VZCZCXRO6357
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #0799 0720815
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130815Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3243
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000799 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: OPERATIONAL PLANNING FOR THE IRAQI MINISTRIES 
TRANSITION 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In early October, Embassy 
participated in an interagency planning session for 
the transition from the Iraqi Transitional Government 
(ITG) to its successor Iraqi government to avoid or 
mitigate loss of momentum in the development of the 
Iraqi government's capacity to govern.  The outcome of 
the exercise was the development of a ministerial 
transition action plan and creation of a Ministerial 
Transition Action Group (MTAG) to oversee the 
execution of the plan.  A main focus of the MTAG 
action plan was to obtain buy-in from the ITG for a 
smooth transition led by the ITG.  Since October, 
weekly MTAG meetings have been held with participation 
from across the Embassy, MNF-I and Coalition partners. 
The Iraqi government has made significant progress in 
planning for the transition.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- 
Iraqi Lead 
---------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) A successful government transition requires 
the Iraqi government to articulate clearly and carry 
out its commitment to manage the planning for the 
upcoming transition.  The USG, with support from the 
UK's Department for International Development (DFID), 
has supported the Prime Minister's office and the 
Council of Ministers Secretariat (COMSEC), encouraging 
them to lead the transition planning process.  Results 
from these meetings include the issuance of a letter 
by the Prime Minister on December 12, 2005 instructing 
ITG ministers to clarify the limitations imposed on 
ITG ministries during the transition, prepare a 
handover brief for the new ministers, and identify a 
deputy to coordinate the handover process.  These 
plans include, but are not limited to, a list of 
issues that will require immediate attention by new 
ministers, organizational charts, approved budgets for 
2005 and 2006, and staffing levels and trends. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Key ministry staff received transition 
training.  With USG and DFID encouragement, the COMSEC 
held a transition training session for ministry 
deputies and staff on January 23, 2006.  IRMO was 
informed that 36 ministry staff attended the training 
session.  One of the sessions focused on preparation 
of the handover brief. 
 
¶4. (U) Handover briefs were generally rated as good to 
excellent by COMSEC.  As of March 5, 2006, 30 out of 
32 Iraqi ministries have submitted handover briefs to 
the COMSEC office.  The COMSEC assembled a team to 
review the briefs for completeness and quality. 
 
¶5. (U) The Iraqi Government has been issuing press 
statements on the status of ministry transition.  The 
GOI released several press articles about the 
transition process to show the public that it was 
progressing smoothly and was being well-handled. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
IRMO's Assistance with Transition Planning 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (U) Since early fall, IRMO Senior Consultants have 
been conducting discussions with ministers and key 
ministry staff to familiarize them with the idea of a 
smooth transition to the next government in order to 
minimize disruptions within the ministries.  During 
these meetings, IRMO Senior Consultants encouraged the 
ministries to establish transition teams and develop 
handover briefs for the incoming ministers, and they 
stressed the importance of securing Iraqi assets 
(e.g., vehicles, trucks, cranes, and other equipment 
purchased/donated with IRRF dollars) and registering 
these assets as Iraqi government-owned property. 
Ministry staff has been very receptive to IRMO 
recommendations. 
 
¶7. (SBU) IRMO has been recognized as playing a key 
role in assisting with transition planning.  Mr. Emad 
Dhia, Acting General Secretary for the Council of 
Ministers, told IRMO that he credited the success of 
the handover briefs to IRMO's support, and he agreed 
to share with IRMO copies of all transition handover 
briefs. 
 
KHALILZAD