PROGRESS ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR SOUTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 000307 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2020 TAGS: EAID MOPS PGOV PK PREL SUBJECT: PROGRESS ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR SOUTH WAZIRISTAN REF: A. 09 ISLAMABAD 2963 ¶B. 09 ISLAMABAD 2837 ¶C. 09 PESHAWAR 218 ¶D. 09 PESHAWAR 213 Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In a January 28 meeting with U.S. Economic and Development Assistance Coordinator Raphel, Army Director General of Staff Duties Lt. General Zubair and Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) Secretariat Director General of Projects Fakre Alam reported on the progress toward implementation of the U.S.-funded $55 million infrastructure rehabilitation program for South Waziristan Agency. General Zubair noted, as a sign of GOP commitment, that the Frontier Works Organization had already deployed to the area and was ready to begin work in a matter of days, even without advance U.S. funding. Fakre Alam reported that the FATA Secretariat now has the authority to approve projects costing up to 1 billion Pakistani rupees (USD $11,818,000 at 84 rupees/USD), without going through the National Planning Commission Board. Once the project planning documents are completed, USAID will advance 15 percent of the cost on a project by project basis. General Zubair reiterated his guarantee of access for USG contractors who will monitor and evaluate the projects. Border Coordinator Elizabeth Richard, USAID Director Bob Wilson, and Khashayar Ghashghai also attended the meeting. End Summary. Pakistanis Moving Forward -------------- ¶2. (C) General Zubair told Ambassador Raphel, that survey work was already underway in preparation of reconstruction efforts ahead of the receipt of USG funding. He reported that issues slowing the approval process were settled during a meeting with the Prime Minister. He explained that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Secretariat selected the Frontier Works Organization (FWO),a para-statal organization, to implement projects in the South Waziristan Agency (SWA). To help organize FWO efforts, a "Field Fusion" headquarters has been set up in DI Khan. The office is staffed by three five-person consultant groups from Lahore whose mission is to disseminate and coordinate information. A FWO unit of some 612 soldiers/specialists stationed in Quetta has moved to DI Khan to assist in building efforts. FATA Secretariat's New Role -------------- ¶4. (C) FATA Secretariat Director General of Projects Fakre Alam lauded Pakistani military support for simplifying the PC1 approval process (the bureaucratic process through which projects in Pakistan are approved),noting that multiple steps in the process have been eliminated. He explained that the FATA Secretariat now has the ability to approve projects costing up to 1 billion Pakistani rupees (USD $11,818,000 at 84 rupees/USD) without referring to the National Planning Commission and other federal offices. With the new cap for project approval, reconstruction projects in the SWA are being divided up into segments costing less than 1 billion rupees to avoid lengthy delays in the Federal Government project approval process. ¶5. (C) A project management unit (PMU) is being established within the FATA Secretariat to monitor this and other reconstruction projects. The funding for the PMU is coming directly from a line item in the FATA Secretariat's budget. Alam reported that a project manager from the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) Government Planning and Development Ministry will be in place the first week of February with further staffing to be hired by the end of February. Reconstruction Status -------------- ISLAMABAD 00000307 002 OF 003 ¶6. (C) The FWO has designs for the road, is completing surveys, and will begin construction in the near future. The first PC1, covering work between Sararogha and Jandola, is expected to be completed by middle February. ¶7. (C) General Zubair's staff said that teams are currently carrying out feasibility and political surveys for potential dam sites. They stated that the surveys should be completed the first week of February. Steps to assess electricity needs are also under way. Two PC1s, one for the up-gradation of the current electrical grid and one for the creation of a new electrical grid, are in process. Funding -------------- ¶8. (C) USAID Mission Director reiterated the USG commitment to fund programs in South Waziristan, but explained that before funds can be released, accounting and monitoring systems needed to be put in place. Fakre Alam explained a new multi-step system for setting up bank accounts for FATA projects to receive USG funding. First, the FATA Secretariat would request a new account from the Federal Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance would then pass on the request to the Federal Controller of Accounts who would then verify the request. Once verified, the Federal Controller of Accounts would tell the State Bank of Pakistan to open a new account. Each PC1 would go through this process and have its own separate account. ¶9. (C) Ambassador Raphel verified that the advance amount of funding would be 15% of each project's cost, and not 15% of the total promised USG assistance. As previously agreed, funds would be provided on a fixed reimbursement basis for work that was agreed to in plans and confirmed by the USG. General Zubair and his staff stated that they understood and agreed. Monitoring -------------- ¶10. (C) Ambassador Raphel also reemphasized the need for direct USG monitoring and verification of work within South Waziristan. She noted that USAID has hired a Pakistani firm, Associates in Development (AID),to monitor projects in South Waziristan. Fakre Alam reported that AID has already met with the FWO. Both have agreed to a verification methodology, and the FWO has retained the services of a retired Pakistani Colonel to act as a liaison between the two. He also noted that the signed fixed amount reimbursement agreement states that work must be completed and then verified. General Zubair said that ensuring USG access for monitoring was one of their priorities. Possible Causes for Delay -------------- ¶11. (C) When asked what could go wrong, General Zubair noted three possible causes for delay: 1. a deterioration in security; 2. technical problems; 3. a lack of cash flow. Fakre Alam was concerned about the number of bureaucratic hurdles that still needed to be overcome. He was particularly concerned about the speed at which the federal government assigned accounts and transferred money, stating that this was an area that needed to be watched closely. General Zubair, in response, asked to be informed if something was wrong, implying he would address any issues holding work up. Comment -------------- ¶12. (C) All parties agreed that progress on initiating the SWA reconstruction projects has moved unusually quickly. The FATA Secretariat's ability to approve PC1s with price tags less than 1 billion Pakistani rupees is a welcome development that could serve as a useful precedent in other areas. While there are sure to be some delays in the coming weeks, the current pace of GOP action and the close cooperation between the civilians and the military are encouraging. We will ISLAMABAD 00000307 003 OF 003 continue to review progress with all parties in an effort to maintain this impressive momentum. End Comment. PATTERSON