Office of the Iraq Programme Oil for Food

15 August 2000

Oil-for-Food Background Information

Weekly update for the period 5 to 11 August 2000

The Executive Director of the Iraq Programme, Mr. Benon V. Sevan, leaves Baghdad tomorrow after a sixteen day visit which included meetings with most Government Ministers and a tour of the three northern governorates where the United Nations implements the humanitarian programme on behalf of the Government.

Earlier today, Mr. Sevan concluded a media conference where, amongst other points, he emphasised the need for the programme to work more efficiently; Iraq’s urgent need for trucks and other transport in order to deliver the supplies which were arriving and also highlighted the impact of holds on sectors such as electricity.

Food arrivals over the past week included: nearly 90 thousand tonnes of wheat, 700,000 tonnes of tea and 12 thousand tonnes of cooking oil.

Last week, the Security Council’s 661 Committee approved three new contracts for the sale of Iraqi oil. This brings the total approved contracts for phase VIII to 95 with a volume of around 375 million barrels (224.1 million Basrah Light and 151.3 million Kirkuk). Since the inception of the oil-for-food programme on 10 December 1996, Iraq has exported more than 1,951 million barrels with a value of approximately $31.9 billion.

During the week to 11 August, Iraq exported 14.2 million barrels of oil for revenue estimated around $348 million. The revenue so far in phase VIII is now around $2.90 billion.

In phases IV to VIII, the Committee has approved $7.572 billion worth of contracts for humanitarian supplies and put contracts worth $1.460 billion on hold in the same period.

For the same period, OIP received a total of 2,944 contracts worth $1.625 billion for the supply of oil industry spare parts and equipment. Of these contracts, the Committee has approved 2,000 worth just over $1 billion and put 502, worth $284 million, on hold.

The total value of contracts on hold in all sectors is now $1.744 billion.

Using the “fast track” process based on lists (see the OIP website for details) in the food, health, education, agriculture and oil sectors, the OIP has notified the Committee of 651 contracts worth $1.202 billion.

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For further information please contact Hasmik Egian, OIP - NY, 1.212.963.4341

Oil-for-Food Background Information		Weekly update for the period 5 to 11 August 2000 The Executive Director of the Iraq Programme, Mr. Benon V. Sevan, leaves Baghdad tomorrow after a sixteen day visit which included meetings with most Government Ministers and a tour of the three northern governorates where the United Nations implements the humanitarian programme on behalf of the Government. Earlier today, Mr. Sevan concluded a media conference where, amongst other points, he emphasised the need for the programme to work more efficiently; Iraq’s urgent need for trucks and other transport in order to deliver the supplies which were arriving and also highlighted the impact of holds on sectors such as electricity. Food arrivals over the past week included: nearly 90 thousand tonnes of wheat, 700,000 tonnes of tea and 12 thousand tonnes of cooking oil. Last week, the Security Council’s 661 Committee approved three new contracts for the sale of Iraqi oil. This brings the total approved contracts for phase VIII to 95 with a volume of around 375 million barrels (224.1 million Basrah Light and 151.3 million Kirkuk). Since the inception of the oil-for-food programme on 10 December 1996, Iraq has exported more than 1,951 million barrels with a value of approximately $31.9 billion. During the week to 11 August, Iraq exported 14.2 million barrels of oil for revenue estimated around $348 million. The revenue so far in phase VIII is now around $2.90 billion. In phases IV to VIII, the Committee has approved $7.572 billion worth of contracts for humanitarian supplies and put contracts worth $1.460 billion on hold in the same period. For the same period, OIP received a total of 2,944 contracts worth $1.625 billion for the supply of oil industry spare parts and equipment. Of these contracts, the Committee has approved 2,000 worth just over $1 billion and put 502, worth $284 million, on hold. The total value of contracts on hold in all sectors is now $1.744 billion. Using the “fast track” process based on lists (see the OIP website for details) in the food, health, education, agriculture and oil sectors, the OIP has notified the Committee of 651 contracts worth $1.202 billion.
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