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MS. HERBOL: Well, I appreciate that you came today. My name is Denise Herbol. I'm the Deputy Mission Director for the Agency for International Development in Iraq. I have been with USAID for 26 years. This is my country that I served in. I've served in Africa, in Uganda and in Zaire and in Ghana, in South America, in Colombia and Central America in Belize, in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Albania and in India twice. So I guess it's a natural migration that I now move into the Middle East. I've been in Iraq since August and have traveled to eight of our provincial reconstruction sites. I think our program in Iraq is one of the most exciting programs that I've ever worked in. And one of the reasons that I like working there so much is because of our Iraqi partners and the people that we -- are on the ground that are making a change.
Our programs cover two key areas: democracy and governance and economic growth. In the democracy and governance sectors, we have the national capacity development program Tatweer. Tatweer is a capacity building strengthening program. We work in the ministries 10 key ministries. The training programs are developed not by us, but by the Iraqis in the ministries. They tell us what they need and then we work with them to provide the appropriate programs: procurement, budgeting, how you manage paperflow in an office, you know, the basics.
That Tatweer program works very well because 80 percent of our partners who are in the -- who are working with the ministries speak Arabic. They're American, Egyptian American. So they have the ability to go in and develop relationships, which takes time as we all know. And once they develop those relationships they are able to speak in Arabic and that facilitates the process.
We have our local governance programs which work at the provincial level. We have -- as you know, there are 18 provinces and we're in all 18. The local governance program helps the Iraqis to strengthen their own system. The partner has helped facilitate development of the provincial development strategies. Again, our partners only facilitate what the process is. It's the Iraqis who lead it, who have developed it. And there were focus groups. There were, you know, NGOs who met and the all constituents played a role in this, okay, and that's important. We don't -- we cannot possibly make a change happen. The Iraqis have to make the change happen. We only provide the tools and the resources for this to happen.
The Community Action Programs works at the grassroots level out in the provinces in Baghdad, working with communities, community action groups, whenever people have a dialogue, talk about what it is they really want and need, once they decide what the project needs to be, then that is facilitated and brought forward, funding is found. But it's -- again, it's what is the community, what are their needs and desires?
We also have a large economic program, an agricultural program. The economic governance program works on micro finance policies. The -- there's private sector development and those programs are working to help people open small businesses. The new program INMA in agriculture is sort of as a term people use in the States is farm-to-fork, so it's a value chain analysis of what is needed at the local level, starting with growing the crops to what kind of fertilizer do you need, how are you going to package it, how are you going to market it, how is it going to be sold. So it is a new effort. Agriculture is very important in Iraq, obviously.
And then we have our Community Stabilization Program. The CSP program has several pieces. It is an employment program. There are over 80,000 Iraqis who are employed under this program in cleaning campaign services. We also do vocational training, identify places where people can get apprenticeships and then also there is a micro grant component there as well, an in-kind component to assist people as they develop businesses, small businesses.
There is another component of our program which is assistance on the humanitarian side, working with internally displaced persons. As you know, that -- the IDP issue is very large in Iraq and it's one that we support the government in finding solutions to help these people who have been displaced. As I've said, I've traveled around Iraq. I visited most recently one of our Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Mosul. I've been out west to Fallujah and I've been extremely impressed with how the security situation has improved and that is an Iraqi-driven process. I mean, we can provide only so much through our resources, but it is the role of the Iraqis that we're able to implement our programs and provide assistance.
When I was out in Fallujah, I had the opportunity to spend 7.5 hours outside in town visiting a girls school where we did a renovation of the water and sanitation facility. These are very dynamic children and probably from the ages of 10-16. Very positive -- you could see that they felt that there was a live opportunity. I knew it would have to be the first day of school. And as you know, kids on the first day of school are always very motivated.
