This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
USAID KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR FINN AND USAID DIRECTOR BUCK 
USAID FOR GC GARDNER, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA ROGERS AND 
DCHA/DG ALEXANDER 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, L/NESA AND UNA, SA/PAB, IO/EDA FOR 
WINNICK 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00896  01 OF 02  041641Z 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC EAID PREF EU EAGR EAID PREF EU EAGR IDLO UNAORC IDLO UN
SUBJECT:  IDLO PROPOSAL TO USAID FOR U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 
MILLION IN PROGRAM SUPPORT, 2003-2005 
 
REF: (A) 02 ROME 01544, (B) 02 ROME 01616 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. THE ROME-BASED INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION 
(IDLO) HAS SENT TO THE U.S. MISSION A PROPOSAL FOR PROGRAM 
SUPPORT FOR THE PERIOD 2003-2005 REQUESTING USAID FUNDING OF 
U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 MILLION (U.S. 750,000/ANNUM). IDLO IS 
FUNDED BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS; USAID HAS PREVIOUSLY 
PROVIDED IDLO WITH U.S. 985,076 DOLLARS (2000) AND U.S. 
1,335,257 DOLLARS (2001). IDLO ASSERTS THAT USAID MULTI-YEAR 
ASSISTANCE WOULD GREATLY STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL 
OF SECURING A MORE PREDICTABLE FUNDING BASE. IDLO'S 
TECHNICAL COOPERATION, PRESENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED IN MORE 
THAN 50 COUNTRIES, EQUIPS LEGAL PROFESSIONALS AND LOCAL 
INSTITUTIONS TO PURSUE RULE OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE WORK AT 
THE LOCAL LEVEL. IT HAS PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN ISLAMIC LAW. 
MOREOVER, IDLO IS ABOUT TO BROADEN ITS OUTREACH BY SIGNING 
AN AGREEMENT WITH UNDP WHEREBY IT WILL BECOME A UNDP 
EXECUTING AGENCY. THE U.S. MISSION ASKS THAT SERIOUS 
CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ENHANCING USAID SUPPORT TO IDLO. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  00896  01 OF 02  041641Z 
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¶2. IDLO IS A PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION (PIO) BASED 
IN ROME. IT DIFFERS FROM CONTRACTORS AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) IN THAT INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT AND 
AFFILIATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ESTABLISH ITS LEGAL 
STATUS.  IDLO IS EXEMPT FROM MANY PROVISIONS OF THE FEDERAL 
ACQUISITION REGULATION AND THE COMPETITION IN CONTRACTING 
ACT.  WITH REGARD TO USAID, ITS SERVICES ARE ACCESSIBLE 
UNDER ADS 308. 
 
¶3. IDLO INFORMS THAT IS ABOUT TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT 
WITH UNDP UNDER WHICH THE PARTIES WILL BECOME EXECUTING 
AGENCIES FOR EACH OTHER'S PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. 
SPECIFICALLY, IDLO'S RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE: 
 
- SUPPORT UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN CONNECTION WITH 
LEGAL, JUDICIAL, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE CAPACITY BUILDING 
ACTIVITIES; 
- PROVIDE SUBSTANTIVE RESOURCES IN THE FORM OF 
DOCUMENTATION, RESEARCH, AND EXPERTS FOR TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAMS RELATED TO LEGAL AND 
GOVERNANCE REFORMS; 
- PROVIDE LOGISTICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR FIELD 
PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE RULE OF 
LAW; 
- CONDUCT TRAINING ON RULE OF LAW AND GOOD GOVERNANCE 
TOPICS; AND 
- PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO REBUILD LOCAL LEGAL 
CAPACITY IN POST-CONFLICT SITUATIONS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  00896  01 OF 02  041641Z 
NOTE: IN PARTICULAR, THIS WILL INVOLVE ASSISTING LOCAL 
AUTHORITIES AND/OR THE UNITED NATIONS TRANSITION 
ADMINISTRATION IN THE COUNTRY TO REBUILD LOCAL EXPERTISE TO 
ENFORCE THE RULE OF LAW AFTER ARMED CONFLICTS. THIS COULD 
INCLUDE TRAINING OR RETRAINING OF THE JUDICIARY AND 
ASSISTANCE IN IMPROVING THE COUNTRY'S LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, 
AND COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF RELEVANT LEGAL TEXTS AND 
OTHER LEGAL ASSESSMENT WORK TO FACILITATE AND ACCELERATE 
LEGAL REFORM EFFORTS SUPPORTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY. END NOTE. 
 
