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28 May 2003
Weekly
Update
Value
of Shippable Priority Items for Iraq Exceeds $1 Billion
The
total value of priority items from the Oil-for-Food Programme’s
humanitarian pipeline that can be shipped to Iraq for emergency
needs has reached $1.1 billion. Most of these supplies are in the
food ($515 million), electricity ($261 million), agriculture ($182
million) and health ($128 million) sectors.
The UN agencies
and programmes actively involved in the review of the Oil-for-Food
pipeline - FAO, UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, WFP – are currently looking at
additional contracts worth some $330 million, and the volume of
these items destined for Iraq is expected to accelerate with a six
month extension of the Programme to 21 November, adopted under
Security Council resolution 1483 on 22 May.
Resolution 1483
(2003) lifted civilian sanctions; gave the Secretary-General
authority to appoint a Special Representative to work with the
occupying forces in rebuilding Iraq; opened the way for the
resumption of oil exports, with revenues deposited in a Development
Fund for Iraq held by the Central Bank; and provided for the
termination of the Oil-for-Food Programme within six months,
transferring responsibility for the administration of any remaining
Programme activities to ‘the Authority’ representing the
occupying powers. The Council has called on the United Nations to
assist the Iraqi people, in coordination with ‘the Authority’,
in a wide range of areas, including humanitarian relief,
reconstruction, infrastructure rehabilitation, legal and judicial
reforms, human rights and the return of refugees, and also to assist
with civilian police.
In its
“phasedown” prior to closure on 22 November, the Office of the
Iraq Programme and UN agencies and programmes will continue to
identify and ship approved and funded priority items in a pipeline
of humanitarian goods and supplies valued at some $10 billion.
Additional information is available from the website
of the Office of the Iraq Programme. For further information
please contact Ian Steele email: steelei@un.org
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