They're trying to get organized in Iraq

PRESS RELEASE

Coalition Provisional Authority



May 7, 2004

PMO PROJECTS PRIORITIZED WITH IRAQI PARTICIPATION

BAGHDAD, Iraq (May 7, 2004) ? As the Program Management Office begins the $18.4 billion program of constructing and restoring Iraq?s infrastructure, it does so through a long-standing partnership with the Iraqi people.

In September of 2003, PMO leadership began outlining the work of revitalizing the essential services of the country. PMO representatives met with local Iraqi officials and area governing councils to create an initial list of projects.

Since that time, dozens of meetings have taken place in pursuit of this goal. Director David Nash and team have met with tribal leaders, governorate leadership, provincial councils, ministers, city officials, local chambers of commerce, business leaders, and community activists in order to seek their help in identifying those crucial projects that would benefit the highest number of Iraqis in each region of the country. Each of the projects fall into one of the following six sectors: security and justice, water resources and public works, electricity, buildings/health/education, transportation and communications, and oil.

In addition, Director Nash has traveled to 16 of the 18 governorates thus far to meet local officials in their home cities to continue the coordination of this historic effort. The final two Governorate meetings are expected to occur within the next several weeks.

?Each of these meetings has given me and the rest of the staff here at the PMO a better idea for the specific priorities for each of the governorates,? Director of PMO David Nash said. ?Without the participation of the Iraqi people, these efforts to rebuild their country would fail. Iraqi participation is a vital component to our work as it is to Iraqi?s who live here and understand what needs to be done to improve their lives.?