Basrah Public Works Initiative Complements Provincial Reconstruction Teams

BASRAH, Iraq – Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) began as a concept in Afghanistan, developed by then U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad. They proved to be so successful that when Khalilzad was named Ambassador to Iraq in June 2005, he decided PRTs would be a good way to develop capacity in that country as well. PRTs are now being established in each Iraqi province.

The first PRT efforts in Afghanistan differ from those being run here in Iraq, according to Jim Donegan, Basrah PRT deputy team leader.

“Essentially in Afghanistan, those groups are led by the military and have a civilian component to them,” he said. “But here, we try to concentrate more on the civilian side of things – getting people up and working again and helping the local governments get the operational and logistical support they need.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one player in a group of players that number anywhere between 35 and 100 members depending on the area or province they serve. It is the Corps of Engineers that focuses on the reconstruction effort. Other organizations whose members comprise the PRTs include the State Department, coalition military personnel, the Justice Department, the Department of Agriculture, contract personnel and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Our mandate is to interact with the provincial councils,” Donegan said. “To say we focus only on reconstruction is a misnomer. That’s the Corps’ job, and here in Basrah, of course, that mission is filled by the southern district. The PRT’s job is to build capacity into the organs of local government, whether it’s the police or the city council. Our team has done incredible work in giving the local governments the capability to recognize what their constituents need, recognize the projects that are going to fill those needs, and getting the funding to put those projects into practice.”

He added that the PRT’s aim is for a strong government and infrastructure, noting that the people of Iraq have the ability and a basic infrastructure for a successful government structure.

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