We had the opportunity to go visit several soccer fields that had been recently renovated under one of our projects with a local Iraq NGO. And you know, this is an area where these soccer fields originally -- it was very non-permissive. You couldn't walk. There was lots of IEDs. In fact it was known as "sniper alley." And I spent an hour walking around with the kids. They were playing a game. In fact, we played a game on the field. It's very heartening to see the changes that are taking place at that level.
I also was able to help distribute micro grants to widows in Fallujah. And these women -- I had time to talk with them and it was extremely impressive to hear what they were going to do with these thousand-dollar grants, you know. They were very focused on the fact that they had to be the breadwinner and that they determined to make most of this opportunity. Some of them were going to open bread businesses and one of the women told me that she was going to do matt-weaving. Several of them were seamstresses. And in fact, were there with their daughters who also were looking to join in helping out in the business. So even at a small level, you see change -- positive change, people feeling more positive about how things are going in the country.
Certainly, it's not always easy. I've been in Diyala and it's a tough area. Diyala is still very difficult and very non-permissive. But if you contrast that with being out in Fallujah and being able to walk around the streets and see businesses open and, you know, people opening more shops and, you know, feeling very confident about what's happening, that there is change taking place. So although I've only been in Iraq for three months, I can tell you that I feel that -- heartened to be part of a process to provide whatever support I can to our Iraqi counterparts to make change and move the country forward to peace and stability.
MODERATOR: Questions? Please introduce yourself and your publication for transcription purposes.
QUESTION: I'm Joe Macaron from Kuwait News Agency. I just want to first ask about the annual budgets for U.S. aid in Iraq between 2004 and 2007 today -- how the trend is.
MS. HERBOL: I can tell you that -- (laughter) -- I was only there last year. Since -- for the 2007 budget. 2007 budget was 1.1 billion. That was up over the 2006 budget actually -- slightly. We don't know what it will be this year, but I believe that there is a strong will to continue to support our programs out there.
QUESTION: And about the internally displaced, how much of them (inaudible) violence? It's reportedly less than some areas. Do you know how much -- did they return to their homes now or do you have any numbers on this?
MS. HERBOL: We do not have any numbers yet, really, about returning. It's not -- you're not talking about internally displaced, you're talking about returning?
QUESTION: No, about the internally displaced. Many left the provinces (inaudible) the violence.
MS. HERBOL: And this is an issue that the Government of Iraq I think is taking the lead on right now. I'm looking to address how to handle the internally displaced. Mostly internally displaced, it's to the credit of the government that most of the internally displaced aren't in camps, they're living with families or friends in various areas. How those people are going to move back to their areas, I think the Government of Iraq is looking to address that and to develop policies through the Ministry of Displacement and Migration.
QUESTION: And since you're only 14 months, how much do you think the local provinces are ready to take over to be a functional government at the local level? You think they can at some point start providing a --
MS. HERBOL: I think the provinces have done an excellent job of executing their budgets this year. In fact, one of the success stories is that there is a local governing association in each of the provinces and they work together. They've been meeting together to sort of bring their issues to the national -- national level. One of the things that happened was there was the provincial powers law which was being formulated and all the provinces together had very strong feelings about that law and worked together to have it not move forward until it changed to meet what they felt their needs were. So I think the provinces are doing a very good job. Obviously there's a long way to go, but I think the provinces are working very hard to develop their capacity and that's one of the things our programs are doing at the provincial level is help to develop capacity -- a human resource capacity through our training programs.
QUESTION: And my last question is many provinces are complaining that they are not getting enough budget from the local government. Do you talk about the -- about this topic of the (inaudible) with the central government and by that about this issue?
MS. HERBOL: That is not my area of responsibility, so I would have to refer you to the Embassy on that.
QUESTION: Are there certain or specific major projects for 2008?
MS. HERBOL: The CSP program is a very large program and we're trying to move from short term employment under the CSP program, migrating some of the cleaning campaigns over to the Government of Iraq and into more longer term economic viable projects mostly through vocational training, small business development with those people.
