Iraq's Untold Story: Pick A Story, Any Story

A roundup of progress going back for at least a year from Relief Web. I'll bet any one of these could be the start of a fascinating story should reporters ever realize how remarkable and important they are. Among other things, the following comes under the heading "Establishing the rule of law." What's boring in Happyville USA isn't necessarily commonplace in Baghdad:

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE

- Assisted the Government of Iraq to develop and submit the first filing in the WTO accession process - the Memorandum of Foreign Trade Regime.

- Provided technical assistance and information on contracting opportunities for Iraqi businesses and entrepreneurs through business centers.

- Worked with the Ministry of Finance to introduce the new Iraqi dinar.

- Created more than 77,000 public works jobs through the National Employment Program.

- Provided technical assistance and capacity building to three private sector banks to develop their own lending programs.

- Trained over 700 Iraqis in International Accounting Practices.

- Assisted in management of $21 million micro-credit program. Provided over 40,000 hours of microfinance training in 2004-2005.

- Improved statistical analysis, monetary policymaking, and bank supervision procedures at Iraq’s Central Bank; offered a two-week banking course to Central Bank staff with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

- Evaluated and updated commercial laws on private sector and foreign investment.

- Assisted in developing the 5 percent reconstruction levy on imports; built capacity of customs officials to implement levy.

- Developed a government-wide IT strategy to automate planning, budgeting and reporting processes across ministries.

- Developing the Iraqi Investment Promotion Agency with the Government of Iraq.

USAID works with Iraqi institutions to establish an environment for sustainable economic growth. Assistance empowers policy makers to formulate and execute decisions based on economic data, and to implement modern best practices in economic governance. USAID projects provide a framework for private sector trade, commerce, and investment throughout Iraq.