IDLO PROPOSAL TO USAID FOR U.S. DOLLARS 2.25

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000896 SIPDIS AIDAC FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME USAID KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR FINN AND USAID DIRECTOR BUCK USAID FOR GC GARDNER, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA ROGERS AND DCHA/DG ALEXANDER STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, L/NESA AND UNA, SA/PAB, IO/EDA FOR WINNICK UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00896 01 OF 02 041641Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EAID PREF EU EAGR EAID PREF EU EAGR IDLO UNAORC IDLO UN SUBJECT: IDLO PROPOSAL TO USAID FOR U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 MILLION IN PROGRAM SUPPORT, 2003-2005 REF: (A) 02 ROME 01544, (B) 02 ROME 01616 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. THE ROME-BASED INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION (IDLO) HAS SENT TO THE U.S. MISSION A PROPOSAL FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR THE PERIOD 2003-2005 REQUESTING USAID FUNDING OF U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 MILLION (U.S. 750,000/ANNUM). IDLO IS FUNDED BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS; USAID HAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED IDLO WITH U.S. 985,076 DOLLARS (2000) AND U.S. 1,335,257 DOLLARS (2001). IDLO ASSERTS THAT USAID MULTI-YEAR ASSISTANCE WOULD GREATLY STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL OF SECURING A MORE PREDICTABLE FUNDING BASE. IDLO'S TECHNICAL COOPERATION, PRESENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES, EQUIPS LEGAL PROFESSIONALS AND LOCAL INSTITUTIONS TO PURSUE RULE OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE WORK AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. IT HAS PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN ISLAMIC LAW. MOREOVER, IDLO IS ABOUT TO BROADEN ITS OUTREACH BY SIGNING AN AGREEMENT WITH UNDP WHEREBY IT WILL BECOME A UNDP EXECUTING AGENCY. THE U.S. MISSION ASKS THAT SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ENHANCING USAID SUPPORT TO IDLO. -------------- BACKGROUND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00896 01 OF 02 041641Z -------------- ¶2. IDLO IS A PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION (PIO) BASED IN ROME. IT DIFFERS FROM CONTRACTORS AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) IN THAT INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT AND AFFILIATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ESTABLISH ITS LEGAL STATUS. IDLO IS EXEMPT FROM MANY PROVISIONS OF THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION AND THE COMPETITION IN CONTRACTING ACT. WITH REGARD TO USAID, ITS SERVICES ARE ACCESSIBLE UNDER ADS 308. ¶3. IDLO INFORMS THAT IS ABOUT TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH UNDP UNDER WHICH THE PARTIES WILL BECOME EXECUTING AGENCIES FOR EACH OTHER'S PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. SPECIFICALLY, IDLO'S RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE: - SUPPORT UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVES IN CONNECTION WITH LEGAL, JUDICIAL, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES; - PROVIDE SUBSTANTIVE RESOURCES IN THE FORM OF DOCUMENTATION, RESEARCH, AND EXPERTS FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAMS RELATED TO LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE REFORMS; - PROVIDE LOGISTICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR FIELD PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE RULE OF LAW; - CONDUCT TRAINING ON RULE OF LAW AND GOOD GOVERNANCE TOPICS; AND - PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO REBUILD LOCAL LEGAL CAPACITY IN POST-CONFLICT SITUATIONS. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 00896 01 OF 02 041641Z NOTE: IN PARTICULAR, THIS WILL INVOLVE ASSISTING LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND/OR THE UNITED NATIONS TRANSITION ADMINISTRATION IN THE COUNTRY TO REBUILD LOCAL EXPERTISE TO ENFORCE THE RULE OF LAW AFTER ARMED CONFLICTS. THIS COULD INCLUDE TRAINING OR RETRAINING OF THE JUDICIARY AND ASSISTANCE IN IMPROVING THE COUNTRY'S LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, AND COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF RELEVANT LEGAL TEXTS AND OTHER LEGAL ASSESSMENT WORK TO FACILITATE AND ACCELERATE LEGAL REFORM EFFORTS SUPPORTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. END NOTE. ¶4. REFERENCE B ADDRESSED IDLO'S LEGAL REFORM