It actually costs less to do that kind of a program than it does to do, let's say, the short-term employment process of a cleaning campaign. So we're trying to maximize our resources. The INMA project, which is the agribusiness project, is a very important one for us and that's moving forward. This year, it's just started up. I think that we will be doing more in the area of IDPs this year.
QUESTION: What's IDP?
MS. HERBOL: Internally displaced persons. And the national capacity development program, Tatweer, that one also. Not only is that providing training programs, but we're also sending people off under scholarships for two-year masters programs within the region. And then those people will come back and work within the ministries, again, developing the capacity of the government.
QUESTION: How do you see the long term presence of (inaudible)?
MS. HERBOL: USAID is one part of the team in Iraq. We work closely with the Department of State, with Department of Defense. The provincial reconstruction teams throughout the country are a major effort for all of us and those people are on the ground working with -- in the provinces, working with the Iraqis, trying to strengthen and develop capacity. That is going to just continue. It's a key component of what we all do out there.
At some point in the future, the programs will ultimately change more towards the bilateral assistance program, but I don't have a crystal ball, so I can't really say when that will be. But I believe that at some point in time, we will morph from the assistance programs we have now into more bilateral assistance programs.
QUESTION: The last question about coordination with the military (inaudible) and how is that coordinated?
MS. HERBOL: I'll give you an example. Under the microfinance program, for instance, the military has CERP money. That money, they use to, let's say, renovate a building, provide the -- paint the walls, provide the computers. We come in and provide the lending capital and the training in order to develop the microfinance institute. So that's a good example of how we work in partnership. Under the CSP program, the military, when they have secured an area, look to us to come in immediately behind them with our CSP program and start-up programs, employment programs, short-term employment programs to provide jobs and stabilization in the area.
MODERATOR: Another question.
QUESTION: I don't know. I'm sorry, it's because I got here late.
MS. HERBOL: That's okay.
QUESTION: I wonder if you could brief us on the security issue of, you know, all the reconstructions and the new projects, what's the update on the security? Because, you know, we hear -- and some journalists, they say, you know, the security has improved tremendously, but then there are people who come back and say even Green Zone is not a safe zone.
MS. HERBOL: You know, we have 25 provincial reconstruction teams around the country and I've traveled to eight of them. And it would be inaccurate to say that everywhere is permissive. As I said, Diyala is still an area that's very difficult to work in. But frankly, I have traveled around and been pleasantly amazed at how well the security situation has improved.
I spent seven and a half hours in Fallujah walking around, visiting our projects out there and meeting with people. And it's very clear, from listening to people tell me -- the Iraqi populace -- how things have improved. Driving in Baghdad, you can see new businesses and shops and growth, which I have been told by our own staff, it wasn't like that several years ago. While it's not perfect, I think that there is a great amount of increased stability in the country and this has allowed reconstruction to move forward.
QUESTION: And how about the infiltration of countries such as Iran, according to the reports, how they are playing a destructive role as far as the reconstruction? How bad is the influence or how well is the United States containing that disruption?
MS. HERBOL: I'm really not able to speak to that because I don't really see that.
QUESTION: But do see -- is there is a sense -- you see, I mean, when you go and you oversee the projects, do you feel the interventions or do you see a sense of, you know, people are doing things to be destructive to the reconstruction situation there?
MS. HERBOL: When I've travel to the PRTs, I have seen the Iraqi people taking direct lead in their own reconstruction and they are the people who are making the change in those areas. I've been very pleased with the work that I've seen and the progress in these areas, from Wasit to Salah ad Din to Tikrit. And you know, I think everybody is positive about the changes that are taking place.
MODERATOR: Follow-ups, other areas to explore?
QUESTION: (Inaudible) to you?
MS. HERBOL: You know, 26 years in this business and I have to tell you that as a woman, I have never felt more safe in any other countries that I've served in. I walk in the Green Zone. I have traveled around through the country. And I have felt that at all times, that it is -- I'm able to do my job and interact with the people that I need to interact with. And I have never felt unsafe.
QUESTION: You said you live in the Green Zone?
MS. HERBOL: Yes, I do.
QUESTION: Can you go out by yourself out of the Green Zone?
MS. HERBOL: No one can --
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
MS. HERBOL: I walk in the Green Zone myself. I walk from the office over to the palace. I walk to church every Saturday, which is over at main Embassy. You would not be able to leave the Green Zone walking. That would not be a wise thing to do. We do have security details for that reason.
But that said, I feel also very safe when I'm out with our security details going out to visit our training center out in Rawah (ph), where we were training district council members the other day. And it was an extremely impressive sight to see these people really soaking in what they were learning and wanting more -- in fact, to receive more training, you know, and to see women in significant numbers at these programs.
Actually, at this one program where they were training these members, I was receiving questions from them -- a few. And mostly, it was the guys who were overpowering the conversations. And so at the end, there was one woman who finally said, "Please, let's hear from a woman." And she said, "Yes, the men are always very overpowering," and she was very delightful in saying how she was impressed to see a woman out -- you know, in a leadership role.
And I told her a story about -- in fact, just a week before, I had been in Fallujah and had visited one of our training programs -- microfinance training programs. And that training program had 16 people and only one was a woman and that woman, the day before, had been frisked at the gate by the local Iraqi guards and -- which was a very difficult thing and we weren't sure she was going to come back. And the fact that she came back -- I spoke to her afterwards and I thanked her and she said, you know, if we don't stand up for ourselves as a society, you know, we won't make any progress. She said "I have to be here." And I told this group in -- the district council group that I wasn't disheartened to see one woman in the room. I was very heartened to see a woman in the room and I think they understood. So I see a lot of progress.
QUESTION: And I don't know if this is your area, but does USAID provide any kind of facilitation for journalists to come and report on the reconstruction issues? Because mostly on the news, what we hear is the destructions, not the reconstruction. Does your program have any facilitation for journalists? Because it's so hard to travel, you have to go through so many hoops as -- you know, if you're not NBC or CBS.
MS. HERBOL: We do not do our security, the U.S. Embassy does security.
QUESTION: Oh, okay.
MS. HERBOL: And I would refer you to talk to them and to their press office.
QUESTION: Not for the security, but for the programs, because then, you would say, for instance, this is where it's been reconstructed, this is where it's been --
MS. HERBOL: Right.
QUESTION: -- launched, this such-and-such program.
MS. HERBOL: The U.S. Embassy press facility is the overarching rubric for that.
QUESTION: Okay.
MODERATOR: We can give you the contacts there, too.
QUESTION: Okay.
MODERATOR: Phil Reeker and --
STAFF: And you've got my card.
QUESTION: Yes.
STAFF: I'm with USAID. I'm their press officer, please call.
QUESTION: Okay.
STAFF: Yeah, we encourage journalists to come out and see our --
MS. HERBOL: Definitely, definitely.
QUESTION: And just to follow up to her question, do the military complain most of the time about the negative coverage in the media, do you complain about that?
MS. HERBOL: I actually have never seen any negative coverage about our programs in the media. I think people know our programs are out there and people are very positive about what we're doing. I have never seen anything negative or heard anything negative.
QUESTION: How about ignoring your -- actually say, ignoring your activities?
MS. HERBOL: No. Actually, people don't ignore our activities. But to be honest, to provide security to people, we try not to highlight people in the press. You know, it's important to make sure that our partners and the Iraqis that are being helped are kept safe. And so it's a cautious line on how you manage that.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
MS. HERBOL: I believe in our program. I believe in what we're doing out there and I truly believe we are making a difference not because we're leading the process, but because we're in partnership with the Iraqis in this process.
MODERATOR: Other questions? No comments? Okay. Thank you all.
MS. HERBOL: Thank you.
MODERATOR: Thank you all for coming.
