US Agency for International Development
Iraq Reconstruction and Humanitarian Relief
Weekly Update #5 (FY 2005)
4 November 2004


This report highlights overall accomplishments and weekly activities from
USAID's reconstruction efforts in Iraq. For more information please visit
www.usaid.gov/iraq.

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. The USAID mission in Iraq carries out programs in education, health
care, food security, infrastructure reconstruction, airport management,
economic growth, community development, democracy and governance, and
transition initiatives.


Electricity

USAID's goals include the emergency repair or rehabilitation of power
generation 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 capacity to Iraq's power system.

Major Accomplishments to Date

By October, 2003, rehabilitated electric power capacity to produce peak
capacity greater than the prewar level of 4,400 MW. Now producing daily peaks
in excess of 5,000 MW. Hit 5,365 MW on August 18, 2004.

Since achieving record power production in Summer '04, the Ministry of
Electricity ?with assistance from USAID?has begun the standard Fall maintenance
process which will necessarily reduce the amount of power available for
consumption. USAID worked with the MOE to conduct last Fall's maintenance
program.

Repairing thermal units, replacing turbines, rehabilitating the power
distribution network, and installing and restoring generators.

USAID has added 435 MW of capacity through maintenance and rehabilitation work,
and also repaired a 400 KV transmission line.

USAID and the Ministry of Electricity 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 imported and in
short supply.

Most recently, USAID has initiated a project to rehabilitate 13 existing
substations and construct 24 new substations in Baghdad. These 37 substations
will improve the distribution and reliability of electricity for more than two
million Baghdad residents.

Highlights this week:

Work is continuing on a power plant in At' Tamim governorate in northern Iraq.
The plant is located near a major hub in the region's electrical grid, and an
existing natural gas pipeline. The existing natural gas pipeline provides a
ready supply of gas which will be used in the new generator. The project is 85
percent complete and is on schedule to be finished in first quarter, 2005.

- Current work at the plant is focused on two generator units that will provide
325 MW of additional electrical capacity to the country's power grid. The V64
unit will provide 65 MW of additional capacity and is currently being connected
to the gas line that will fuel to the plant. Workers are installing temperature
and pressure gauges, burner control and gas dryer systems, cables, and gas
turbine instrumentation. Cleaning and painting is being done throughout the V64
generator area and fire fighting systems are being fitted and tested. The unit
is expected to be completed by the end of November. Work is also moving forward
on the other generator, a V94 unit, which will add 260 MW of generating
capacity. This unit is expected to be completed in first quarter of 2005.
Workers are currently constructing steel ladders and scaffolding that will be
added to cat walks around the unit's exhaust system. Work at the power plant
employs 527 Iraqis.


USAID is constructing twenty-four 33kV/11kV power distribution substations and
rehabilitating thirteen substations throughout Baghdad to improve electrical
distribution in the area. Distribution substations are important to transform
high voltage power from the transmission lines to lower voltage for
distribution. The activity is still in its early stages; as of this week,
geological field work has been conducted at 16 sites and visits have been made
to 30 sites in preparation for site design. The project will also supply four
mobile substations. Purchase orders have been issued for the equipment that
requires an extended period of time to manufacture, transport or install.


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 lift stations and
treatment units.


Baghdad: Expanding one water treatment plant to increase capacity by
approximately 50 million gallons per day and rehabilitating sewage treatment
plants.

- A major wastewater treatment plant in Baghdad began partial operation 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: 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 sewage plants.

- Sewage plants in An Najaf, Al Qadisiyah, Karbala', and Babil Governorates
will serve 440,000.

- Water treatment in Najaf and Babil will serve residents and visitors at
Iraq's holiest shrines.


North: Rehabilitating two water plants and one sewage plant near Mosul and
Kirkuk.

Highlights this week:

The rehabilitation of one of Baghdad's Rustimiyah wastewater treatment plants
is continuing and is on track for completion in early 2005. This is one of
three major wastewater treatment plants serving nearly 80 percent of city
residents. The three plants' treatment capacity steadily eroded under years of
neglect prior to liberation and was further impacted by looting after the 2003
conflict. As a result, none of Baghdad's sewage had been treated for several
years prior to, and for the first year following, the conflict and was instead
dumped directly into the Tigris River.

