Refugee settlement I

The project will provide a Refugee Settlement Support and TA Team (REST) and will design and implement long- and short-term settlement activities. REST, staffed by a U.S. contractor, will be responsible for project management and will advise the Government of Somalia (GOS) implementing agency (yet to be named), into which REST will later be integrated. As early as possible, the project will survey land resources and business opportunities to rank potential settlement sites, and will assess local receptivity to refugee settlement. Feasibility studies of the potential refugee business activities will be conducted, and based on the findings of the above reviews and studies, REST will design Settlement Subprojects (SP"s). These SP"s, which will be 2-3 years long, will be contracted out to U.S. firms and PVO"s. They will focus on small agricultural enterprises (e.g., apiculture and weaving) and on labor-intensive construction activities. A few agricultural production SP"s may be initiated. Minimal infrastructure and social services and temporary food aid - possibly through World Food Programme Food for Work activities - will be included. Up to $0.5 million will be earmarked for a second type of activity - Rapid Impact Projects (RIP"s). These will be implemented by PVO"s and the GOS on the basis of ideas springing from ongoing Somali refugee programs and will be monitored by REST. At least $11 million in activities will be designed for implementation under Phase II of the project. Amendment (PP Supplement) of 6/29/89 extends PACD 30 months to 12/93 to enable PVO"s to propose large-scale, multi-year settlement activities. Major changes are as follows. (1) RIP"s and Settlement SP"s will be combined into a single component called Settlement Activities, each of which is eligible for a grant in excess of $1 million. (2) To accelerate the project review process, PVO"s will receive guidance in preparing proposals for settlement activities, along with funding for related technical studies. (3) Settlement site identification and development will devolve wholly to PVO"s and potential settlers; A.I.D. will no longer be involved in these efforts. Two $1-2 million agricultural settlement activities are expected. (4) Proposals for non-agricultural settlement activities such as business enterprises or vocational training are encouraged. At least one such activity, with funding in the $300,000-$500,000 range is expected. (PD-AAZ-510)