Quarterly Progress Report 12: April–June 2009

Government's National Capacity Development (NCD) Program. The overall goal of the program is to build the capacity of key Iraqi ministries to deliver core services. USAID/Tatweer resources are focused on developing national capacity in public management, with a conviction that improving ministries' performance in core administrative functions contributes significantly to the ultimate goal of helping the Iraqi government improve public service delivery for the benefit of its citizens. Engagement with key ministries and executive offices is a crucial aspect of the USAID/Tatweer program. The program works directly with ten central ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Planning, as well as the executive offices of the President and two Vice Presidents, the Prime Minister, the two Deputy Prime Ministers, and the Council of Ministers Secretariat. USAID/Tatweer ministry engagement teams provide assistance to improve management systems, coordinate and follow up with USAID/Tatweer training to maximize its impact on administrative skills, and build the ministries' capacity to assess their own systems and identify practical improvements in the delivery of services to their "customers" among the Iraqi population. The training and scholarship program is a key component of the USAID/Tatweer program. The program provides an ambitious training program to raise the administrative capacity of Iraqi government officials. Training is provided in areas such as fiscal planning, personnel management, project management, leadership and communication, and the use of information technology. The program also offers scholarships to Iraqi government officials to pursue higher education in the United States or other countries. The USAID/Tatweer program has made significant progress in its first year. Key achievements include the establishment of a Capacity Development Unit within the Ministry of Planning, the development of a Human Resource Management System for the Ministry of Health, and the provision of training to over 1,000 Iraqi government officials. The program has also made significant progress in building the capacity of the executive offices, including the Prime Minister's Office and the Council of Ministers Secretariat. The program has also made significant progress in implementing its training and scholarship program. Over 200 Iraqi government officials have received training in areas such as fiscal planning, personnel management, and project management. The program has also provided scholarships to over 50 Iraqi government officials to pursue higher education in the United States or other countries. The USAID/Tatweer program has also made significant progress in its engagement with key ministries and executive offices. The program has established a strong working relationship with the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Agriculture, among others. The program has also made significant progress in building the capacity of the executive offices, including the Prime Minister's Office and the Council of Ministers Secretariat. The program has also made significant progress in its use of information technology. The program has established a computerized maintenance management system for the Ministry of Health, and has provided training to over 100 Iraqi government officials on the use of information technology. The program has also made significant progress in building the capacity of the executive offices to use information technology. Overall, the USAID/Tatweer program has made significant progress in its first year. The program has established a strong working relationship with key ministries and executive offices, has provided training to over 1,000 Iraqi government officials, and has made significant progress in building the capacity of the executive offices to use information technology. The program is well-positioned to continue making significant progress in the coming year.