ORHA Fact Sheet - Ministry of Planning

ORHA Fact Sheet Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance Thuraya Phone: 88-216-7744-1080 Email: orhapic@yahoo.com Ministry of Planning Fact Sheet May 16, 2003 Overall Information The Ministry of Planning is responsible for central data collection and analysis for the Iraqi government and its various ministries. The Planning Ministry is also responsible for the census, telecommunications, economic and agriculture measurements, international standards, contract bid proposals and project planning. The Ministry has three facilities in Baghdad – a headquarters building and facilities at Al Quds and Mansour. Considerable combat and looting external damage was sustained by the outside of the headquarters facility, but the inside is structurally sound and can be gutted and re-built. Four major challenges exist for the Planning Ministry: security, facility clean up, hiring/screening employees and salaries. Although an interim minister has not yet been appointed, the Ministry is being run by a steering committee which oversees such functions as finance, building, policy, technical and administration, and legal issues. The steering committee was chosen by consensus by the Ministry’s employees and is diverse, reflecting the large representation of women in the Planning workforce. Nearly 80 percent of the Ministry’s approximate 1400 employees are women. Legal Committee The Legal Committee is responsible for verification of employee identification documents, inventory and return of equipment in possession of employees, the elimination of the Ba’ath Party bonus scheme in conjunction with the Finance Committee, contracts and human rights issues within the ministry. Financial Committee The Financial Committee is responsible for salaries, renovation costs and bugets for the remainder of 2003 and for 2004. Buildings Committee The Buildings Committee is responsible for the baseline evaluation and eventual reconstruction of Ministry building, formulating an estimated timeframe for reoccupation of facilities for full time work, and oversight of maintenance including landscaping and internal decorating. Policy Committee The Policy Committee is responsible for overall policy formation, delivery of Ministry reports, oversight of productivity and departmental progress, oversight of ongoing projects, definition of new tasks and submitting reports on various issues and task implementation. Technical and Administration Committee The Technical and Administration Committee is responsible for overall Ministry security, employee transportation, work schedules, human resources, and contracts.