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.
Major Accomplishments to Date
- Nationwide: Repaired various
sewage lift stations and water treatment units.
- Baghdad: Expanding and rehabilitating
one water treatment plant and constructing another to increase capacity
by approximately 120 million gallons per day; rehabilitating sewage treatment
plants.
- A major wastewater treatment plant in Baghdad began operating 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 population.
- 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 sewage plants.
- North: Completed rehabilitation of Kirkuk water plant and continuing refurbishment of sewage plant near Mosul.
- Completed the rehabilitation of a sewage plant in Babil Governorate.
- 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.
Highlights this week
Work continues on a project to repair the sewage collection system in Kadhamiya, a northern suburb of Baghdad with about 1.5 million people. Security issues and line collapses have recently caused delays, but work is continuing at all sites. The Scope of Work was recently revised to address the line collapses and refurbish vertical pumps.
Kadhamiya neighborhoods frequently endure flooding of raw sewage. The overflows occur because of inadequate or blocked sewer lines, and because inoperable pump stations cannot convey sewage from homes and mains to sewage treatment plants. Kadhamiya's blocked, deteriorating and collapsed sewer lines require extensive repair or replacement. Public health risks from water-borne diseases are increased by pools of exposed raw sewage.
This project will clean, repair, replace, and expand the sewer lines and equipment of Kadhamiya's sewage collection system as necessary to improve its performance. Upon completion, the system will lift and convey sewage flows to Kerkh Wastewater Treatment Plant, eliminating flooding and pooling of raw sewage. The repairs are expected to be completed in the fall of 2005.
Work continues on the rehabilitation of a major sewage treatment plant in Karbala in order to make the facilities fully functional and improve public health in the city. In recent weeks, workers have completed the mechanical turnover at the low lift station and the electrical work on the chlorine building. Work continues on the installation of roofing for the chlorination sheds and the casting of the concrete sludge trench.
When complete, this project will have cleaned the plant's aeration tanks and constructed two new 36-meter diameter secondary sedimentation tanks. Three major pumping stations will also be rehabilitated and all major pumps, auxiliary mechanical equipment and supporting electrical equipment will be replaced or repaired as required. The project is now 40% finished and is projected for completion in February 2006.
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 Industry -- among others.
Major Accomplishments to Date
- Worked with the Ministry of Finance
to introduce the new Iraqi dinar.
- Created more than 77,000 public works
jobs through the National Employment Program.
- Provided technical assistance on accounting,
budgeting and lending activities at Iraq's commercial 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 Federal Reserve
Bank of New York.
- Evaluated and updated commercial laws
on private sector and foreign investment.
- Assisted in developing the five percent
reconstruction levy on imports; built capacity of customs officials to
implement levy.
- Developed a government-wide IT strategy
to support the automation of planning, budgeting and reporting processes
across ministries.
- Developed WTO Accession Roadmap in cooperation
with Iraqi officials.
- Provided technical assistance as well
as information on contracting opportunities for Iraqi businesses and entrepreneurs
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 million USD) in shares were traded in the first day.
Highlights this week
Representatives from USAID, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and the UK's Department for International Development recently met in Amman, Jordan to assess the needs of Iraqi Ministries seeking to move key state-owned enterprises off the national budget. The donor organizations discussed coordination of efforts to support the Ministries and agreed to accelerate the timetable for privatizing numerous organizations. Needs assessments were conducted earlier by the donors with the Ministries and several Iraqi representatives participated via teleconference from Baghdad.
A representative from USAID's Private Sector Development (PSD) program spoke about the status of privatization support that is already being provided to the Government of Iraq. Discussions addressed donor interest and funding support for developing the privatization framework, training professional employees in a new Iraqi Privatization Commission, restructuring selected enterprises, and implementing a public awareness program to educate Iraqis on the benefits of privatization.
In order to help the Iraqi government achieve its privatization objectives, the donor organizations and the Ministries collectively agreed that donor assistance should support privatizing specific state-owned enterprises in order to accelerate the process and quickly free the Iraqi government of the expenses for enterprises that belong in a robust private sector.
Staff from the PSD program recently assessed a food processing facility in southern Iraq to gauge current standards for food safety and public health. Located in a governorate that has 50% unemployment, the plant can employ several hundred technicians when it is fully operational under new private ownership. The assessment was part of Iraq's effort to bring its food safety standards to internationally accepted levels as the country seeks to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).
PSD II is working with the Director General of Agriculture in the governorate to establish training programs for local workers that cover standards of performance that meet WTO recommendations. Membership in the WTO will open up world markets to agricultural products from Iraq. Increased exports will create more employment and greater income for farmers and farm-related industries, which currently account for nearly 40% of the country's jobs.
AGRICULTURE
USAID's 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.
