US embassy cable - 04ROME4856

UNCLAS  ROME 004856 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE EB/IFD/ODF FOR DEMARCELLUS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, EFIN, IT, IZ, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: SUMMARY OF ITALIAN RECONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY 
 
REF: A. ROME 4796 
     B. ROME 355 
 
1. Luigi Maccotta, Deputy Director of the Iraq Task Force at 
the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided Econoff 
with the following summary, in English, of Italian 
humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Iraq.  This 
document updates a previous summary Maccotta passed to 
Econoff in January 2004 (ref B).  (Note: Post has made some 
minor edits to improve readability. 1 Euro=$1.33. End note.) 
 
2. Begin text: 
 
Iraq: Reconstruction and Assistance Projects Financed by Italy 
 
The Italian Government has been participating in the Iraqi 
reconstruction efforts through a number of projects and 
interventions since the end of the conflict.  All together, 
the funds allocated for reconstruction for the period 
2003-2004 roughly amount to 90 million euros, including the 
ten million channeled through the UNDG Trust Fund. 
 
Interventions Financed Through Special Laws For Iraq 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
Projects financed through a special Law for Iraq (Law 1 
August 2003, n. 219) which established a humanitarian and 
reconstruction mission. 
 
In this framework, the deployment of a military contingent of 
3,000 units in Dhi Qar Province and the ongoing assistance to 
the Iraqi administration offered by a team of about 40 
Italian experts working in the CPA, with around 10 now 
engaged in consulting activities for the Iraqi 
administration, deserve special mention. 
 
Other programs are hereby listed: 
 
-Support to Medical City Center Hospital (MCCH) in Baghdad, 
as phase II of the Italian Red Cross project.  This 
intervention started at the beginning of October with the two 
goals of 1) assisting the Iraqi population through highly 
qualified hospital services and 2) providing MCCH staff with 
equipment technical assistance, and training. (Euro 16 
million) 
 
-General Plan for Transport (Euro 1.3 million); 
 
-"New Eden" Program for the rehabilitation of marshlands 
between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.  This project is 
implemented and financed by the Italian Ministry for 
Environment. (Euro 2.5 million) 
 
-Program for training of managers in Cultural Heritage.  The 
executing agency for this project is "CRAST" (Centre for 
Archaeological Research, Turin).  (Euro 1.1 million) 
 
-Training and technical assistance for local institutions in 
southern Iraq, particularly in  Dhi Qar Province.  The 
executing agency for this project is Formez (Italian Agency 
for Public Administration Innovation).  (Euro one million) 
 
-Program for training Iraqi State TV personnel.  The 
executing agency is RAI (Italian State TV). (Euro 400,000) 
 
-Media development project in southern Iraqi provinces. 
(Euro 100,000) 
 
-Program for training of personnel in the power generation 
sector.  The executing agency is the Italian private company 
Lotti & Associates. (Euro 500,000) 
 
-Program for training of diplomats of the Iraqi Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs. (Euro 200,000) 
 
-Mine clearing assistance through the Capacity Development 
Program for Mine Action of the United Nations.  (Euro three 
million: total contribution for 2003 and 2004) 
 
-Support to the building of a government intranet network in 
Iraq as an essential prerequisite for giving operational 
capability to the Iraqi central government.  The executing 
agency is the Italian Ministry for Innovation and Technology 
through its agency "Innovazione Italia."  (Euro 2,456,000) 
 
-Training of Iraqi core trainers and polling staff for 
January elections.  This training is being conducted by a 
specialized institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. (Euro 
350,000) 
 
-Electoral-assistance contribution to the International 
Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI), cluster 11 
account.  (Euro two million) 
 
-Program for training journalists and media operators from 
the province of Basra and Nassiriya and a cultural exchange 
program for women from southern Iraq. (Euro 15,000) 
 
Intervention Financed Under Development Aid Budget 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
-Field Hospital of the Italian Red Cross (phase I) from April 
to September 2003.  This intervention has enabled the 
free-of-charge provision of essential hospital services to 
cope with post-conflict difficulties.  The hospital has 
assisted more than 13,000 patients, including 400 surgeries. 
(Euro 6.1 million) 
 
-Three humanitarian flights between 2003 and 2004 carrying 
food, medicine, and various equipment.  (Euro 447,000) 
 
-Transfer to Iraq of medical drugs donated by the Italian 
pharmaceutical group Menarini; 
 
-Supply of emergency goods for humanitarian interventions 
(medical drugs, water purifiers, jerricans, kitchen sets) for 
Dhi Qar Province. (Euro 3.7 million)  This intervention 
supplys equipment and material to restore basic services and 
improve production in the following sectors: 
 
i. Agriculture and irrigation 
--Rehabilitation of Al Akika regulator of Suk Al Shuyukh; 
--Provision of agriculture supplies for farmers (fertilizers, 
pesticides, agricultural tools and machinery, etc.); 
--Maintenance and supply of equipment for headquarters of Dhi 
Qar provincial irrigation and agriculture department. 
 
ii. Education and social 
--Supply of basic equipment, furniture and other relevant 
material, as well as other administrative support, for five 
primary schools, three orphanages, and the University of 
Nassiriya. 
 
iii. Health 
--Rehabilitation, supply of health equipment and drugs for 
Nassiriya's Pediatric Hospital and the Suk Ash Shuyukh 
Hospital. 
 
iv. Water and Sanitation 
--Supply of material and equipment for water purification and 
distribution in 30 villages. 
 
v. Technical and training assistance 
--A specific allocation for technical assistance and local 
training will be provided according to actual needs. 
 
vi. Establishment of a logistic base in Nassiriya. 
 
Voluntary Contributions for Iraq Via Int. Organizations 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
a) UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Euro 1.5 million) 
b) World Food Program (Euro six million) 
c) World Health Organization (Euro 0.6 million) 
d) International Committee of the Red Cross (Euro one million) 
e) Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Euro 
one million) 
f) UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Euro five million) 
g) UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization 
(UNESCO) (Euro 0.4 million) 
h) International Fund Facility for Iraq (UNDP channel) (Euro 
ten million) 
 
End text. 
 
 
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	2004ROME04856 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED