STATE MINISTRY REGAINS CONTROL OF NGO REGISTRY,

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