- Upon completion of the rehabilitation of Rustimiyah and two other plants,
Baghdad will have the ability to treat nearly 210 million gallons a day,
benefiting 3.5 million people. The Rustimiyah rehabilitation is designed to
return the plant to 100 percent capacity, replacing missing and damaged parts,
and comprehensively overhauling the process from beginning to end. The work
began in December 2003 and is approximately 69 percent complete. There are
currently 229 Iraqis working on the project.

Work is continuing on USAID's clean-up of the Sweet Water Canal, which supplies
the city of Basrah with potable water. To date, 34 of 44 pumps have been
refurbished, as have six of eleven electrical generators. This project also
includes refurbishments to the canal's pump stations, generators, emergency
canal repairs, and heavy equipment support for the local Irrigation Department.
Work is now 70 percent complete, and is on schedule for completion by mid-
December, 2004. The Sweet Water Canal has been the main source of raw water for
approximately two million citizens in the Basrah region since 1996, delivering
approximately 28,000 cubic meters of water per hour. Airports USAID's goal is
to provide material and personnel for the repair of airport facilities,
rehabilitate airport terminals, facilitate humanitarian and commercial flights,
and assist the Iraqi Airport Commission Authority. Major Accomplishments to
Date Flights have been arriving and departing Baghdad International Airport
since July 2003. BIAP is processing an average of 45 nonmilitary arrivals and
departures daily.

Completed emergency infrastructure work at BIAP for civil air operations,
including repairing Terminal C and administration offices and installing VSAT
communications systems and adding power generators.

Completed work to prepare Al Basrah International Airport for commercial
operations, including installing VSAT and radio communications; runway,
taxiway, 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. Railroads, Roads & Bridges USAID's goal is to rebuild major
transportation routes that were damaged or neglected in order to restore the
flow of goods and services. Major Accomplishments to Date Completed 36 detailed
bridge assessments and demolished irreparable sections in preparation for the
rehabilitation of three major bridges in Iraq. All three bridges have now been
repaired and reopened to traffic.

Repaired a floating bridge over the Tigris River improving traffic in the
region for 50,000 travelers a day.

Completed an assessment of over one hundred 1,100 km lengths of track and
associated facilities throughout the country to identify priority projects.

Constructing 72 kilometers of new track and facilities between the Port of Umm
Qasr and Shuaiba Junction, located west of Basrah. Education USAID's goals are
to increase enrollment, improve the quality of 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. 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, 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

Completed a major initiative that trained nearly 33,000 secondary school
teachers and administrators, including 860 master trainers, nationwide.


Conducted a pilot accelerated learning program in five Iraqi cities to allow
out-ofschool 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 million to create partnerships
between U.S.

and Iraqi universities. Through these partnerships, Iraqi universities are
rebuilding infrastructure; re-equipping university facilities; participating in
international conferences; attending workshops and refresher courses; and
reforming curriculum.


Highlights this week:

Three Iraqi graduate students have begun agriculture studies at the University
of Hawaii; two students are in the Ph.D. program, while the third is conducting
research as a graduate fellow. The three are studying Natural Resources,
Tropical Plant and Soil Science, and Molecular Biology. In preparation, the
students took part in an intensive English as a Second Language program and
passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language, enabling them to study in the
US. A second group of four students is scheduled to arrive next month, once
their visa processing is complete. It is anticipated that when these students
return to Iraq, they will help disseminate knowledge on the most effective and
up-to-date farming methods.

Summer camps were organized for children and adolescents in 24 locations in
Basrah Governorate. The camps were planned as forums for socialization,
learning, recreation, and peace-building. Around 2,800 children and
adolescents, 30 teachers and 14 volunteers from the Red Crescent participated
and benefited from the project which was implemented in collaboration with the
Directorate of Education (DOE) and the Red Crescent Society. The program was
the first opportunity for Red Crescent volunteers to intervene in areas other
than first-aid training or helping people with injuries.


Working in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), USAID
supported procurement and distribution of education kits to 139,358 Iraqi
children enrolled in Grades One through Four for the 2004-2005 school year. The
kits contain various learning materials such as exercise books, pencils,
erasers, sharpeners, rulers, and slates.

- With support from USAID, UNICEF also updated its findings from a
comprehensive national education survey conducted last year. The survey is
being used by the Ministry of Education to design educational policies that
address the needs of Iraqi learners. Where security considerations made it
impractical to update the survey, last year's findings are being used.

A three-week training program was held in Egypt for Iraqi scientists and
university faculty working with goats and sheep. Information technology was a
key focus during the first week, during which Iraqis were also able to meet and
interact with scientists from the other Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)
participating countries. During the following two weeks, participants learned
about diseases affecting small ruminants, statistical analysis, nutrition and
other issues. Finally, the participants traveled to the north Sinai for a
two-day site visit to farmers participating in the extension component of the
MERC grant. The breeding and herding of small ruminants represents a key source
of food and income for many people throughout Iraq.


Health

USAID's 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.

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 children under
two and 1.5 million lactating mothers.

Provided iron folate supplements for over 1.6 million women of childbearing
age.

Screened more than 1.3 million children under five for malnutrition.

Distributed high protein biscuits 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
persons in Kirkuk and Mosul.

Provided skills training for 2,500 primary 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 fortification of wheat flour with iron and
folic acid.


Highlights this week:

After being forced to suspend activities due to security concerns, work has
resumed in recent weeks on equipping primary health care centers throughout
Iraq through USAID's Health Systems Strengthening Program. Recently, 52 health
care centers in Kirkuk, As Sulaymaniya, and Arbil Governorates received primary
health care kits. The kits contain approximately 60 items of basic medical
equipment, office furniture, and laboratory equipment for improved provision of
essential health services. So far, 383 kits out of a target of 600 have been
delivered to care centers across Iraq.

Representatives of four Iraqi universities attended a one-week workshop on
child nutrition in Amman, Jordan. The workshop was designed to address the
child nutrition issues identified as most critical by the World Health
Organization. These issues include protein-energy malnutrition and deficiencies
of vitamin A, iodine, iron and zinc. At the request of the participants,
sessions on vitamin D, folic acid and selenium were also added to the program.

- Participants included seven pediatricians, one biochemist, and two community
health faculty members=A1=AAall from their respective Colleges of Medicine. At the
suggestion of UNICEF, key scientists from Iraq's national Nutrition Research
Institute (NRI) were also invited. Participants in the workshop brought data
about community health programs in Iraq and about research they had conducted
during the past few years. Participants identified health problems affecting
Iraqi children, including goiter, anemia and rickets.

Crews are preparing the ground for a new pediatric teaching hospital in Basrah.
The hospital will provide health care facilities for inpatient and outpatient
pediatric care. The plans call for the children's hospital to include
approximately 50 patient beds, facilities for the training of medical
personnel, facilities for outpatient and inpatient surgeries, outpatient
clinics, major diagnostic modalities, provisions for future expansions and
programs.

- The children's hospital project is being implemented through a public-private
partnership with USAID, the Infrastructure contracting partner and Project
HOPE. Project HOPE is providing medical equipment and staff training. Work on
the site is still in the early stages, with a projected completion date by the
end of next year. Construction activities will commence early next year. The
project currently employs 24 Iraq workers.


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

Five key initiatives will work to revitalize agricultural production, and
stimulate income and employment generation.

- Summer and Winter Crop Technology Demonstrations - Animal Health Initiative -
Technology Support - Date Palm Propagation - Agriculture Sector Transition Plan


For more information on USAID's Agriculture program in Iraq please visit
www.usaid.gov/iraq/ accomplishments/agri.html.


Marshlands

In the 1990s, Iraq's marshlands?one of the world's largest wetland
ecosystems?were destroyed. Marshes were drained, biodiversity was compromised,
and the local population was displaced. USAID's $4 million initiative works
with local residents in support of marshland restoration and the social and
economic development of marsh communities.

Major Accomplishments to Date

Marshland restoration activities have included surveys, pilot sites, flow and
marsh hydrology modeling, and infrastructure needs assessments.

Produced a technical assessment in June 2003 in collaboration with the Ministry
of Water Resources and the a major university.

Implementing a strategy for marsh restoration, which includes ecosystem
monitoring, wetland reconstruction, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling,
agribusiness, fishing and aquaculture, livestock and dairy production, and
primary healthcare.

Improving capacity through laboratory and GIS development, study tours,
training, and formulation of a strategy for international donor assistance and
participation.


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.

Improved statistical analysis, monetary policymaking, and bank supervision
procedures at Iraq's Central Bank.

Provided technical assistance for CPA's $21 million microcredit program.

Provided technical assistance for the Oil for Food transition to prepare Iraqi
ministries to assume responsibility for OFF contracts.

Evaluated and updated commercial laws on private sector and foreign investment.

Assisted in developing the reconstruction levy in collaboration with the CPA
and the UK Customs Service; this levy imposes a five percent tariff on imports
to Iraq.

Developed a governmentwide IT strategy to support the automation of planning,
budgeting and reporting processes across ministries.

Provided technical assistance as well as information on contracting
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
million USD) in shares were traded in the first day.


Highlights this week:

At the invitation of the Ministry of Reconstruction and Cooperation,
Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, the Board for Promoting
Investment, and a northern Iraqi university attended a Tourism and Economic
Development Seminar in As Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Tourism presents a
remarkable opportunity for economic growth in northern Iraq and the KRG expects
that it will be a major source of growth in the near future. The seminar was
the second of three being held in the Kurdish governorates and provided an
opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and present issues related to the
industry.

A new business registration process is being created and streamlined through
USAID's Iraq Economic Governance II (IEG II) program. The registry will improve
transparency in procedures for registering domestic and foreign companies in
Iraq and will provide a valuable resource for companies that need information
on other businesses, as well as for government entities with responsibilities
for licensing and taxing. When complete, the business registry will be fully
automated, including web-based applications for registering companies and
retrieving information.

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) is working closely with staff from the IEG II
project to build its capacity to manage monetary policy and conduct timely
interventions and price stabilization activities. IEG II is also supporting the
CBI in complying with International Monetary Fund standards for conducting
regular policy briefs and collecting data.

Thirty-six representatives of the Iraq Tax Commission (ITC) took part in an IEG
II supported seminar that focused on the principles and practices of an
international- standard Value Added Tax (VAT). USAID is also working with the
Commission to broaden the tax base by increasing the rate at which businesses
register with the ITC. According to ITC officials, hotels and restaurants have
not been registering at an acceptable rate. In response, IEG II staff are
preparing an analysis of international practices of other indirect taxes, in an
effort to identify appropriate and effective sanctions for non-compliance. A
study was also made of applicable Iraqi income tax laws to determine if
corporations and employers are required to register with the ITC. Registration
of taxpayers is an important part of establishing a viable tax base for Iraq,
and sanctions for non-compliance are critical to increasing the rate of
registration.


Local Governance

USAID's Local Governance Program (LGP) 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.

Major Accomplishments to Date

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 program year to
strengthen the capacity of municipal authorities to deliver core municipal
services. The grants were used to restore services in agriculture, education,
health, electricity, sanitation, and water.

Facilitated the establishment or refreshment of 16 governorate councils, 90
district councils, 194 city or sub-district councils, and 445 neighborhood
councils.

Organized and carried out numerous selection processes for governors and
mayors, as well as local council elections, throughout Iraq.

Committed more than $2.4 million for the nationwide Civic Education Campaign,
which educated Iraqis on democracy and Iraq's political situation.
Rehabilitated and refurbished government facilities.

Supported preparation of 2004 city council budgets in Baghdad, Mosul, Al
Hillah, Babil, and An Najaf.

More than 26,400 democracy dialogues have been conducted to date.

Supporting a series of National Agenda Dialogue Conferences, which engage
stakeholders such as academics, journalists, women, tribal leaders, and local
government officials in discussions on their roles in Iraq's democracy.


Highlights this Week:

The process of democratization in Iraq reached a milestone this past week as
the number of Iraqis participating in Democracy Dialogue Activities (DDAs)
exceeded 750,000. Over a period of 32 weeks, Local Governance Program (LGP)
facilitators have conducted events for an average of 23,365 participants a
week.

LGP staff in southern Iraq met with accounting and personnel departmental
representatives of a Basrah technical institute to discuss the development of
database programs to improve their financial management procedures. The
programs include payroll, personnel, financial accounting, inventory, and
specialized educational applications. The institute is a key center of learning
in the governorate and provides training in the fields of medicine, technology,
and administration.

Over the last several months, LGP staff have worked with Babil Governorate
officials to supervise and monitor 29 LGP projects. This week, contractors
completed construction work on the last of these projects that ranged from
playgrounds to road improvements. Throughout the implementation, LGP engineers
worked with the officials to provide technical assistance and demonstrate
project monitoring skills to increase their administrative efficiency. All
projects provide improved basic services for residents of Babil Governorate
communities.

The LGP's Democratization of Local Governance Group continues to advise the
three high councils of Baghdad ? the Provincial, Regional, and City Councils -
to assist them in building the capacity necessary to carry out their political,
policy, and oversight roles efficiently and effectively.

LGP staff in southern Iraq hosted the South Central Region Decentralization
Conference focusing on administrative law for 25 elected public officials. The
conference allowed participants to provide input into the development of a
system of decentralized government and to acquire skills to promote the
efficient delivery of public services within this structure of governance. The
workshop also sought to identify how sub-national entities could be involved in
the development of a decentralized local government framework.

LGP is providing training in project management and technical assistance on
project preparation for councils and governmental departments in southern
central Iraq through the LGP Investment Assistance Program (IAP). The IAP
assists communities and local councils to identify and implement viable
investment projects in cooperation with local government departments. The IAP
also helps improve project management skills of department officials and local
councils as well as council responsiveness for citizen needs. Humanitarian
Assistance


Transition Initiative

USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supports the transition to a
participatory, 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 Iraqi access to
information and communication, and encouraging protection of human rights.

Major Accomplishments to Date

Awarded more than 1,938 small grants totaling more than $145.6 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 women's issues,
including supporting the establishment of 14 women's centers in Iraq.
Rehabilitated over 264 Iraqi national ministries, schools, clinics and other
municipal buildings. Supporting 65 Iraqi groups in documenting human rights
abuses of the Ba'athist regime and promoting peace, tolerance, and
reconciliation.

Met critical needs during and immediately after the conflict by providing
shortterm employment, restoring basic government and community services,
increasing Iraqi access to information and communication and encouraging
protection of human rights.

Rehabilitated 105 water treatment 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.


Office of U.S. Foreign 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 directing
humanitarian assistance efforts through the Office of Foreign Disaster
Assistance (OFDA) to specifically target Iraq's internally displaced people
(IDP), primarily in northern Iraq, but also in two southern governorates.


Completed Activities

Since the cessation of the 2003 conflict, USAID has completed planned work at
Umm Qasr Seaport and to restore significant portions of Iraq's
telecommunications network. USAID also helped avert a humanitarian crisis
during the conflict by providing assistance to the United Nations' World Food
Program through USAID's Office of Food for Peace. USAID advisors continue to
assist with the management and distribution of food rations for all Iraqi
citizens.

Seaport:

USAID's $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, reconnecting 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.

Assisted the Iraq Ministry of Communications reactivated more than 215,000
subscriber lines.

Installed a satellite gateway system at Baghdad's 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 Distribution 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 Distribution System Working Group to assist the Ministry
of Trade with improving PDS management.


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