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USAID has been a major partner in the United States Government's (USG) reconstruction and development effort in Iraq. Since March 2003, USAID has invested approximately $6.6 billion on programs designed to stabilize communities; foster economic and agricultural growth; and build the capacity of the national, local, and provincial governments to represent and respond to the needs of the Iraqi people. DEFEAT THE INSURGENCYUSAID works with U.S. and multinational units to help cities recover from the effects of battle and to gain a sense of balance after the insurgency has departed. Projects are aimed at a series of small, rapid programs that are followed by more complex projects that return public services to operation, promote representative local government, and reactivate the economy. The Community Stabilization Program (CSP) works to achieve economic and social stability in Iraqi communities. USAID's CSP seeks to achieve economic and social stability in urban Iraqi communities. The program works directly with community groups, local government officials, and Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in the development and implementation of activities that foster more productive and peaceful communities. CSP offers activities that focus on training and employment and a microgrant component to help Iraqis start or expand small businesses. TRANSFORM THE IRAQI GOVERNMENTUSAID-managed programs are assisting in the democratic transformation in Iraq. USAID's governance work is a multi-faceted initiative that encourages the integration of democratic principles into all levels of Iraqi government - national, provincial, and local - to enhance the lives of ordinary Iraqis throughout the country. The programs focus on local and national governance, community engagement, elections, as well as constitutional development and civil society building. Through its National Capacity Development (NCD) program, USAID works closely with the GOI to strengthen and expand the professional skills, qualifications, and capabilities of public servants. NCD works with civil servants in key ministries, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), and the Council of Ministers Secretariat (COMSEC). Under its elections program, USAID worked with the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Community to support three successful elections in 2005 USAID provided experts from numerous countries and Iraqi civil society to assist the Iraqi Constitutional Drafting committee. To assist the Independent Higher Electoral Commission (IHEC) of Iraq in preparing for free, fair, and transparent provincial elections, USAID's Elections Strengthening Program provides training and technical assistance to IHEC staff. Activities include advising on the development of an election management system, identifying improvements to electoral processes, drafting a public outreach strategy, and developing plans for a permanent and sustainable voter registry.
CREATE A MARKET ECONOMYUSAID's Economic Growth and Agriculture Office works in three major areas of Iraq's economy: public sector reform, private sector growth, and agriculture development. USAID's Economic Governance II program helps the GOI devise and implement policy and legal reforms, develop monetary policy, and modernize GOI customs and taxation processes. In addition, this program is helping Iraq's provincial governments develop automated financial management systems to assist with budget execution and financial reporting. USAID's Izdihar ("prosperity" in Arabic) program works to stimulate private sector growth through microfinance activities, capacity-building within financial institutions, and loan security through the Iraq Company for Bank Guarantees. Izdihar is also helping Iraq prepare its application for accession to the WTO. USAID is building on the success of its completed Agriculture program (ARDI) with a new program, Inma, which means "growth" in Arabic. Inma focuses on strengthening Iraq's agribusiness sector, a vital industry accounting for approximately 25 percent of the country's labor force. In addition to improving agricultural quality and production, Inma is working to restore soil and water management systems, connect farmers to markets, increase the competitiveness of Iraqi agribusinesses, and facilitate domestic and foreign partnerships. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCEUSAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) provides humanitarian assistance to Iraqis forced to move elsewhere in the country due to sectarian strife, personal threats against their safety, or escalating violence within their communities. PREVIOUS WORK IN IRAQUSAID has been working in Iraq since 2003. Although some of USAID's original programs have been followed by newer programs that reflect changes in Iraq's political, economic and social landscape, others, such as large-scale infrastructure, are no longer part of USAID's portfolio. Below is information on many of the programs that USAID has worked on over the past few years. |
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