INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Nicaragua Geographical Assistance Distribution Project

Published: Tue 5 Jun 2007 11:16 PM
VZCZCXRO6418
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHMU #1432/01 1562316
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 052316Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0441
INFO RUEHMU/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 001432
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AINT MASS PGOV PINR SOCI NU
SUBJECT: NICARAGUA GEOGRAPHICAL ASSISTANCE DISTRIBUTION PROJECT
1. (U) Summary: At the Ambassador's request, post has
developed an online application that graphically displays
all USG assistance projects directed at specific localities
from 2000-2003 to the present. The Geographical Assistance
Distribution (GAD) Project also shows the geo-political
breakdown of Nicaragua's departmental representatives and
local governments. The GAD Project is available on the
Department of State OpenNet network under Embassy Managua's
Intranet web page and may be accessed by clicking on "Other
Links," then "GAD Project." The direct OpenNet address is:
webmanagua.managua.state.gov/DisplayContent.a sp?PAG_ID=37.
End Summary.
2. (U) The Nicaraguan GAD Project contains over 4,000 data
points on about 200 maps displayed on the national,
departmental, and municipal level. The municipal maps
illustrate projects from a full range of USG agencies,
including: State, Agriculture, Defense, USAID, OPIC, Peace
Corps, and MCC. All of the maps are Adobe Acrobat files
that can be downloaded or printed.
National Level
- - - - - - - -
3. (U) The national-level maps display results from the
November 2006 national elections. One map shows the 70
departmental deputies who were elected by party, and
another file displays the 20 national deputies chosen
proportionately from party lists. A third map reveals the
relative geographic strengths of the different parties by
showing the presidential vote totals by department (first
and second place parties).
Departmental Level
- - - - - - - - - -
4. (U) Departmental maps may be accessed from the GAD home
page by clicking on the name of the department. These maps
display the departmental population and the political
affiliation of the municipal mayors, as well as offering a
bird's-eye view (via icons) of the different agencies with
projects in that department. Each departmental map also
contains a corresponding link (by clicking on the
department's name) to the Nicaraguan Municipal Association
(AMUNIC) web site. The AMUNIC web site offers political,
historical, geographic, demographic, and infrastructure
information on each municipality. (Note: The AMUNIC
population figures are based on outdated estimates. The
GAD maps contain information from the last official
census. End Note.)
5. (SBU) On the departmental and municipal maps, certain
municipalities are marked with a check icon. Though not
explained in the GAD, the check indicates that more
information on the municipality is available in a
classified database maintained by the Political Section.
Post is planning a mirror site on the SIPRnet that will
include direct links to the database.
Municipal Level
- - - - - - - -
6. (U) The municipal maps, reached by clicking on the
municipality's name on the departmental map, display the
mayor and councilors coded by party affiliation, the
population, and short descriptions of USG projects
undertaken in that locale. Where the information is
available, we have indicated the specific neighborhood or
village where the projects are located.
Planned Upgrades
- - - - - - - - -
7. (U) The following are planned upgrades to increase the
utility of the GAD Project:
-- The project information on the current municipal maps is
very brief due to space constraints. We plan to develop a
database on all of the projects that will contain much more
detailed information (e.g., funding, time period, NGO
partners, etc.) and link to the maps.
-- Post agencies have formed a committee to review
unsolicited project proposals from mayors, NGOs, and other
sources. We plan to include links on the municipal maps to
these proposals to more easily match ongoing activities
with solicited requests.
-- The Adobe Acrobat platform that we are using is
limited. We intend to identify and upgrade to a suitable
geographical information systems (GIS) platform in the
future that will allow a variety of users to input data and
access a much wider range of information.
TRIVELLI
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