VZCZCXRO6657
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3860/01 3311237
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271237Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4530
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 003860 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON IZ
SUBJECT: ANBARIS MEET IN AMMAN TO DRAFT A PROVINCIAL 
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 3801 
 
¶1. (U) This is an Anbar PRT reporting cable. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶2. (U) Some 115 Anbari notables, including government 
officials, civil servants, and tribal leaders, participated 
in an off-site conference November 14-18 sponsored by USAID 
contractor RTI in Amman to draft the Provincial Development 
Strategy (PDS), which is a long-term vision statement for 
future economic and social development.  The PDS is a GOI 
requirement.  The participants met in plenary sessions and in 
five break-out groups for governance, infrastructure, social 
services, agriculture, and economic development.  Ten 
participants stayed for two extra days to work on the 52-page 
draft summary.  The draft is expected to be presented to the 
districts and sub-districts for comment between December 
2-10.  The Provincial Council is expected to vote on the 
final document on December 30.  The number of attendees was 
surprising large, and the quality of the discussions 
indicated that the Anbaris want to move ahead briskly on 
economic reconstruction.  The event was covered by Arabic and 
English language international media.  Nonetheless, the 
Awakening Council of Iraq (SAI), which had at least seven 
representatives present, boycotted the conference on grounds 
that it had not been consulted in the conference preparation 
(reftel). End Summary. 
 
Leaders Stress Unity 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Over 115 Anbari leaders from across the province 
gathered in Amman for the fourth Anbar PDS Conference on 
November 13-17.  Members of local, provincial, and central 
governments attended. Approximately 20 tribal sheikhs from 
several parts of the province also attended.  According to 
conference organizers, representatives from every district 
and sub-district of the province were present.  Four of 
Anbar's nine representatives in the GOI Council of 
Representatives participated in the conference.  Five women 
participated, three as members of the Provincial Council (PC) 
and two from Anbar's national parliamentary delegation. 
 
¶4. (U) Governor Ma'amoun Sami Rasheed, PC Chairman Abdulsalam 
Abdullah, and Anbar Tribal Council representative Sheikh 
Hameed Turki delivered remarks at the opening plenary on 
November 14.  They also held a joint press conference and 
conducted one-on-one interviews. 
 
¶5. (U) In his opening remarks, PC Chairman Abdulsalam said 
Anbar will emerge from "the darkness of terrorism with the 
support of the central government and coalition forces."  He 
stated that the conference's aim was to take advantage of 
Anbar's improved security to promote economic development. 
Stressing the importance of working together, Ma'amoun said: 
"We are proud of coming up with this plan for progress in 
Anbar."  Sheikh Hameed recognized the participation of at 
least a dozen tribal sheikhs.  "Let everyone see how we all 
work together in harmony," Hameed said. 
 
Conference Attracts International Media 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The conference drew significant Arabic and English 
language media, which covered the opening and closing 
sessions.  At a press conference following the opening 
session, a reporter asked the PC Chairman why the Anbari 
leadership was meeting in Jordan if the security situation 
had improved.  Abdulsalam responded that Anbar lacks adequate 
hotel space for holding such a large conference. "God 
willing, this will be the last conference we hold outside 
Anbar," he said. 
 
Five Break-Out Groups 
--------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) The participants divided into five working groups for 
governance, infrastructure, social services, agriculture, and 
economic development.  Each group identified challenges and 
objectives in its sector and presented its preliminary 
conclusions orally in the plenary session.  RTI facilitators 
were on hand to guide the discussions, but in several groups, 
Anbaris conducted discussions themselves. 
 
The Way Forward: Stressing Local Input 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) The Anbari leadership appointed a drafting committee 
for the final report with representatives from each working 
 
BAGHDAD 00003860  002 OF 003 
 
 
group.  The drafters stayed in Amman two additional days at 
the conclusion of the conference to continue drafting, 
working until midnight on one of those days.  RTI and PRT 
staff was on hand to assist.  At the closing session, PC 
Chairman Abdulsalam announced that the drafting committee 
would complete its work by December 2.  "Some people think 
that this is just a conference and nothing will happen after 
it, but that is not the case," he said. 
 
¶9. (U) Stressing the importance of a "bottom-up approach" 
that includes local input, the PC Chairman said that the PDS 
draft report would be sent to Anbar's districts and sub 
districts on December 3 for comment.  The draft will also be 
sent to the Governor's Office and to the various directors 
general.  The drafting committee will finalize the report, 
taking into account comments from the municipalities, between 
December 10 and 27.  The PC Chairman has called a PC meeting 
for December 30 to vote on the document, in the hopes that 
the PDS for Anbar Province can be sent to the Ministry of 
Planning by the December 31 deadline.  "I think this was a 
successful conference," a PC member said.  Echoing a common 
refrain among participants, he added: "The conference was 
good and we made good plans. Now we have to wait to see the 
results." 
 
¶10. (U) The following is a preliminary summary of some of the 
challenges and opportunities identified in the working 
groups.  The draft report, however, is 52 pages in Arabic and 
is more detailed than the brief sketches that appear below. 
RTI will translate the document into English.  It is not yet 
available. 
 
Governance 
---------- 
 
¶11. (U) Eleven Anbari leaders - including Governor Ma'amoun 
Deputy Governor Othman Hummadi, and Deputy Provincial Council 
Chairman Khamees Abtan - participated in the Governance 
Committee.  They identified the following shortcomings: the 
lack of statutory clarity between the executive and 
legislative branches, and between levels of government; the 
lack of qualified personnel in the civil service; the lack of 
public awareness of provincial government activities; and the 
lack of a public database of legislated decisions and 
provincial government programs. 
 
Infrastructure 
-------------- 
 
¶12. (U) The Infrastructure Committee set out to create a 
five-year plan to improve basic services, re-start the K-3 
oil refinery in Haditha and increase its capacity, and tap 
the province's presumed natural gas deposits for power 
generation.  The rehabilitation of the railroad system was 
another objective.  As for challenges, the committee 
identified local political rivalries which have been 
obstacles to infrastructure development; the need to 
strengthen the relationship between Anbar and the central 
government; the lack of qualified personnel in government 
departments; and the need to develop media and improve access 
to information from the provincial government. 
 
Social Services 
--------------- 
 
¶13. (U) The Social Services Committee attracted the largest 
number of participants, over two dozen at times, including 
all five women.  It divided its discussion into several 
subsectors including: women's affairs; religious and tribal 
affairs; health and environment; education; civil society; 
and public relations. Committee members discussed the 
importance of protecting the province's judges, who have been 
targeted by terrorists in the past.  They acknowledged the 
importance of religious leaders in "unifying society and 
minimizing extremist influences," while citing the importance 
of including tribal leadership in the province's strategic 
plan given the role Anbari tribes play in "achieving 
political and religious reconciliation." Discussing the role 
of tribes in Anbar, one committee member stated: "We are all 
proud of the tribes. We all come from the tribes."  On health 
issues, the committee called for providing incentives to 
attract medical professionals, reopening training facilities, 
and establishing a modern research facility.  On education 
the committee identified the importance of creating 
international student exchange programs. The committee also 
concluded that the strategic plan should encourage the 
development of NGOs and media outlets.  It also called for 
the develop employment centers for widows and orphans, and an 
expanded role for women in government. 
 
Agriculture 
 
BAGHDAD 00003860  003 OF 003 
 
 
----------- 
 
¶14. (U) The Agriculture Committee participants represented a 
cross-section of agricultural leaders and subject matter 
experts. They address challenges and opportunities in soil 
and water resources, agronomy, animal husbandry, energy 
resources, and agri-business. Committee members discussed 
strategies to overcome obstacles inhibiting progress in the 
agriculture sector, as well as plans to "create an 
environment whereby farmers will be encouraged to resume 
their profession and prosper" given the improved security 
situation in Anbar.  Participants also focused on the 
importance of providing information and other resources to 
farmers and the agricultural workforce to boost productivity. 
 
Economic Development 
-------------------- 
 
¶15. (U) The Economic Development Committee identified the 
need to obtain additional capital from the GOI and financial 
institutions; the need for a consumer protection initiative; 
the development of alternative energy sources; and greater 
clarity in investment laws. The committee also discussed the 
negative consequences of a "brain drain" from Anbar Province, 
noting that many educated professionals had left the 
province. The committee identified specific projects critical 
to economic development, including the re-start of the K-3 
refinery in Haditha; the upgrade of the Haditha power 
station; the development of organic waste power stations; 
securing GOI funding for state-owned enterprises, and to 
support micro-enterprise and a women's employment program. It 
also recommended the development of environmental "green 
zones" around major cities. 
 
SAI Boycott 
----------- 
 
¶16. (SBU) While the conference was underway, Sheikh Ahmad Abu 
Risha, the leader of the Awakening Council of Iraq, sent a 
letter to the PC Chairman announcing that the SAI would 
boycott the event on grounds it was not consulted during the 
planning.  There were an estimated seven SAI members 
attending the conference.  Ahmad also called for the PC 
Chair's ouster and announced that SAI members of the 
Provincial Council would suspend their activities with that 
body (reftel).  SAI conference-goers participated 
sporadically, but generally stayed away from working groups. 
CROCKER