VZCZCXRO7356
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1189 1260627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060627Z MAY 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2945
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0077

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001189 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID PINR KCRS IZ
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD CITY PLANNING: A CAPACITY BUILDING SUCCESS 
STORY 
 
(U)  This message is Sensitive but Unclassified; handle 
accordingly.  Not for Internet distribution. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  What began five years ago as a request 
for USG assistance with electronically mapping four Baghdad 
neighborhoods has grown into a sustainable Geographic 
Information System (GIS) Center within the Mayor's office, 
also known as the Amanat.  The Baghdad Provincial 
Reconstruction Team (PRT) and USAID helped the Mayor's office 
lay the foundation for an urban planning center.  Other 
elements of the GOI now wish to emulate the Amanat's success 
with GIS technology in their own project planning.  An 
opportunity exists to leverage past success and help Iraq 
create a GIS hub to support national government ministries. 
End summary 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a 2004 meeting, Baghdad's then-Mayor raised 
the urgent need for a GIS program to expedite the city's 
rehabilitation and development.  At the time, Baghdad City 
Hall, or Amanat, relied solely on paper documents, and had no 
ability to produce electronic maps that would allow it to 
dynamically overlay electric, sewer, water, or transportation 
networks.  Working with the Amanat, a USAID implementer 
provided GIS equipment, software, and training for eight 
staff members as part of USAID's Local Governance Program 
(LGP).  The Embassy's Iraq Transition Assistance Office 
(ITAO) also provided hardware and software.  The original 
plan called for mapping only four of Baghdad's, 
municipalities, or Beladiyas.  However, the Mayor was so 
impressed with the project's progress he authorized 
government funds to expand the scope to include all of the 
city's 14 Beladiyas. 
 
Current State of Play 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) At the Mayor's request, the PRT and LGP continued 
to mentor the Amanat's GIS Center, which now employees 75 
staff members who support Baghdad's Master Plan Development 
program for essential services and who will lead the 
country's 2009 census.  LGP advisors remain involved in the 
program, but the PRT believes the Amanat's GIS Center has 
reached a level of sustainability and growth that would 
continue even without their presence.  For example, 
unassisted by mentors, Amanat staff are perfecting essential 
service overlays in an effort to develop a modern land use 
plan for Baghdad that will be used to identify locations for 
new housing, parks, and agricultural developments. 
 
Mapping the Future 
------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The success of the Amanat's GIS Center led to 
inquiries from various ministries (e.g., Energy, Oil, 
Environment, and Defense) about the possibility of creating a 
GIS program to support the needs of the GOI writ large.  The 
PRT is now in discussions with Baghdad University, which has 
expressed an interest in creating such a national GIS hub in 
conjunction with a degree program.  This not only would 
immediately benefit various ministries, whose staff could 
attend training programs, it would also allow Iraqi students 
to pursue a degree in modern urban planning, a skill sorely 
lacking in the country today. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Fundamental to the achievements of the Amanat's GIS 
Center is the fact it was a need identified by Iraqis. 
Additionally, USG assistance largely continues to target 
areas in which the Amanat itself recognizes shortcomings. 
The PRT realized early on that the Amanat was one of the more 
professional governmental organizations in Baghdad, staffed 
by talented Iraqis who lacked only technology and the 
training to effectively utilize it.  By exploiting a 
Qtraining to effectively utilize it.  By exploiting a 
pre-existing level of competency, motivation, and foresight 
through focused training and mentoring, the PRT and USAID 
have produced a case study on successful interagency capacity 
building in Iraq. 
HILL