NEW CHAIRMAN OF BAGHADAD PROVINCIAL COUNCIL SETS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 005085

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PINR IZ
SUBJECT: NEW CHAIRMAN OF BAGHADAD PROVINCIAL COUNCIL SETS
AGENDA

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT S. FORD FOR
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: At a December 19 meeting, Mu'een Hammed,
the new Baghdad Provincial Council (BPC) Chairman, outlined
his agenda for the coming months. Mu'een is a SCIRI Party
member from Sadr City in Baghdad. He hopes to unify the
BPC, strengthen the Provincial Reconstruction and
Development Council (PRDC),activate committees and engage
greater participation from the districts in Baghdad. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) Prior to becoming the new chairman Mu'een was the
Deputy Chairman of the BPC. The former chairman, Mazin
Makia, kept him informed of all council activities and
ongoing projects of the PRDC. Mu'een appears to have
learned from the experience and is prepared to initiate an
aggressive campaign to improve local provincial government.

Hussein Mohammad Al-Tahan, Governor of Baghdad and also a
member of SCIRI and the Badr Corps, supports the new
council chairman. Mu'een said his first task is to unify
the BPC and focus the members on the task of improving
services for the people of Baghdad.


3. (C) Following BPC "Team Building" Mu'een intends to open
the government to the sub-governorate councils in the
province. He says he wants to increase their participation
in holding elections, identifying the needs of the people,
and improving essential services. Mu'een plans on
improving coordination of the PRDC with the Provincial
Support Team (PST) and then the Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT). He has challenged the council to review their
project priorities and verify the essential service needs
of their communities. He also wants to emphasize the
building of public parks, modernization of local schools,
and investment from the Private Sector. Mu'een has also
asked Mazin to stay on in the Executive Level of the BPC
and to run for the deputy chairman position. Elections for
the deputy will be held on Wednesday, December 21, at the
BPC Council Building.


4. (C) Comment: It will be interesting to see if Mu'een
maintains his technocratic posture after he takes office.
SCIRI may exert its dogma and platform with greater
determination following its apparent strong showing in
Baghdad.
KHALILZAD