¶4. REFERENCE B ADDRESSED IDLO'S LEGAL REFORM INITIATIVE FOR 
AFGHANISTAN. IDLO HAS REPORTEDLY AMASSED AN EXTENSIVE 
COLLECTION OF LEGAL TEXTS.  IN ADDITION, IT IS WORKING WITH 
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP A UNIFIED FRAMEWORK LEGAL 
REFORM INVOLVING REVIEW OF KEY LEGISLATION FOR CONFORMANCE 
WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION. 
IDLO HAS RECENTLY OPENED AN OFFICE IN KABUL WITH A STAFF OF 
¶3.  IT HAS GOOD ACCESS TO ISLAMIC SCHOLARS AND LEGAL 
PROFESSIONALS THROUGH SOME OF ITS MEMBER STATES AND GRANT 
SUPPORTERS SUCH AS THE KUWAIT FUND FOR ARAB AND ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT, ARAB FUND FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, 
OPEC FUND, AND THE ARAB BANK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN 
AFRICA (BADEA).  US MISSION HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THESE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9654 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  00896  02 OF 02  041641Z 
ACTION AID-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AMAD-00  CIAE-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00 
      EB-00    EUR-00   OIGO-00  UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   NEA-00   NSAE-00  OES-00   OIC-02 
      IRM-00   TEST-00  SA-00    R-00     ECA-00   PRM-00   SAS-00 
        /002W 
                  ------------------3EE7BA  041843Z /38 
P 041545Z MAR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8563 
INFO USMISSION US IN NEW YORK NY 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
USMISSION GENEVA 
AMEMBASSY KABUL 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
USAID KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR FINN AND USAID DIRECTOR BUCK 
USAID FOR GC GARDNER, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA ROGERS AND 
DCHA/DG ALEXANDER 
STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, L/NESA AND UNA, SA/PAB, IO/EDA FOR 
WINNICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00896  02 OF 02  041641Z 
TAGS: AORC EAID PREF EU EAGR EAID PREF EU EAGR IDLO UNAORC IDLO UN
SUBJECT:  IDLO PROPOSAL TO USAID FOR U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 
MILLION IN PROGRAM SUPPORT, 2003-2005 
 
LINKS ARE PROVING VALUABLE IN AFGHANISTAN WHERE IDLO IS 
AMONG OTHER THINGS ASSISTING A NUMBER OF USAID-FINANCED 
PROVIDERS. 
 
¶5. U.S. MISSION REPRESENTATIVE PHILIP LAMADE MET WITH IDLO 
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WILLIAM LORIS, A FORMER USAID LAWYER, ON 
FEBRUARY 18, 2003. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1983, IDLO HAS 
CONDUCTED LEGAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
IN DEVELOPING AND TRANSITION ECONOMY COUNTRIES.  CURRENT U.S- 
FUNDED WORK INCLUDES PROJECTS IN KOSOVO (JUDICIAL TRAINING); 
OMAN (JUDICIAL REFORM); EAST TIMOR (JUDICIAL TRAINING); 
MONGOLIA (JUDICIAL BENCH BOOKS); AND SWAZILAND (COMMUNITY 
EDUCATION ON THE NEW CONSTITUTION). IDLO'S LEGAL STAFF IS 
DIVERSE AND HAS THE CAPABILITY TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS IN THE 
MAJOR UN LANGUAGES AS WELL AS RUSSIAN AND AMHARIC. NOTE: ITS 
TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE GIVEN AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN ROME, 
REGIONAL OFFICES, E.G., SYDNEY AND SOON CAIRO, AND COUNTRY 
SPECIFIC LOCATIONS AS WELL. END NOTE. 
 
¶6. ITS FOUR PROGRAM "CONES" INCLUDE BUSINESS, COMMERCIAL AND 
FINANCIAL LAW, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW 
(INCLUDING CONVENTION ESTABLISHED LEGAL ARRANGEMENTS SUCH AS 
WTO), GOVERNANCE AND JUDICIAL REFORM. FIVE OUT OF FIFTY-TWO 
IDLO PERMANENT STAFF SPEND 100 PERCENT OF THEIR TIME 
SUPPORTING THE INSTITUTIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF 
THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NETWORK. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  00896  02 OF 02  041641Z 
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COMMENT 
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¶7. IDLO HAS SENT TO THE U.S. MISSION A PROPOSAL FOR PROGRAM 
SUPPORT FOR THE PERIOD 2003-2005 REQUESTING USAID FUNDING OF 
U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 MILLION (U.S. 750,000/ANNUM). IDLO ASSERTS 
THAT USAID MULTI-YEAR ASSISTANCE WOULD GREATLY STRENGTHEN 
THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL OF SECURING A MORE PREDICTABLE 
FUNDING BASE. US MISSION IS CONVINCED THAT IDLO HAS 
PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN ISLAMIC LAW, SOLID SUPPORT FROM THE 
GOVERNMENT OF ITALY, AND WILL EFFECTIVELY EXPAND ITS 
OUTREACH THROUGH PARTNERING WITH UNDP. THE U.S. MISSION ASKS 
THAT SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ENHANCING USAID 
SUPPORT TO IDLO.  HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2003ROME00896 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED