BAGHDAD -The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Ministry of Oil (MoO) and the Ministry of Electricity (MoE), hosted a graduation ceremony for 36 managers from across Iraq who received training in core public administration skills to prepare them for senior leadership roles within the ministries.

The USAID-funded National Capacity Development program, locally known as "Tatweer," brought together 22 MoO and 14 MoE managers from Baghdad, Basra, Babil, Mosul, Kirkuk and Diwaniyah provinces. The six-month Program Manager Cycle (PMC) training was the latest in a series of programs to modernize the skills of public officials and encourage cooperation between the ministries in an effort to improve delivery of services to the Iraqi people.

The PMC program trained Iraqi government officials in communications and leadership, supply chain-management, information technology, human resources, financial management, and project management. The training in each of the six core areas was provided for one week a month from October 2008 through March 2009. The training encouraged integrated problem solving, development of skills and cross-ministerial networks.

The USAID program works with 10 Iraqi ministries and 10 agencies and executive offices to improve overall institutional performance and introduce international best practices. In the past two years, USAID/Tatweer has trained more than 70,000 Iraq government officials in strategic planning, human resources, financial management, and project management.

USAID Iraq Director Thomas Delaney said, "The Public Manager Cycle training has strengthened the capacity and professionalism of managers in line with the Iraqi Government's vision to modernize its public administration systems." He added that greater cooperation between the MoO and MoE will help advance the country's rebuilding efforts.

Since 2003, USAID has invested more than $6 billion on programs designed to stabilize communities; foster economic and agricultural growth; and build the capacity of the national, local, and provincial governments to respond to the needs of the Iraqi people.

For more information about USAID programs, please visit our website at www.usaid.gov. The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.