US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2511

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002511 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, PHUM, IZ 
SUBJECT: STATE MINISTRY REGAINS CONTROL OF NGO REGISTRY, 
SEEKS FUNDING FOR NATIONAL NGO CONFERENCE 
 
 
Classified By: A/Polcouns Henry S. Ensher. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C/NF) Summary.  State Minister Khadim has finally 
gotten full control of the NGO Registry Office 
previously managed by the Council of Ministries, and 
is planning to convene the Second National NGO 
conference.  However, budget constraints and recent 
talk of eliminating all state ministries has impeded 
conference preparations and the state ministry 2005 
work plan.  End summary. 
 
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NGO REGISTRY OFFICE FINDS PERMANENT HOME 
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2. (C/NF) State Minister for Civil Society Affairs 
(CSA), Ala'a Habib Khadim, told PolOff on June 12 that 
the NGO Registry Office (NGO RO) has finally completed 
its 6-month odyssey originating from the Ministry of 
Planning with a temporary stop at the Council of 
Ministries before finally settling at CSA.  Khadim 
explained that his Ministry is now undeniably in 
charge of registering NGO's.  The office can catch up 
on the backlog of 2,000 NGO registration applications. 
 
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PREPARATIONS FOR THE SECOND NGO CONFERENCE 
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3. (C) Khadim outlined a plan for hosting the Second 
National NGO Conference scheduled for the end of June, 
a follow-up to the conference held last fall by the 
former State Minister Dr. Mamou Othman.  Khadim 
intends to invite 800 representatives of the NGO 
community throughout Iraq, stipulating that at least 
20 NGOs from each governorate will be invited. He 
concedes that most attendees will be coming from the 
Baghdad area.  Conference objectives include promoting 
networking among NGOs, encouraging NGO opportunities 
in oft-ignored provinces, warning against NGOs that 
exist solely for the sake of member employment, 
stressing volunteerism among NGO members, and 
channeling civil society input into the constitution 
development process.  Whereas last year's conference 
cost approximately USD 116,000, this year's budget has 
been trimmed to USD 80,000.  Unfortunately, Khadim 
lamented, the conference remains unfunded despite his 
requests to the Council of Ministries and the Prime 
Minister's office. 
 
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STATE MINISTRY BATTLES FOR SURVIVAL 
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4. (C) Khadim stated that while he pushes forward with 
his 2005 work plan, his ministry has recently come 
under threat by Secretary General of the Council of 
Ministries who suggested that all state ministries 
should be eliminated, in particular Women's Affairs 
and Civil Society Affairs.  According to Khadim, the 
Secretary General regards state ministers as nothing 
 
SIPDIS 
more than government consultants. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5. (C/NF) Khadim continues to both define his ministry 
while fighting for its survival.  With his wife, 
Khadija al-Jabiry (a Baghdad Provincial Council 
member, women's activist, and head of a Baghdad NGO) 
serving as his key advisor, his ministry appears to be 
shifting from an "NGO control" focus to an advocate 
for the NGO community.  However, this may not be 
sufficient to overcome both the Council of Ministry's 
desire to eliminate state ministries and the NGO 
community's wish to be free of government control and 
oversight. 
 
6. (U) REO HILLA, REO BASRA, REO MOSUL, and REO 
KIRKUK, minimize considered. 
Jeffrey