30 May 2003
USAID Hands Over Democracy Projects to Leaders of Iraq City
(Also launches U.S.-Iraq higher education initiative) (1030) The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has handed over to the transitional town council of the port city of Umm Qasr, Iraq, three democracy projects, including one that for the first time provides public access to the Internet, according to a May 30 USAID press release. USAID also has launched an initiative to link U.S. and Iraqi institutions of higher learning, the agency announced in a separate press release. The Internet access will be provided at a new community communications center supplied with computers with broadband Internet access and international cell phone capabilities and technical assistance. "I would like to express our appreciation . . . for the liberation of the Iraqi people from the tyrant," said Umm Qasr town council member Abdul Jabbar Al-Fayyad at a ceremony attended by representatives of the council, USAID, the agency's contractor Development Alternatives, Inc. and U.S. military civil affairs leaders. All three democracy projects reflect requests from the community, according to the agency's release. In addition to the new communications center, USAID grants will pay for construction of a new city administration building and youth sports facilities and equipment. The higher education program will provide "rapid impact grants" to help Iraqi colleges and universities replace old equipment and to rehabilitate their facilities. It will also fund the introduction of new subject material and administrative practices. Following are the texts of the two USAID press releases: (begin democracy projects release text) May 30, 2003 UMM QASR, IRAQ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Umm Qasr, Iraq to mark the formal hand-over to the town's Transitional Town Council of three democracy projects funded by the U.S. government. The total cost of the projects is $76,000. These projects mark the first time there has been public access to the Internet in Umm Qasr, and the first time in decades that there have been administrative offices for a locally-selected government. The ceremony included representatives of the Town Council, USAID, implementing partner Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), and U.S. military Civil Affairs leadership. The three USAID grants, selected based on a list of priorities developed by community residents, were for a new town council building ($41,000), for a new Community Communication Center ($30,000), and for youth sports facilities and equipment ($5,000). The Town Council grant has provided a new pre-fabricated administration building with air conditioning, electricity, and plumbing; computers and other office equipment including furniture; and training and technical assistance in community leadership for the currently appointed and the future elected Council members. The Community Communications Center project has supplied new computers with broadband internet access and international phone call capabilities, furniture, and training and technical assistance. The youth sports project includes a new cement basketball/volleyball court, restoration of a soccer field, and balls and nets for soccer, volleyball, and basketball. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Town Council office, Umm Qasr Town Council member Abdul Jabbar Al-Fayyad said, "I would like to express our appreciation, first of all, for the liberation of the Iraqi people from the tyrant. Second of all, for the serious reconstruction in Iraq. And we are grateful that you are now paying attention to our other problems. Now we have a place to meet, and now the people can come to us and say whatever they want -- and we thank you, we thank you very much." Each of the projects responds to a request received from the community. They are designed to support education and local government, and provide a safe place for young people to meet and play together. "By providing greater access to information and an environment for working together, USAID is supporting the transition to self-governance in Iraq," said Michael Marx, Team Leader for USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team, "These grants will help Umm Qasr's residents as they work, learn and rebuild their community." The DART is an inter-agency U.S. humanitarian response team deployed by USAID in cooperation with other U.S. agencies including the Department of State and Health and Human Services. (end democracy projects release text) (begin higher education release text) May 30, 2003 The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched an initiative to establish partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi colleges and universities to invigorate and modernize Iraq's institutions of higher education. This program will facilitate the dispersal of development resources and technical expertise to Iraq's universities and technical colleges, and engage Iraqi higher education administrators, faculty and students in the revitalization of Iraq's higher education system. Objectives The Higher Education Program will compliment USAID's primary and secondary education programs in Iraq by establishing activities that focus on the following: -- Provision of rapid impact grants to enable Iraqi colleges and universities to replace antiquated equipment and rehabilitate educational facilities and libraries. -- Promotion of national, regional and international partnerships and fostering of intellectual diversity and growth. -- Introduction of innovative subject material and new courses to develop the quality of higher education in Iraq and to prepare Iraqi youth for leadership and employment in a competitive market economy. -- Introduction of modern administrative practices that orient higher education institutions to the demands of the market. This twelve-month program, with the possibility of two one-year extensions, will be issued to up to six U.S. colleges, universities, or higher education consortia, each responsible for partnerships with specific Iraqi institutions. Recipients will facilitate higher education development by providing targeted technical assistance and training; grants management, monitoring and oversight. This program will assist all eligible institutions of higher education in Iraq. Possible Fields of Work Possible areas of work will include: -- Essential education, health and other social services (e.g., preventive health, medicine, water and sanitation, teacher training) -- Expansion of economic opportunities (e.g., management, marketing, economics, trade, agro-industry) -- Growth and maintenance of economically critical infrastructure (e.g., civil engineering, water, power, agriculture) -- Efficiency and accountability of government (e.g., public administration, law, administration of justice). (end higher education release text) (Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
