THE RECONSTRUCTION SUPPORT UNIT (RSU)
PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM (PRT)
DHI QAR
Established by the government of Italy, the Dhi Qar RSU (PRT) is a multinational team with members from Italy, Romania, the United States and Iraq. Managed by a team leader and a deputy, the RSU (PRT) team includes a variety of disciplines and talents, including:
- a Provincial Project Manager to oversee power projects throughout Dhi Qar
- a Romanian Army Lieutenant Colonel, who acts as Military Advisor
- a Lawyer, who is the Rule of Law Advisor
- an Administrative officer
- an Economic Development Advisor
- a Liaison with the Army Corps of Engineers
- and an American Foreign Service Officer who acts as Iraq Provincial Affairs Officer and Media Advisor
The team also includes approximately 20 Iraqi nationals who act as interpreters, translators, engineers and specialists, and is set to expand as more Iraqis are added to administer new projects.
The principal focus of the RSU (PRT) is develop extensive contacts throughout the province and work closely with these contacts to collect data, identify needs, and design new projects to meet those needs. The team members complete the necessary documentation, devise budgets, and meet with their Iraqi counterparts on a regular basis to implement and monitor the ongoing projects and ensure their completion.
AGRICULTURE
The RSU (PRT) 's two Agriculture Specialists have constructed an "agricultural data base and profile" on the province's Agricultural Sector, which is the backbone of the local economy. They have also trained local employees to assist on field and office work. In those instances in which the RSU (PRT) has not been able to take over the complete project cycle, it has connected local counterparts with the donor community. At present, the RSU (PRT) 's Agricultural Specialists are:
- establishing an "agricultural airport" for the province to institute crop dusting
- rehabilitating, upgrading and equipping a slaughterhouse in Nassiriya
- establishing a nursery for provincial reforestation and the training of extension agents
- constructing and equipping a carp hatchery
- constructing a modern chick hatchery with a projected output of 100,000 chicks, which will be used to re-establish poultry production in Dhi Qar
- constructing a hive building facility and equipping a technical institute in Nassiriya to centralize honey production
- supplying equipment to Iraqi factories to process and cultivate dates
- constructing a milk processing plant and cheese factory
THE RULE OF LAW
The aim of the RSU (PRT)'s "rule of law" project is to help the people of Dhi Qar bring about a state of affairs in which the state successfully monopolizes the means of violence, and in which most people, most of the time, choose to resolve disputes in a manner consistent with procedurally fair, neutral, and universally applicable rules, and in a manner that respects fundamental human rights norms (such as prohibitions on racial, ethnic, religious and gender discrimination, torture, slavery and prolonged arbitrary detentions). In the context of today's globally interconnected world, this requires modern and effective legal institutions and codes, and a widely shared cultural and political commitment to the values underlying these institutions and codes.
To meet its objectives in the area of Rule of Law, the RSU (PRT) is:
- providing six courthouses with improved security infrastructure
- working together with an Italian association to translate legal texts into Arabic for presentation to Iraqi judges
- providing legal training to judges, police and prison officers
- training members of public and civil institutions on national identity
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND MEDIA
The IPAO is entrusted with a two part portfolio. He provides information to the local population of Dhi Qar on coalition activities and what it stands for, and provides information to interested parties, (most especially the Italian and US governments), on what the RSU (PRT) does to realize its basic objectives. The IPAO has devised a list of projects to meet the basic goals and objectives of Public Diplomacy officers, and works closely with the Italian, US and Romania Embassies in Baghdad to meet these objectives. The IPAO is currently:
- providing the Nassiriya Cultural Center, the Nassiriya Cultural Corner, and the American Corner (located at Dhi Qar University) with a steady supply of books and audio and video equipment
- renovating the Iraqi national museum in Nassiriya and providing technical training to its employees
- helping the University of Nassiriya establish relations with Italian universities
- providing assistance to Iraqi students who would like to pursue higher studies in other countries
- helping Iraqi film-makers create a film on Dhi Qar's oral traditions
- providing training for Iraqi young professionals and college professors in Italy
- providing training to Dhi Qar provincial officials on how to interact with the media and set up public relations programs and assisting the provincial government to establish its own website
- providing training to Dhi Qar journalists to help them become more professional and objective
- sit in on all media interviews with the RSU (PRT) team leader with the local and international press
- compile a list of "key influencers" in Dhi Qar province and ensure that they participate in exchange programs with the US, Italy, and Romania
- identify and provide assistance to English teaching programs and educational institutions in the province, by providing textbooks, learning materials and training, and sponsoring seminars and conferences
- help local higher education institutions to establish curricula
- establish sports teams for Iraqi boys and girls and work with the provincial Youth Ministry to upgrade its capabilities
- establish a film club to study American films and show them to the public
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR
The Economic Development Advisor (EDA) provides technical guidance and analysis of the economic development problems faced by the private sector and leadership of Dhi Qar Province and the southern region of Iraq. He works closely with other RSU (PRT) members - the Departments of State, Defense and Justice, the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, and the US Army Corps of Engineers - to assure that U.S. and Iraqi reconstruction and development investments have maximum impact on provincial economic growth and employment generation.
As part of his development strategy, the Economic Development Advisor:
- serves as the RSU (PRT) Dhi Qar Province principal development economist and the key planner and implementer for USAID's economic development programs and initiatives at the provincial and city level.
- coordinates across the various economic development players within the interagency process, identifying a value-added role for the planning and implementation of programs on behalf of USAID at the RSU (PRT)-level.
- provides economic policy advice to the Dhi Qar Provincial and local city councils.
- carries out economic and financial analysis to assist the RSU (PRT) and provincial government agencies to prioritize and select reconstruction project investments.
- reviews economic development sector project proposals for donor agencies.
- advises the Commanders Emergency Response Program (CERP) in the best ways to allocate its funds. Technical areas that are most valuable are microeconomics, SME development; infrastructure development, and agriculture.
- coordinates with current regional economic and agricultural development programs to develop curricula and training programs to strengthen the capacity of Iraqi local government officials.
- supports private business sector training via the Chamber of Commerce and the Iraqi Business Union in the areas of economic analysis, business plan development, loan application requirements, tender and contracting procedures, project QAQC requirements, vocational training needs assessment and technical skills transfer, etc.
THE PROVINCIAL PROJECT MANAGER
The Provincial Project Manager is an engineer and specialist in developing power projects. He and the Senior Electrical Engineer are working with the Director General of Electricity of the government of Dhi Qar to implement projects to refurbish the provinces neglected and substandard power sector. The largest of these is to obtain and install the proper equipment to connect the recently constructed 10,000 m3 water treatment plant in Al-Shatra to city power so that it can be utilized to its full capacity and provide clean drinking water to the province.
- rebuilding the Nassiriya city park
- renovating the city sewage system
- establishing a gas bottling plan
THE HEALTH ADVISOR
A centrepiece of the PRT programs is the recently-opened training center at Camp Mittica. Located approximately one kilometer from the Tallil AB, the former Italian Army base, is now home to the Iraqi Army. The facility provides a venue for international trainers from various countries, including Italy and the US to train Iraqis.
The Health Advisor will oversee PRT training of Iraqi health professionals at the center to administer and upgrade the health infrastructure of Dhi Qar. Training will take place in a Mobile Surgical Unit (MSU) imported from the United States. The MSU is a tractor trailer containing state of the art clinical facilities, including a complete operating room. This crucial fist step will allow the PRT to shift from building clinics and training health professionals abroad to training local medical staff in Iraq using the expertise of international NGOs and medical trainers.
The Health Advisor will work closely with Medical Professionals from the coalition forces and medical NGOs from various countries on cooperative medical training programs that will integrate Iraqi medical specialists countries with their counterparts from other countries. These multinational teams will treat Iraqi patients from Dhi Qar providing invaluable on the job training.
THE GOVERNANCE ADVISOR
- One of the PRT's principal goals is to modernize and streamline the information system of the Dhi Qar Government.
- The Governance Advisor and his Dhi Qar Government counterparts are developing a modern intranet system that will significantly upgrade the capabilities of the Nassiriya Provincial Administration.
- As a part of this project, the PRT is providing Dhi Qar Government employees with extensive training in information technology.
- The PRT is also providing training in comprehensive maintenance of Information Technology and vehicles.
AEGIS - PROJECT COMPASS
Aegis Project Compass provides three functions for the RSU (PRT):
- Reconnaissance of the area of operations. This can include checking existing projects, confirming the status of future projects, and gathering information on the ground. This can lead to the identification of future RSU (PRT) tasks as well as act as a confidence check on the current state of play.
- Liaison. Aegis can either introduce RSU (PRT) members to Iraqi figures, or represent the PRT in the province. Team members regularly meet with a wide range of Iraqi key players from political parties, tribes, institutions etc.
- Security. The team provides a security escort to the other RSU (PRT) members when they go outside of Tallil into Dhi Qar.
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