INITIATIVE FOR AFGHANISTAN. IDLO HAS REPORTEDLY AMASSED AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF LEGAL TEXTS. IN ADDITION, IT IS WORKING WITH THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP A UNIFIED FRAMEWORK LEGAL REFORM INVOLVING REVIEW OF KEY LEGISLATION FOR CONFORMANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION. IDLO HAS RECENTLY OPENED AN OFFICE IN KABUL WITH A STAFF OF ¶3. IT HAS GOOD ACCESS TO ISLAMIC SCHOLARS AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS THROUGH SOME OF ITS MEMBER STATES AND GRANT SUPPORTERS SUCH AS THE KUWAIT FUND FOR ARAB AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ARAB FUND FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, OPEC FUND, AND THE ARAB BANK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (BADEA). US MISSION HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THESE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9654 PAGE 01 ROME 00896 02 OF 02 041641Z ACTION AID-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 OIGO-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 NEA-00 NSAE-00 OES-00 OIC-02 IRM-00 TEST-00 SA-00 R-00 ECA-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /002W -------------- 3EE7BA 041843Z /38 P 041545Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8563 INFO USMISSION US IN NEW YORK NY EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY KABUL UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000896 SIPDIS AIDAC FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME USAID KABUL FOR AMBASSADOR FINN AND USAID DIRECTOR BUCK USAID FOR GC GARDNER, AA/DCHA WINTER, DAA/DCHA ROGERS AND DCHA/DG ALEXANDER STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, L/NESA AND UNA, SA/PAB, IO/EDA FOR WINNICK E.O. 12958: N/A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00896 02 OF 02 041641Z TAGS: AORC EAID PREF EU EAGR EAID PREF EU EAGR IDLO UNAORC IDLO UN SUBJECT: IDLO PROPOSAL TO USAID FOR U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 MILLION IN PROGRAM SUPPORT, 2003-2005 LINKS ARE PROVING VALUABLE IN AFGHANISTAN WHERE IDLO IS AMONG OTHER THINGS ASSISTING A NUMBER OF USAID-FINANCED PROVIDERS. ¶5. U.S. MISSION REPRESENTATIVE PHILIP LAMADE MET WITH IDLO DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WILLIAM LORIS, A FORMER USAID LAWYER, ON FEBRUARY 18, 2003. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1983, IDLO HAS CONDUCTED LEGAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN DEVELOPING AND TRANSITION ECONOMY COUNTRIES. CURRENT U.S- FUNDED WORK INCLUDES PROJECTS IN KOSOVO (JUDICIAL TRAINING); OMAN (JUDICIAL REFORM); EAST TIMOR (JUDICIAL TRAINING); MONGOLIA (JUDICIAL BENCH BOOKS); AND SWAZILAND (COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON THE NEW CONSTITUTION). IDLO'S LEGAL STAFF IS DIVERSE AND HAS THE CAPABILITY TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS IN THE MAJOR UN LANGUAGES AS WELL AS RUSSIAN AND AMHARIC. NOTE: ITS TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE GIVEN AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN ROME, REGIONAL OFFICES, E.G., SYDNEY AND SOON CAIRO, AND COUNTRY SPECIFIC LOCATIONS AS WELL. END NOTE. ¶6. ITS FOUR PROGRAM "CONES" INCLUDE BUSINESS, COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL LAW, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW (INCLUDING CONVENTION ESTABLISHED LEGAL ARRANGEMENTS SUCH AS WTO),GOVERNANCE AND JUDICIAL REFORM. FIVE OUT OF FIFTY-TWO IDLO PERMANENT STAFF SPEND 100 PERCENT OF THEIR TIME SUPPORTING THE INSTITUTIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NETWORK. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00896 02 OF 02 041641Z -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. IDLO HAS SENT TO THE U.S. MISSION A PROPOSAL FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR THE PERIOD 2003-2005 REQUESTING USAID FUNDING OF U.S. DOLLARS 2.25 MILLION (U.S. 750,000/ANNUM). IDLO ASSERTS THAT USAID MULTI-YEAR ASSISTANCE WOULD GREATLY STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL OF SECURING A MORE PREDICTABLE FUNDING BASE. US MISSION IS CONVINCED THAT IDLO HAS PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN ISLAMIC LAW, SOLID SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY, AND WILL EFFECTIVELY EXPAND ITS OUTREACH THROUGH PARTNERING WITH UNDP. THE U.S. MISSION ASKS THAT SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ENHANCING USAID SUPPORT TO IDLO. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2003ROME00896 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED