BAGHDAD CITY PLANNING: A CAPACITY BUILDING SUCCESS

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001189 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV EAID PINR KCRS IZ SUBJECT: BAGHDAD CITY PLANNING: A CAPACITY BUILDING SUCCESS STORY (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified; handle accordingly. Not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: What began five years ago as a request for USG assistance with electronically mapping four Baghdad neighborhoods has grown into a sustainable Geographic Information System (GIS) Center within the Mayor's office, also known as the Amanat. The Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and USAID helped the Mayor's office lay the foundation for an urban planning center. Other elements of the GOI now wish to emulate the Amanat's success with GIS technology in their own project planning. An opportunity exists to leverage past success and help Iraq create a GIS hub to support national government ministries. End summary Background -------------- ¶2. (SBU) During a 2004 meeting, Baghdad's then-Mayor raised the urgent need for a GIS program to expedite the city's rehabilitation and development. At the time, Baghdad City Hall, or Amanat, relied solely on paper documents, and had no ability to produce electronic maps that would allow it to dynamically overlay electric, sewer, water, or transportation networks. Working with the Amanat, a USAID implementer provided GIS equipment, software, and training for eight staff members as part of USAID's Local Governance Program (LGP). The Embassy's Iraq Transition Assistance Office (ITAO) also provided hardware and software. The original plan called for mapping only four of Baghdad's, municipalities, or Beladiyas. However, the Mayor was so impressed with the project's progress he authorized government funds to expand the scope to include all of the city's 14 Beladiyas. Current State of Play -------------- ¶3. (SBU) At the Mayor's request, the PRT and LGP continued to mentor the Amanat's GIS Center, which now employees 75 staff members who support Baghdad's Master Plan Development program for essential services and who will lead the country's 2009 census. LGP advisors remain involved in the program, but the PRT believes the Amanat's GIS Center has reached a level of sustainability and growth that would continue even without their presence. For example, unassisted by mentors, Amanat staff are perfecting essential service overlays in an effort to develop a modern land use plan for Baghdad that will be used to identify locations for new housing, parks, and agricultural developments. Mapping the Future -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The success of the Amanat's GIS Center led to inquiries from various ministries (e.g., Energy, Oil, Environment, and Defense) about the possibility of creating a GIS program to support the needs of the GOI writ large. The PRT is now in discussions with Baghdad University, which has expressed an interest in creating such a national GIS hub in conjunction with a degree program. This not only would immediately benefit various ministries, whose staff could attend training programs, it would also allow Iraqi students to pursue a degree in modern urban planning, a skill sorely lacking in the country today. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Fundamental to the achievements of the Amanat's GIS Center is the fact it was a need identified by Iraqis. Additionally, USG assistance largely continues to target areas in which the Amanat itself recognizes shortcomings. The PRT realized early on that the Amanat was one of the more professional governmental organizations in Baghdad, staffed by talented Iraqis who lacked only technology and the training to effectively utilize it. By exploiting a Qtraining to effectively utilize it. By exploiting a pre-existing level of competency, motivation, and foresight through focused training and mentoring, the PRT and USAID have produced a case study on successful interagency capacity building in Iraq. HILL