USAID/EGYPT LAUNCHES EXPANDED DEMOCRACY AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CAIRO 003485

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM EAID EG AID
SUBJECT: USAID/EGYPT LAUNCHES EXPANDED DEMOCRACY AND
GOVERNANCE ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORTING CONTRACTING
INSTRUMENTS


1. SUMMARY: IN MARCH AND APRIL 2006, USAID/EGYPT
SIGNED THREE MAJOR INDEFINITE QUANTITY CONTRACTS (IQCs)
TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE IN EGYPT. THESE
IQCS WILL PROVIDE A TIMELY AND COST-EFFECTIVE MECHANISM
TO IMPLEMENT USAID'S DG STRATEGY IN THE AREAS OF MEDIA,
DECENTRALIZATION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE IQC
MECHANISM ALSO WILL ACCOMMODATE FUTURE PROGRAMMATIC
AREAS THAT USAID/EGYPT IS PLANNING IN THE AREAS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION. IMPORTANTLY, THESE
IQCS ALSO WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY FOR
OTHER USAID MISSIONS AND USG AGENCIES IN THE BROADER
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA REGION. END SUMMARY.


2. 2005 WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR USAID/EGYPT'S DEMOCRACY
AND GOVERNANCE PORTFOLIO. THE PORTFOLIO HAS GROWN FROM
ONE BILATERAL ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE PROGRAM IN THE
SPRING OF 2005 TO FIVE BILATERAL PROGRAMS IN SUCH
DIVERSE AREAS AS FAMILY JUSTICE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE,
DECENTRALIZATION AND MEDIA STRENGTHENING.
ADDITIONALLY, THE DG OFFICE IS FUNDING MORE THAN A
DOZEN GRANTS TO EGYPTIAN AND INTERNATIONAL CIVIL
SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 25-
YEAR HISTORY OF THE US-EGYPT BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP,
THESE GRANTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AS DIRECT GRANTS TO CIVIL
SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS. THE DG PORTFOLIO, CURRENTLY AT
$240 MILLION, IS GROWING. ANNUAL PROGRAMMING FOR FY
2006 IS EXPECTED TO BE $48 MILLION, MORE THAN DOUBLE
THE FY 2005 BUDGET OF $22 MILLION.


3. TO HELP EGYPT MOVE CLOSER TO FREE AND FAIR
PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN 2005,
USAID'S DG OFFICE PROVIDED FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL
SUPPORT TO THREE MAJOR COALITIONS OF OVER 15,000
EGYPTIAN DOMESTIC MONITORS, FIELDED TWO INTERNATIONAL
ASSESSMENT TEAMS ORGANIZED BY THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC
INSTITUTE AND THE INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE,
TRAINED JOURNALISTS ON CITIZEN-BASED ELECTION
REPORTING, ENABLED A NETWORK OF NGOS TO CARRYOUT A
VOTER EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AND ORGANIZED FOUR CIVIC
DIALOGUES ON ELECTIONS ISSUES. ALTHOUGH INTERNATIONAL
ELECTION MONITORS WERE NOT FORMALLY ACCREDITED, THE
USAID-SUPPORTED CIVIL SOCIETY COALITIONS WERE
INSTRUMENTAL IN SUCCESSFULLY PRESSURING THE GOE TO
ALLOW DOMESTIC MONITORS INSIDE THE VOTING BOOTHS.
THESE EFFORTS WERE REINFORCED BY GRANTS THAT RAISED
AWARENESS ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN THE ELECTION AND CIVIC
DUTIES, FOCUSING PARTICULARLY ON STUDENTS, YOUTH, THE
DISABLED, AND DISADVANTAGED AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS
SUCH AS COPTS AND BEDOUINS. USAID WILL CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THESE AND OTHER REFORM-ORIENTED GROUPS IN
PREPARATION FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS IN 2008.


4. IN THE MEANTIME, USAID HAS DEVELOPED INITIATIVES
DEVOTED TO ADDRESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS, TRANSPARENCY
AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF TARGETED EGYPTIAN GOVERNING
INSTITUTIONS. PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AND PROCURED
TO PROMOTE FAMILY JUSTICE; MORE EFFECTIVE AND
TRANSPARENT ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE;
DECENTRALIZATION AND PARTICIPATORY LOCAL GOVERNANCE;
AND PROFESSIONALIZATION OF JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA
REFORM. WHILE USAID/EGYPT PROCURED FAMILY JUSTICE USING
A USAID/WASHINGTON RULE OF LAW IQC, USAID/EGYPT IQC'S
WERE INITIATED FOR THE THREE OTHER ACTIVITIES. THESE
IQC'S REDUCED PROGRAM MANAGEMENT COSTS COMPARED TO THE
WASHINGTON-BASED IQC, ALLOWING GREATER FUNDING FOR
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. USAID MISSIONS AND OTHER USG
ENTITIES OPERATING IN THE MIDDLE EAST OR EVEN ASIA MAY
USE THESE IQCS TO REDUCE THEIR COSTS FOR DEMOCRACY
PROGRAMMING.


5. USAID'S NEW BILATERAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE:

FAMILY JUSTICE: USAID/EGYPT WILL WORK WITH THE
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A
NEW FAMILY COURT LAW. FIRST, THE PROGRAM WILL
STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF THE FAMILY JUSTICE SYSTEM TO
MEDIATE FAMILY DISPUTES BY DEVELOPING, ASSESSING AND
IMPLEMENTING TRAINING IN PILOT COURTS IN THREE
GOVERNORATES. SECOND, IT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO
INFORMATION ON FAMILY LEGAL SERVICES BY ESTABLISHING
INFORMATION OFFICES WITHIN THE FAMILY COURTS, BUILDING
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE MINISTRY AND THE
MEDIA TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE NEW LAW,
AND ENGAGING NGOS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS ON LEGAL
RIGHTS AND AVAILABLE LEGAL SERVICES FOR FAMILIES.
FINALLY, THE PROGRAM WILL ESTABLISH A MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEM TO MONITOR BOTH IMPLEMENTATION OF
MEDIATION SERVICES AND MEDIATION RESULTS, ENHANCE THE
CAPACITY OF THE MINISTRY TO COLLECT DATA AND IDENTIFY
LESSONS LEARNED DURING IMPLEMENTATION.


6. ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: IN TANDEM WITH
ITS ON-GOING SUPPORT OF THE JUSTICE SECTOR, EFFORTS IN
THIS AREA WILL PROVIDE MORE EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF
COUNSEL TO CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS AND IMPROVE THE
ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE APPROACH WILL
INVOLVE WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR
GENERAL (PGO) IN CAIRO TO: DEVELOP A PUBLIC DEFENSE
SYSTEM, ACHIEVE CONSENSUS AMONG KEY MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
OFFICIALS, PREPARE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND INITIATE
IMPLEMENTATION; DEVELOP CURRICULA THAT ENGAGES
PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES IN APPLYING HUMAN RIGHTS
CONCEPTS TO DUE PROCESS PRACTICES IN EGYPT; AND
AUTOMATE SELECTED AREAS OF THE PGO TO IMPROVE THE
MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY OF THE PGO AND
INCREASE ACCESS TO THE CASE FILE BY DEFENSE COUNSEL.


7. DEMOCRATIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALIZATION:
USAID WILL IMPROVE THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO
RESPOND TO CITIZEN PRIORITIES BY INCREASING REVENUE,
ESTABLISHING PARTICIPATORY MECHANISMS TO MANAGE
RESOURCES, AND STRENGTHENING MANAGEMENT. SUPPORT
FOCUSES IN SIX GOVERNORATES (SOON TO BE SELECTED) WHERE
USAID HAS INVESTED IN EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND THE
ENVIRONMENT. POLICY DIALOGUE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL WITH
THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT IS
HELPING TO SHAPE THE LONG-TERM DECENTRALIZATION REFORM
AGENDA TO DECENTRALIZE KEY FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT
AUTHORITIES TO THE LOCAL LEVEL.


8. PROFESSIONAL MEDIA DEVELOPMENT: USAID WILL HELP
THE EGYPTIAN MEDIA SECTOR BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL,
ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, AND INDEPENDENT THROUGH BUILDING
THE CAPACITY OF EGYPTIAN INSTITUTIONS THAT TRAIN
JOURNALISTS, IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT OF MEDIA, AND
DEVELOPING LOCAL MEDIA. USAID WILL ALSO HELP THE GOE
IMPLEMENT A MEDIA REFORM AGENDA. WHILE THE PROJECT IS
JUST STARTING, USAID ANTICIPATES PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS
WITH KEY CAIRO-BASED INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS: EL AHRAM
REGIONAL PRESS INSTITUTE; AL AKHBAR TRAINING CENTER;
EGYPTIAN RADIO AND TELEVISION UNION TRAINING CENTER;
THE FACULTY OF MASS COMMUNICATION AT CAIRO UNIVERSITY;
AND THE STATE INFORMATION SERVICE.


9. THREE PROGRAMS (DEMOCRATIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
DECENTRALIZATION, PROFESSIONAL MEDIA DEVELOPMENT, AND
ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE) WERE PROCURED AS
FIRST TASK ORDERS UNDER LARGER AND BROADER INDEFINITE
QUANTITY CONTRACTS. WINNERS OF THE TASK ORDERS WERE
RESPECTIVELY PADCO, MSI AND CHEMONICS. ENTITLED THE
REGIONAL DEMOCRACY INITIATIVE IQC'S, ONE FOCUSES ON
CIVIL SOCIETY, ONE FOCUSES ON GOVERNANCE AND ONE
FOCUSES ON RULE OF LAW.


10. THE CIVIL SOCIETY IQC, WHICH COVERS CIVIL SOCIETY,
MEDIA AND CIVIC-BASED ANTI-CORRUPTION WORK, WAS AWARDED
TO MSI, AED AND CHEMONICS. THE GOVERNANCE IQC, WHICH
COVERS LOCAL GOVERNANCE, LEGISLATIVE STRENGTHENING AND
PUBLIC SECTOR ANTI-CORRUPTION WORK, WAS AWARDED TO
PADCO, CHEMONICS, ARD AND RTI. THE JUSTICE IQC, WHICH
COVERS JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND JUSTICE-BASED ANTI-
CORRUPTION WORK, WAS AWARDED TO CHEMONICS, DPK, AND THE
NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS.


11. THESE IQCS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO OTHER MISSIONS OR USG
AGENCIES IN THE BROADER MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
REGION INTERESTED IN SIMILAR DG PROGRAMS. NEGOTIATED
FOR ISSUING EITHER COST PLUS FIXED FEE OR FIXED PRICE
TASK ORDERS AND STRESSING MID-EAST SPECIFIC EXPERTISE,
THESE MECHANISMS CAN HANDLE UP TO $500 MILLION IN
DEMOCRACY ACTIVITIES ON A QUICK TURN-AROUND BASIS. FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT JAYNE CARBONE USAID/EGYPT
CONTRACTING OFFICER, JCARBONE@USAID.GOV.
JONES