This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ROME 004856
SIPDIS
STATE EB/IFD/ODF FOR DEMARCELLUS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IT IZ IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: IRAQ: SUMMARY OF ITALIAN RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
REF: A. ROME 4796
B. ROME 355
1. Luigi Maccotta, Deputy Director of the Iraq Task Force at
the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided Econoff
with the following summary, in English, of Italian
humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq. This
document updates a previous summary Maccotta passed to
Econoff in January 2004 (ref B). (Note: Post has made some
minor edits to improve readability. 1 Euro=$1.33. End note.)
2. Begin text:
Iraq: Reconstruction and Assistance Projects Financed by Italy
The Italian Government has been participating in the Iraqi
reconstruction efforts through a number of projects and
interventions since the end of the conflict. All together,
the funds allocated for reconstruction for the period
2003-2004 roughly amount to 90 million euros, including the
ten million channeled through the UNDG Trust Fund.
Interventions Financed Through Special Laws For Iraq
--------------------------------------------- -------
Projects financed through a special Law for Iraq (Law 1
August 2003, n. 219) which established a humanitarian and
reconstruction mission.
In this framework, the deployment of a military contingent of
3,000 units in Dhi Qar Province and the ongoing assistance to
the Iraqi administration offered by a team of about 40
Italian experts working in the CPA, with around 10 now
engaged in consulting activities for the Iraqi
administration, deserve special mention.
Other programs are hereby listed:
-Support to Medical City Center Hospital (MCCH) in Baghdad,
as phase II of the Italian Red Cross project. This
intervention started at the beginning of October with the two
goals of 1) assisting the Iraqi population through highly
qualified hospital services and 2) providing MCCH staff with
equipment technical assistance, and training. (Euro 16
million)
-General Plan for Transport (Euro 1.3 million);
-"New Eden" Program for the rehabilitation of marshlands
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This project is
implemented and financed by the Italian Ministry for
Environment. (Euro 2.5 million)
-Program for training of managers in Cultural Heritage. The
executing agency for this project is "CRAST" (Centre for
Archaeological Research, Turin). (Euro 1.1 million)
-Training and technical assistance for local institutions in
southern Iraq, particularly in Dhi Qar Province. The
executing agency for this project is Formez (Italian Agency
for Public Administration Innovation). (Euro one million)
-Program for training Iraqi State TV personnel. The
executing agency is RAI (Italian State TV). (Euro 400,000)
-Media development project in southern Iraqi provinces.
(Euro 100,000)
-Program for training of personnel in the power generation
sector. The executing agency is the Italian private company
Lotti & Associates. (Euro 500,000)
-Program for training of diplomats of the Iraqi Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. (Euro 200,000)
-Mine clearing assistance through the Capacity Development
Program for Mine Action of the United Nations. (Euro three
million: total contribution for 2003 and 2004)
-Support to the building of a government intranet network in
Iraq as an essential prerequisite for giving operational
capability to the Iraqi central government. The executing
agency is the Italian Ministry for Innovation and Technology
through its agency "Innovazione Italia." (Euro 2,456,000)
-Training of Iraqi core trainers and polling staff for
January elections. This training is being conducted by a
specialized institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. (Euro
350,000)
-Electoral-assistance contribution to the International
Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI), cluster 11
account. (Euro two million)
-Program for training journalists and media operators from
the province of Basra and Nassiriya and a cultural exchange
program for women from southern Iraq. (Euro 15,000)
Intervention Financed Under Development Aid Budget
--------------------------------------------- -----
-Field Hospital of the Italian Red Cross (phase I) from April
to September 2003. This intervention has enabled the
free-of-charge provision of essential hospital services to
cope with post-conflict difficulties. The hospital has
assisted more than 13,000 patients, including 400 surgeries.
(Euro 6.1 million)
-Three humanitarian flights between 2003 and 2004 carrying
food, medicine, and various equipment. (Euro 447,000)
-Transfer to Iraq of medical drugs donated by the Italian
pharmaceutical group Menarini;
-Supply of emergency goods for humanitarian interventions
(medical drugs, water purifiers, jerricans, kitchen sets) for
Dhi Qar Province. (Euro 3.7 million) This intervention
supplys equipment and material to restore basic services and
improve production in the following sectors:
i. Agriculture and irrigation
--Rehabilitation of Al Akika regulator of Suk Al Shuyukh;
--Provision of agriculture supplies for farmers (fertilizers,
pesticides, agricultural tools and machinery, etc.);
--Maintenance and supply of equipment for headquarters of Dhi
Qar provincial irrigation and agriculture department.
ii. Education and social
--Supply of basic equipment, furniture and other relevant
material, as well as other administrative support, for five
primary schools, three orphanages, and the University of
Nassiriya.
iii. Health
--Rehabilitation, supply of health equipment and drugs for
Nassiriya's Pediatric Hospital and the Suk Ash Shuyukh
Hospital.
iv. Water and Sanitation
--Supply of material and equipment for water purification and
distribution in 30 villages.
v. Technical and training assistance
--A specific allocation for technical assistance and local
training will be provided according to actual needs.
vi. Establishment of a logistic base in Nassiriya.
Voluntary Contributions for Iraq Via Int. Organizations
--------------------------------------------- ----------
a) UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Euro 1.5 million)
b) World Food Program (Euro six million)
c) World Health Organization (Euro 0.6 million)
d) International Committee of the Red Cross (Euro one million)
e) Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Euro
one million)
f) UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Euro five million)
g) UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) (Euro 0.4 million)
h) International Fund Facility for Iraq (UNDP channel) (Euro
ten million)
End text.
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2004ROME04856 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED