PRT SALAH AD DIN: I-CERP BUILDING MORE THAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002077 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINS ECON EAID KCRS IZ SUBJECT: PRT SALAH AD DIN: I-CERP BUILDING MORE THAN PROJECTS Classified By: PRT Team Leader Richard Bell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Salah ad Din reporting cable coordinated with the partner Brigade 1/101 BCT. Summary -------------- ¶2. (C) The Iraqi - Commanders Emergency Response Program (I-CERP) has been a great success in Salah ad Din province, helping to quickly address critical project implementation needs. While the benefits that the projects bring to communities are important, an upside is how the bottom-up process used by the PRT/BCT to obtain Iraqi project approval has enhanced communication between local, provincial, and GOI ministry officials. End Summary. ¶3. (C) I-CERP funds are a pool of Iraqi money that Brigade Commanders can use to address critical needs in communities that were not likely to be met by the provincial governments due to the long lead-time required by the normal capital-project approval and execution cycle. Initially, the bulk of the money is to be used to show local communities quick progress delivering basic services. In Salah ad Din, which received almost USD 12 million, the I-CERP program is addressing a diverse range of project needs, from repair of a major water-treatment plant in Baiji to an asphalt plant in Samarra and numerous potable-water improvements throughout the province. ¶4. (C) The Brigade Commander agreed that all infrastructure projects would need approval from both the Provincial Reconstruction and Development Committee (PRDC) and local-level (i.e. District) authorities. To allay fears that this requirement would slow project implementation, the PRDC committed to turning projects around in one week. Except on large projects that it feels require modification, the PRDC has been true to its word. Process Builds Communication -------------- ¶5. (C) The process agreed upon among the PRDC, PRT and BCT is straightforward, transparent, and reflects the priorities of local officials. District-level CF units and satellite PRT offices, in close consultation with local officials, choose projects to be executed with I-CERP funds. Seeing this as an opportunity to improve local ability to manage the project-nomination process for provincial capital projects, satellite PRT offices and BCT leaders have stressed that local officials must prioritize their requests. After developing a prioritized project list, the local council and the local ministry director general sign off on the I-CERP project, which then moves to the BCT for approval. The BCT does not consider any projects without the appropriate signatures of local councils and local ministry directors. The prioritization of needs has been a useful exercise for local officials; many are now using this process and lists to develop their requests for capital-project funding from the provincial government. ¶6. (C) Once the Brigade approves the funding (NOTE: This step is more of a legal review then a judgment on the project itself. End Note.),the projects are presented to the PRDC for approval. PRT and BCT officials present new I-CERP projects for PRDC consideration on a weekly basis. In some cases, approval comes quickly; however, the PRDC has requested modifications on a number of proposals. On the Baiji water-treatment plant, for example, the PRDC met with engineers and the Mayor to hash out project details and reached an agreement, even though this resulted in a greatly changed scope of work. Additionally, local officials had a large say in making those changes, something not frequently seen in the past. Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) While the I-CERP program does not require approval of projects by local officials, doing so helped to convince the PRDC to cooperate to expedite the process and address frequently-voiced local concerns that the provincial government does not listen to their needs. The enhanced communication between local and provincial officials facilitated by this process may be as important a result as the projects themselves. Our insistence on prioritized lists has paid dividends as local officials are using lists developed for I-CERP projects to guide their development of provincial capital-project requests. End Comment. CROCKER