Major Accomplishments to Date
- Summer and Winter Crop Technology
Demonstrations: These demonstrations are introducing farmers 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 university's schools of Agriculture and Veterinary
Science have been awarded grants to furnish and equip computer centers,
improving research capabilities and consulting capacity.
- 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 register 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.
Highlights this week
Farmers, government officials, and students are participating in a series of barley field days with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and USAID's Agriculture Reconstruction and Development for Iraq program. MOA/USAID anticipates that as farmers adopt these techniques their yields will increase and their returns will rise.
Barley, used mainly as an animal feed, is the second most important grain crop in Iraq. At the field days, farmers learn useful techniques and new methods that, if properly applied, will increase barley production. A recent field day drew more than 40 participants, including farmers from 12 villages who were interested in increasing their harvest. Among the techniques introduced at the session was a new fertilizer mix that will improve plant growth. Extension agents also discussed ideal planting times, herbicides, fungicides, and rodent control options.
At a recent wheat workshop organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and USAID, farmers and government officials were introduced to an irrigation method that has the potential to increase the production of all crops including wheat. The training was well attended and the new technology was positively received. Two dozen farmers gathered at the workshop to hear MOA/USAID specialists discuss improved methods of wheat cultivation, including a proposed irrigation system. The farmers traveled from 11 other villages to attend the discussion.
The proposed irrigation system is valuable because of its efficient use of water. Nicknamed the "mini-sprinkler system," the unit is constructed with a water pump, PVC tubes, a filter and sprinkler nozzles. Each unit covers between one and two hectares.
NATIONAL GOVERNANCE
In the post-election period, USAID will continue to plan and implement a variety of programs matching the needs of the evolving Iraqi democracy, undertaken in full partnership with Iraqi counterparts. In particular USAID is accelerating activities in the national governance support area to ensure comprehensive continued support to the Iraqi democratic transition.
Major Accomplishments to Date
- Strengthen the capacity of the legislative
branch of the Iraqi interim and transitional governments and its staff
during the interim and transition period to include lawmaking, representation,
executive oversight, and other responsibilities as provided by the Transitional
Administrative Law (TAL)
- Assist the Executive Authority, the
Presidency Council, and the Council of Ministers and its presiding Prime
Minister to develop governing processes, rules of procedure, regulations
and directives necessary to enforce the laws, and to implement government
programs and policies
- Support the process for adoption of an Iraqi constitution that promotes democratic principles and values through the provision of technical assistance that includes, but is not limited to, providing comparative constitutional expertise; organizing constitutional conferences and conventions; facilitating public awareness, education, and participation; and assisting in the conduct of a national referendum or other ratifying mechanism.
Highlights this week
A USAID partner supporting the Iraqi National Assembly (INA) outlined technical assistance to be provided to the INA during a meeting with Deputy Speaker Areef Tayfoor. In addition to ongoing orientation sessions for members of the Assembly, the outlined assistance includes designing an Assembly website which the Deputy Speaker viewed as a critical tool for public input in the constitutional process. Dr. Tayfoor described the assistance program as "excellent and comprehensive" and said that USAID's assistance is both welcome and necessary. Dr. Tayfoor discussed potential regional conferences and orientation seminars to ensure training consistency for all INA members.
The USAID partner supporting the Iraqi Transitional Government held two advocacy training sessions in May for 49 women representing seven political parties and several non-governmental organizations. Lectures and discussions focused on methods of building advocacy strategies, coalition-building, and strategic communication. At this stage of the constitutional process, advocacy work for these women focused on gaining the support of their leadership and the general public for the inclusion of women's rights in the Constitution. To date, USAID has trained 132 women from 16 parties on advocacy in Basra and Baghdad.
Recently, USAID's partner supporting the Iraqi Transitional Government awarded seven micro-grants to civil society organizations (CSOs) from southern Iraq. The grants will promote public knowledge of the constitutional process. Representatives from these seven CSOs attended a full-day workshop dedicated to donor relations and financial management. Participants also learned methods of writing reports that identify the purpose, challenges, lessons, and rewards of each activity that fulfills a grant-requirement.
With the support of a USAID partner, the INA's women's caucus group met to identify areas of common interest in the drafting of the new constitution. Nineteen women from nine political parties and representatives of the Independent Democratic Women Gathering identified several areas of common interest to build a multi-party women's coalition. They agreed that the constitution should guarantee equal access to natural resources, education, and citizenship rights.
USAID's partner supporting the Iraqi Transitional Government recently conducted a 10-day "NGO Capacity Building Training Seminar" for civil society activists from Babil, Baghdad, Basrah, Karbala, and Najaf. In cooperation with the Iraqi Aid Committee, a UK-based non-governmental organization (NGO), USAID's partner designed a training program to provide participants with a solid and comprehensive introduction to the knowledge-base and skills most needed by NGOs.
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