04), in Cairo, Egypt. • A large Iraqi university recently launched a website for the first time, incorporating information on its colleges, affiliated institutions, and academic programs. A separate HEAD partnership led by the State University of New York at Stony Brook continues to support research libraries at two major Iraqi universities. More than 1,500 archaeology books were previously catalogued and prepared for shipment to the two Iraqi universities. However, due to the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean, ship- ment of these texts will be delayed. HEAD partners will continue to meet to determine how to proceed with online catalog training and lo- gistics issues to reequip the research libraries. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 7 HEALTH JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Vaccinated over 3 million children under five and 700,000 pregnant women with vaccination campaigns that included monthly immunization days. • Provided supplementary doses of vitamin A for more than 600,000 chil- dren under two and 1.5 million lactat- ing mothers. • Provided iron folate supplements for over 1.6 million women of childbearing age. • Screened more than 1.3 million chil- dren under five for malnutrition. • Distributed high protein biscuits to more than 450,000 children and 200,000 pregnant and nursing moth- ers. • Provided potable water for 400,000 persons each day in Basrah city and 170,000 persons in Kirkuk and Mosul. • Provided skills training for 2,500 pri- mary health care providers and 700 physicians. • Trained 2,000 health educators, teachers, religious leaders and youth to mobilize communities 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 forti- fication of wheat flour with iron and folic acid. USAIDís goals include supporting a reformed Iraqi Ministry of Health, delivering essential health services, funding vaccines and high protein biscuits for pregnant and nursing mothers and malnourished children, providing basic primary health care equipment and supplies, training and upgrading health staff, providing health education and information, and identify the specific needs of the health sector and of vulnerable populations such as women and children. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Work is continuing on the development of a new childrenís hospi- tal in southern Iraq. A joint effort with the U.S. private sector, the Basrah Childrenís Hospital is designed to be a referral center for acute care and to serve the health care needs of Iraqi children in the south- ern region of the country. The hospital will also serve as a model pedi- atric facility and is designed to accommodate the Ministry of Healthís (MOH) plans for future expansion. USAID is financing the construction of the new hospital and private sector contributors, coordinated by Project Hope, will provide equip- ment for the hospital and provide needed training to Iraqi staff. Initially, the hospital design provides for a building of about 15,400 square me- ters and will accommodate 50 in-patient beds, although this may be expanded to 200 beds in the future. To accommodate the hospitalís role as a training site for other Iraqi health professionals, the buildingís design provides for classrooms, conference rooms, offices, and student dormitories. Construction activities currently are focused on the preparation of the building site and work on the preparing the foundation. Site fill opera- tions continue at a pace of about 2,000 cubic meters per day. The Basrah University Materials Testing Lab (refurbished with USAID assis- tance) is performing soils tests. Of the 130,000 cubic meters required to finish site preparation, 52,000 have been placed and tested. Site preparations are expected to be completed by the end of January, 2005. Architectural and building designs are being finalized and hospi- tal services specified through a dialogue with representatives of the Iraqi Ministry of Health (MOH). Planning for equipping the hospital and training staff is underway with representatives of the MOH, USAID, Project Hope and Bechtel (the firm that is managing and implementing the con- struction effort). Ground being prepared for the childrenís hospital. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 8 DEMOCRACY & GOVERNANCE JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Established regional offices in Al Basrah, Al Hillah, Bagh- dad, and Mosul and opera- tions in all governorates. • Awarded $15.5 million in rapid-response grants in the first program year to strengthen the capacity of municipal authorities to de- liver core municipal services. The grants were used to restore services in agricul- ture, education, health, elec- tricity, sanitation, and water. • Facilitated the establishment or refreshment of 16 gover- norate councils, 90 district councils, 194 city or sub- district councils, and 445 neighborhood councils. • Organized and carried out numerous selection proc- esses for governors and mayors, as well as local council members, through- out Iraq. • Committed more than $2.4 million for the nationwide Civic Education Campaign, which educated Iraqis on democracy and Iraqís politi- cal 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 Na- tional Agenda Dialogue Con- ferences, which engage stakeholders such as aca- demics, journalists, women, tribal leaders, and local gov- ernment officials in discus- sions on their roles in Iraqís emerging democracy. USAIDís goals in the Democracy and Governance sector include promoting representative citizen participation in governance at the national and subna- tional level; supporting the administration of transparent and credible electoral processes; strengthening the management skills of national, city, and provin- cial administrations and civic institutions; promoting advocacy and participation of civil society organizations; enhancing leadership skills; and serving as a re- cruiting tool for future leaders. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK Trainings are continuing for local officials and staff in Babil and Wasit governorates with the support of USAIDís Local Governance Program (LGP). Recent workshops have included: Irrigation Workshop in Babil Governorate Water Resource Department officials from cities in Babil Governorate partici- pated in a workshop on irrigation led by LGP specialists. The workshop exam- ined current irrigation strategies, and each participant received a detailed irri- gation reference booklet in Arabic. Technology Workshop Encourages Transparency in Wasit Governorate A three-week computer training workshop has begun for municipal and gover- norate employees in Wasit. In applied training activities, participants will post public information, increasing government transparency. Surveyors and engineers from the Wasit Directorates of Water and Sew- age completed a week-long workshop on construction quality control. The workshop was organized by LGP staff at the request of the Deputy Gover- nor of Wasit. The training examined the technical specifications of construction materials and focused on the importance of supervisory skills and monitoring work quality. Quality control training is just one example of how USAIDís LGP staff persons are helping local governments across Iraq become more effective and efficient. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 9 ELECTIONS UPDATE JANUARY 12, 2005 OUT-OF-COUNTRY VOTING REGULATIONS Why is out-of-country voting im- portant to Iraq? After more than two decades of Baíath Party oppression, conflict, and sanctions, several million Iraqis currently live outside Iraq. Their participation in the Jan 30 elections is wanted by the vast majority of resi- dent Iraqis, and is therefore an es- sential part of making the elections credible to the Iraqi people. Who will be eligible to vote outside of Iraq? The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI), in negotia- tion with the host countries, will deter- mine the exact countries outside of Iraq where eligible voters will be able to register and vote. Currently 14 countries have agreed to implement out-of-country voting. Voters outside the country must be an Iraqi citizen born before December 31, 1986 and registered according to the proce- dures issued by the IECI. In which elections will out of coun- try voters be able to participate? Out-of-country voters will be eligible to vote for the National Assembly but not the governorate councils or the Kurdistan national assembly. Who will manage the out-of- country voting? The out-of-country voting will be managed by the Inter- national Organization for Migration (IOM), headquartered in Amman, Jordan. Country offices will be estab- lished in each host country and sub- offices may be established in coun- tries with large Iraqi populations. How will polling be conducted? The voter register will be displayed at the registration center in each country during a two-day period immediately after the voter registration period, and voters may check to confirm that they are correctly registered. The IECI will determine both the procedures and the timeline allowed for voting. Fol- lowing the closure of polling, the bal- lots will be returned to a central loca- tion where they will be counted. The results will be amalgamated with those from inside Iraq in order to de- termine the seat allocations for the National Assembly. Consistent with USAIDís policy with regard to supporting elections, USAID activities in Iraq make a good faith effort to assist all political or- ganizations with equitable levels of assistance, do not seek to determine election outcomes, and support representative multiparty systems. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK The Board of Directors of the Iraqi Election Information Network (EIN) participated in a three-day training seminar to help them pre- pare to observe the upcoming Iraqi elections. EIN is the Iraqi NGO responsible for supervising the information and financial flows between the 5,000-8,000 members of the nation-wide Coalition of Non-Partisan Election Monitors (CINEM). The training session was organized by a USAID partner NGO that has worked extensively with EIN in recent months. The seminar featured two renowned leaders of election monitoring organizations from Peru and the Philippines who shared their experiences managing and monitoring elections in difficult political and security environments. During training, EIN leadership designed an election monitoring plan involving committee development, media strategy, crisis management, election-day activities, and a deployment schedule for election monitors. The last day of training was led by facilitators with the European Union, which has worked closely with the USAID partner NGO as well as the United Nations in supporting EINís election preparations. In recent months USAID supported three election monitoring training academies for 100 CINEM trainers, and has shifted its training focus to building the financial and administrative skills of EIN. Forty-five members of the Coalition of Non-Partisan Election Moni- tors (CINEM) from southern and south-central Iraq participated in the second tier of elections monitoring training in late December. The second tier offered instruction on logistical details on how to recruit independent monitors; ensure transparency in administrative and finan- cial oversight; guarantee monitorsí adherence to codes of conduct; and report training and monitoring results. The third tier training also began in early January and focuses on regulations recently released by the In- dependent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI). An international NGO is continuing its efforts to strengthen govern- ance and support Iraqi elections, in partnership with USAID. Re- cent activities have included: Media and Public Awareness A media consulting team arrived from the US and new equipment was installed in an interim media center facility. The NGO staff developed 10 scenarios and scripts to be used in issue-based spots on Iraqi television. Free Elections Campaign The Civic Coalition for Free Elections (CCFE), a non-partisan movement of 76 civic organizations from across Iraq, continued its media campaign this week with a press conference to build awareness of the coalition and the campaign. UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE JANUARY 12, 2005 MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE • Awarded more than 2,058 small grants totaling more than $156.8 million for quick impact activities that support good governance, civil society, conflict management and mitigation, human rights and transitional justice. • Funded over 60 grants totaling $3 million that focus on womenís issues, including sup- porting the establishment of 14 womenís 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 Baíathist 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. USAIDís Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supports the transition to a participatory, stable, and democratic country. OTI provides quick- dispensing, high-impact grants meeting critical needsóproviding short- term employment, restoring basic government and community services, increasing Iraqi access to information and communication, and encourag- ing protection of human rights. HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK USAIDís Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) works closely with the U.S. Army First Cavalry Division (1st CAV) to support stabili- zation activities in Baghdad. USAID/OTI projects mitigate conflict in key Baghdad neighborhoods by generating short-term employment opportuni- ties for underemployed Iraqi citizens. In turn, these projects build hope in communities by improving the delivery of essential services such as garbage pick-up and surface sewage re- moval. In addition, USAID/OTI grants have supported the rehabilitation of schools, primary health care clinics and local markets. In collaboration with the 1st CAV, OTI has approved more than 690 grants, valued at nearly $80 million. Grants focus on labor-intensive pro- jects intended to engage as many local residents as possible in activities that improve the quality of life in these districts. Since May 2004, OTI grants have created employment opportunities for an average of 24,000 local residents per month. Projects have been conducted throughout the city, with most grants reaching poor and conflict-prone districts such as Thawra (Sadr City). UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● COMPLETED ACTIVITES JANUARY 12, 2005 Since the cessation of the 2003 conflict, USAID has completed planned work at Umm Qasr Seaport and re- stored significant portions of Iraqís telecommunications network. USAID also helped avert a humanitarian crisis during the conflict by providing assistance to the United Nationsí World Food Program. USAID advisors continue to assist with the management and distribution of food rations for all Iraqi citizens. SEAPORT • USAIDís $45 million programs to rehabilitate and improve management at the port were 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, re- connecting 20 cities and 70% of the population. • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines at 12 sites. • Installed 13 new switches, and fully integrated them with the 14 existing switches. • Ministry of Communications reactivated more than 215,000 subscriber lines. • Installed a satellite gateway system at Baghdadís largest telecom exchange and restored international service. • Trained ITPC engineers and technicians in the operation and maintenance of the satellite gateway system and the new switches. FOOD SECURITY • Worked directly with the World Food Program (WFP) and Coalition Forces to re-establish the Public Distri- bution System (PDS) 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 Distribu- tion 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 JANUARY 12, 2005 FY 2003-2005* Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation Reconstruction USAID/ANE Subtotal: $3,763,488,000 Abt Associates Health Countrywide $23,031,886 AFCAP Logistics Countrywide $91,500,000 Army Corps of Engineers Architecture and Engineering Services Countrywide $31,328,264 BearingPoint Economic Governance Countrywide $79,583,885 BearingPoint Economic Governance II Countrywide $103,500,000 Louis Berger Group Vocational Education Countrywide $27,200,000 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 $165,830,000 DAI Marshlands Dhi Qar Al Basr Maysan $4,000,000 DAI Agriculture Countrywide $71,934,921 Fed Source Personnel Support Countrywide $300,000 IRG Reconstruction Support Countrywide $51,698,152 RTI Local Governance Countrywide $236,911,000 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 * 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 ● 13 FINANCIAL SUMMARY JANUARY 12, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation CEPPS Transitional Government Countrywide $20,700,000 CEPPS Voter Education, Domestic Observation and Conflict Resolution Countrywide $47,175,000 CEPPS Elections Administration Support Countrywide $40,000,000 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 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 CHF Interna- tional Monitoring and Evaluation Countrywide $461,228 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 Italyís 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 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/OFDAÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.Ö.ÖSubtotal: $124,938,229 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $7,633,952 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 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 14 FINANCIAL SUMMARY JANUARY 12, 2005 FY 2003-2004 Implementing Partner Sector Regions Obligation InterAction Coordination Kuwait City $92,860 IDA Health Countrywide $1,318,437 IMC Health, IDP Assistance, Food Security, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, Capacity Building Countrywide $17,952,898 IOM IDP Assistance Countrywide $6,545,780 IRC IDP Assistance, Health, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $8,000,411 Logistics Emergency Relief Commodities and USAID/DART Support Countrywide $22,553,653 Mercy Corps IDP Assistance, Health, Emergency Relief Commodities, Shelter, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $8,699,786 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 Commodities, Water and Sanitation Countrywide $6,793,739 USAID/DCHA/FFPÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ.ÖÖ..ÖSubtotal: $425,571,000 WFP Operations Countrywide $45,000,000 WFP Emerson Trustó81,500 MT Countrywide $40,337,000 WFP P.L. 48ñ Title II emergency food commoditiesó163,820 MT Countrywide $140,234,000 WFP Regional Purchaseó330,000MT Countrywide $200,000,000 USAID/DCHA/OTIÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..Ö.Ö.ÖSubtotal: $318,169,128 Administrative Administrative Costs Countrywide $9,901,515 IOM Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $6,462,167 DAI Iraq Transition Initiative Countrywide $290,810,533 Internews Media Countrywide $160,359 Radio SAWA Media Countrywide $400,000 NDI/IRI National Governance Countrywide $650,000 IFES National Governance Countrywide $1,042,315 ICNL Civil Society Countrywide $39,238 Spa War** Inter-Ministry Communications Countrywide $8,703,001 TOTAL USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ FROM 2003-2005ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖ..Ö.$4,611,666,357 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ● IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WEEKLY UPDATE ● 15