A lack of coordination by senior management in Washington still
hampers U.S. contributions to Iraq's reconstruction.
Focus, priority setting, and skillful implementation are in short
supply. No single official is assigned responsibility or held
accountable for the overall reconstruction effort. Representatives of
key foreign partners involved in reconstruction have also spoken to us
directly and specifically about the need for a point of contact that
can coordinate their efforts with the U.S. government.
A failure to improve coordination will result in agencies continuing
to follow conflicting strategies, wasting taxpayer dollars on
duplicative and uncoordinated efforts. This waste will further
undermine public confidence in U.S. policy in Iraq.
A Senior Advisor for Economic Reconstruction in Iraq is required. He
or she should report to the President, be given a staff and funding,
and chair a National Security Council interagency group consisting of
senior principals at the undersecretary level from all relevant U.S.
government departments and agencies. The Senior Advisor's
responsibility must be to bring unity of effort to the policy, budget,
and implementation of economic reconstruction programs in Iraq. The
Senior Advisor must act as the principal point of contact with U.S.
partners in the overall reconstruction effort.
He or she must have close and constant interaction with senior U.S.
officials and military commanders in Iraq, especially the Director of
the Iraq Reconstruction and Management Office, so that the realities
on the ground are brought directly and fully into the policy-making
process. In order to maximize the effectiveness of assistance, all
involved must be on the same page at all times.
RECOMMENDATION 67: The President should create a Senior Advisor for
Economic Reconstruction in Iraq. ATION 67: The President should create
a Senior Advisor for Economic Reconstruction in Iraq.