VZCZCXRO2040
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #2728 2281212
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161212Z AUG 07 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2812
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PINR PINS EAID IZ
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD CITY HALL TAKES INITIATIVE TO EXPAND ITS 
CAPACITY 
 
¶1. (U) This is a Baghdad PRT reporting cable. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary: The Baghdad Amanat (City Hall) has been 
independently continuing and improving earlier USG capacity 
building projects.  In particular, a city Training Center is 
providing technical and management classes to Amanat 
professional staff in a center that was started initially 
through a USAID project.  Similarly, an earlier USAID project 
had equipped the Geographic Information System (GIS) office 
of the city planning department and trained 8 key staff.  The 
Amanat has since expanded that department to 28 staff and has 
provided the new staff with introductory professional 
training.  End summary. 
 
---------------------- 
Initial USG Investment 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) The Amanat is a unique institution within Iraq. 
Throughout the rest of the country, the basic services of 
sewer, water, and solid waste disposal, are handled by the 
central government Ministry of Municipalities and Public 
Works.  In Baghdad city, these services are provided by the 
Amanat, which is headed by the Mayor of Baghdad.  Since 2005, 
the Mayor has been appointed by the Baghdad Provincial 
Council.  Baghdad is thus the only city in Iraq where basic 
services are in the hands of a local organization, headed by 
an appointee of an elective body. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Beginning in 2003, the USAID-funded Local 
Governance Program (LGP) worked with communities to stand-up 
local councils and to build the capacity of local officials. 
One aspect of this in Baghdad was to provide technical 
assistance to various departments of the Amanat.  This 
included the establishment and equipping of a training center 
and a GIS section.  Training support for these offices ended 
in 2005 after initial objectives were met. 
 
---------------------- 
Amanat Training Center 
---------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) A recent trip to the Amanat showed that the Training 
Center was still in full operation.  Classes were being held 
in topics ranging from basic instruction in the Windows 
operating system, to skills development for warehouse 
keepers, to the mastering of basic and intermediate GIS and 
engineering computer programs.  Equipment in the Training 
Center was getting a bit out-dated for some of the required 
applications, but was being maintained and used for its 
intended purpose.  A technical library established under LGP 
continues to be used to support training in the center. 
 
------------------ 
Amanat GIS Section 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Monitoring also showed that the the GIS Department 
of the Office of Planning had not only maintained its initial 
capacity, but expanded.  An initial trained staff of 8 had 
risen to 28.  The staff is well educated and literate in 
English.  GIS was being used to develop overlays of the 
Baghdad water, sewer, and road systems, which were used by 
technical staffs of the Amanat to implement repair projects 
and to plan new projects. 
 
---------- 
Conclusion 
---------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: The Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team 
(PRT) has long been convinced that the Amanat was one of the 
most professional institutions in Baghdad.  Problems remain 
of course, but overall it is an institution with the capacity 
to address problems and with a professional and motivated 
staff.  These examples reinforce this assessment.  One of the 
main reasons for this success is that assistance was 
initially provided in areas that had been identified by 
Iraqis themselves.  This helped provide an element of 
sustainability to the assistance.  The Amanat has identified 
areas where the Training Center and the GIS Department could 
productively use additional assistance.  With PRT assistance 
and coordination, LGP will be providing targeted assistance. 
In the case of the GIS Department, the Iraq Transition 
Assistance Office (ITAO) will also be providing assistance. 
End Comment. 
CROCKER