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Below Benon Sevan states that due to increased revenue, the Government of Iraq can improve civilian
health and reduce current malnutrition levels. Sevan also expresses concerns (voiced in the S-G's
1 June 2000 180 report) that there are "inordinate delays" in the Government of Iraq's contract
submission and application.
* 13 February 2001 Letter from Sevan to Iraq's Permanent UN Representative
* Link to the S-G's 1 June 2000 180 Day Phase VII report
- Note the S-G's statement that until "Iraq’s infrastructure for electricity and water and
sanitation has been sufficiently rehabilitated, the Iraqi people will continue to be vulnerable to
disease and hardship." The S-G also expresses concerns about holds on parts relevant to the
aforementioned sectors (para. 98).
* 15 February Agence France Presse article about the S-G's opinion regarding the Government of
Iraq's malnutrition reduction and health-related improvement capabilities.
- Note that the AFP article mistakenly attributes Sevan's 13 February 2001 letter and the letter's
quotes to Annan.
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http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/dp9/BVSletter9.html
United Nations Office of the Iraq Programme
oil for food
13 February 2001
Letter from Benon V. Sevan, Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme, to H.E.
Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri,
Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations
Excellency,
On behalf of the Secretary-General, I have the honour to acknowledge receipt, under
cover of the letter (MOU/9/82) dated 4 February 2001 addressed to the Secretary-General from the
Chargé d’affaires of the Permanent Mission of Iraq to the United Nations, of the distribution plan
submitted by your Government for the new period specified in paragraph 1 of Security Council
resolution 1330 (2000) of 5 December 2000, together with the annexes to the distribution plan
received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq, through the Office of the
Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq, and would like to inform you that I have been authorized by the
Secretary-General to convey in this respect the following.
In resolutions 986 (1995) of 14 April 1995 and 1330 (2000) of 5 December 2000, the Security Council
requires that the Government of Iraq guarantee, on the basis of a plan to be submitted to and
approved by the Secretary-General, equitable distribution of medicine, health supplies, foodstuffs,
and materials and supplies for essential civilian needs (humanitarian supplies) exported to Iraq
under the conditions defined by those resolutions. The memorandum of understanding concluded on 20
May 1996 between the United Nations Secretariat and the Government of Iraq (S/1996/356) provides
that the Government of Iraq shall prepare a distribution plan describing in detail the procedures
to be followed by the competent authorities with a view to ensuring the equitable distribution of
humanitarian supplies and submit the plan to the Secretary-General for approval. The memorandum
states in this regard that if the Secretary-General is satisfied that the plan adequately ensures
equitable distribution of humanitarian supplies to the Iraqi population throughout the country, he
will so inform the Government of Iraq.
I have the honour to inform the Government of Iraq through you that, having examined the
distribution plan, the Secretary-General has come to the conclusion that the plan, if properly
implemented, should meet the requirements of equitable distribution of humanitarian supplies to the
Iraqi population throughout the country. The plan is therefore approved with the following
understandings.
By paragraph 15 of Security Council resolution 1284 (1999) of 17 December 1999, the
Government of Iraq has been authorized to export unlimited amounts of oil and to import, under
relevant resolutions of the Council, a wide range of goods to meet the humanitarian needs of its
population and to rehabilitate its civilian infrastructure. As stated by the Secretary-General,
now that increased revenues are available for the implementation of the programme, the Government
of Iraq is in a position to reduce current malnutrition levels and improve the health status of the
Iraqi people (S/2000/520, para. 96). This can be achieved by allocating the necessary funding
level in the food and health sectors as well as by ensuring the timely contracting of all supplies
in quantities sufficient to meet the requirements and targets set forth in the distribution plan,
in particular those contained in the supplementary report of the Secretary-General (S/1998/90). It
is also necessary to improve distribution systems in the food, nutrition and health sectors.
It is a matter of grave concern, however, that irrespective of the increased level of funding for
different sectors contained in previous distribution plans, in particular for phase VIII, there are
inordinate delays in contracting and submission of applications for the supplies urgently required
to meet the humanitarian needs. Accordingly, I wish to reiterate the repeated recommendations
made by the Secretary-General that the Government of Iraq expedite its contracting process and
ensure the submission of applications to the Secretariat most expeditiously.
The caloric target of 2,472 kilocalories per person per day and financial allocation for the food
basket as indicated in table 1 is welcome and is in line with the Secretary-General’s
recommendation in his supplementary report to the Security Council (S/1998/90) that a food basket
of 2,463 kilocalories per person per day country-wide be provided under the programme. It is
essential, however, to keep under constant review the funding level of food contracts in order to
ensure that the target for the food basket is funded in full, thereby enabling the distribution of
the enhanced, and full, food basket on a regular basis.
In order to improve expeditiously the nutritional status of children, the implementation
of the targeted nutrition programme should be expedited most urgently and the funding level should
be kept under constant review in order to ensure the availability of adequate supplies,
ware-housing, transportation and related infrastructure. While it is acknowledged that in the
proposed distribution plan, in addition to the $6 million allocated, there are a number of
allocations made for certain items, under different sectors, which are interrelated and have a
direct bearing on the implementation of the targeted nutrition programme, it should be noted that
neither the financial allocation nor the range of items related to infrastructure are commensurate
with the scale of the existing programme and the need for its expansion to ensure that it reaches
the full caseload. During the previous phases of the programme, the targeted nutrition programme
has also suffered from very long delays in contracting the supplies required.
Accordingly, in view of the grave concerns expressed by all parties, including the
Government of Iraq, regarding the nutritional status of children, it is recommended that the
Government of Iraq clarify how the relatively limited resources allocated in the distribution plan
would satisfy the Government’s objectives in improving the nutritional status of children.
It may be recalled that in paragraph 12 of its resolution 1330 (2000), the Security
Council decided, inter alia, that the funds deposited in the escrow account established by
resolution 986 (1995) to be transferred to the Compensation Fund in phase IX shall be 25 per cent,
instead of 30 per cent, and that the additional funds resulting from this decision will be
deposited into the account established under paragraph 8 (a) of resolution 986 (1995) to be used
for strictly humanitarian projects “to address the needs of the most vulnerable groups in Iraq as
referred to in paragraph 126 of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2000/1132)”. Accordingly,
the inclusion of the Part Ten (Special Allocation Requirements) in response to paragraph 12 of
resolution 1330 (2000) is welcome. In this regard, at the informal discussions held in Baghdad
between the technical ministries of the Government of Iraq and United Nations agencies and
programmes, a range of relevant activities have already been identified. It is therefore
recommended that these discussions be continued in order to further clarify the list of specific
humanitarian projects intended to address the needs of the groups referred to in paragraph 126 of
the above-mentioned report of the Secretary-General. Such an approach should assist the Security
Council Committee established by resolution 661 (1990) in expediting approval of applications for
supplies, related to projects pursuant to paragraph 12 of resolution 1330 (2000).
A copy of the list of supplies and goods accompanying the distribution plan will be
made available to the Security Council Committee. The list will also be posted on the web site of
the Office of the Iraq Programme, together with the distribution plan, in order to provide
information to all concerned, including potential suppliers. I should like to inform you, however,
that the Secretary-General’s approval of the plan does not constitute an endorsement of the
specific items for equipment and supplies contained in the annexes to the plan. Having reviewed
the categorized list of proposed supplies and goods to be purchased and imported under the plan, it
is necessary to seek, without prejudice to the merits of the stated requirements, additional
information and/or clarification regarding a limited number of items in order to establish their
relevance to the programme and, where applicable, to avoid unnecessary delays in processing related
applications and amendments. Such items include, for example, equipment and supplies related to a
“banknote production line”, which were not approved previously by the Security Council Committee,
as well as requirements for civil aviation, including the purchase of two aircraft. In this
regard, I wish to inform you that the materials and supplies at issue could be added to the
categorized list only following consultations with the Security Council Committee. This will be
communicated to the appropriate Iraqi authorities in due course. However, should applications be
submitted for such items, the Office of the Iraq Programme would seek guidance from the Security
Council Committee.
Amendments to the plan, where appropriate, should meet the requirements outlined in
paragraph 5 of resolution 1153 (1998). It is recognized that in certain sectors not all the
information required under paragraph 5 of that resolution could be provided in the plan at this
stage because of the complexity of the activities and the range of items to be procured.
Accordingly, the Government of Iraq as well as the United Nations agencies and programmes, should
take all necessary steps to ensure that applications submitted to the United Nations Secretariat
will indicate priority and complementarity in compliance with paragraph 5 of resolution 1153 (1998).
The approval of the distribution plan is subject to the condition that its
implementation is governed by the relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 986 (1995),
1281 (1999), 1284 (1999), 1302 (2000), 1330 (2000) and the memorandum of understanding (S/1996/356)
and that, in case of inconsistency between the particular provisions of the plan, on the one hand,
and the resolutions and the memorandum of understanding, on the other, the provisions of the latter
documents shall prevail.
Furthermore, the approval of the plan is without prejudice to actions that might be
taken by the Security Council Committee regarding applications for export of particular items
contained in the list submitted for the Committee’s consideration in accordance with its procedures.
The joint unit established by resolution 1051 (1996) will continue to review the
categorized list in the light of additional information that may become available, for the purposes
of identifying items that are covered under the relevant provisions of that resolution, because of
their possible dual use for civilian and prohibited purposes under resolution 687 (1991) of 3 April
1991 and other relevant resolutions.
Taking into account paragraph 7 of resolution 1330 (2000) and in accordance with
paragraph 2 of resolution 1175 (1998) and paragraph 18 of resolution 1284 (1999), the
Secretary-General, in consultation with the Government of Iraq, will submit to the Security Council
Committee a detailed and project-based list of oil spare parts and equipment.
The Secretary-General welcomes the statement contained in paragraph 18 of the
distribution plan, which reads as follows:
“The Government of Iraq confirms its willingness to cooperate fully with the Programme and to allow
it to observe throughout the country the equitable distribution of humanitarian supplies imported
under this distribution plan. To this end the UN personnel working in the Programme will enjoy
unrestricted movement in connection with the performance of their functions and the possibility of
receiving what facilitates their functions in accordance with paragraph 44 of the MOU.”
Accordingly, pursuant to paragraph 44 of the memorandum of understanding, it is essential that
United Nations observers and oil spare parts monitors enjoy unrestricted movement throughout Iraq
in order to fulfill their responsibilities in carrying out end-use and end-user observation and
monitoring of all supplies delivered to Iraq under the programme, including, in particular, those
supplies which have been approved or released from hold by the Security Council Committee, with the
specific requirement of end-use/user observation/monitoring and reporting.
In connection with the above, I should also like to draw your attention to section VIII
of the memorandum of understanding (S/1996/356), concerning privileges and immunities, in
particular to paragraph 46, whereby United Nations officials, experts and other personnel
performing contractual services for the United Nations, “shall have the right of unimpeded entry
into and exit from Iraq and shall be issued visas by the Iraqi authorities promptly and free of
charge.” I very much regret to have to state that lately the United Nations has been experiencing
some serious delays in the issuance of visas to United Nations personnel. Such delays have been
affecting adversely the effective implementation of the programme, in addition to financial losses
to the programme while United Nations personnel wait for their visas to enter Iraq. It is therefore
recommended that the Government of Iraq review its procedures in that regard and issue “promptly”
the necessary visas, in conformity with the letter and spirit of the relevant provisions of the
memorandum of understanding.
With regard to the annex to the distribution plan covering the requirements of the Palestinian
people, the proposal made by the Government of Iraq is before the Security Council. A decision in
that regard remains within the purview of the Security Council. It may be recalled that at the
informal consultations held by the Security Council, on 22 January 2001, the Chairman of the
Security Council Committee noted that the Committee had met twice to consider Iraq’s request that
“Oil-for Food” funds be made available to assist the Palestinian people (S/2000/1119 and
S/2000/1174), but had been unable to reach a consensus on that request.
I should like to underline that the approval of the distribution plan submitted by the Government
of Iraq does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of all information or statements contained
in the plan, and is without prejudice to any recommendation arising from the supplementary report
of the Secretary-General (S/1998/90), as endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 1153
(1998).
In conclusion, I should like to state that, with increased funding available for the programme, it
is essential to review the cumbersome and time consuming process of the preparation of the
distribution plan and its annexes, with a view to submitting the plan in a more timely manner. It
is also essential to prepare a more targeted and result-oriented plan, with a clear statement of
objectives to be achieved during a given phase, including benchmarks, which would improve the
evaluation of performance, achievements and effectiveness of the programme. Accordingly, it is
recommended that the Joint Consultative Committee meet on a regular basis to review, not only the
preparation of the distribution plan, but, and equally essential, the effective implementation of
the plan, in order to take, as appropriate, the necessary measures and make the necessary
adjustments to attain the objectives set forth in the plan. The multitude of amendments submitted
to previous distribution plans is indicative of their shortcomings and underscores the need for
such regular reviews.
Accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(Signed) Benon V. Sevan
Executive Director
**************************************************************
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/reports/phase7180.html
Report of Secretary-General (S/2000/520) pursuant to paragraph 5 of SCR 1281 (1999)
(180-day report for Phase VII)
**************************************************************
Copyright 2001 Agence France Presse
Agence France Presse
February 15, 2001, Thursday 2:14 AM, Eastern Time
SECTION: Domestic, non-Washington, general news item
LENGTH: 620 words
HEADLINE: UN urges Iraq to do more to feed its under-nourished children
BYLINE: Robert Holloway
DATELINE: UNITED NATIONS, Feb 14
BODY:
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on Iraq in a letter published Wednesday to do more with its
UN-controlled oil revenues to feed its people, particularly undernourished children.
With recent increases in oil revenue, "the government of Iraq is in a position to reduce current
malnutrition levels and improve the health status of the Iraqi people," Annan wrote.
But he expressed "grave concern" about Iraq's "inordinate delays" in contracting for humanitarian
imports under the oil-for-food programme and in submitting the contracts for approval.
He also questioned the effectiveness of allocating only six million dollars in the latest phase of
the programme for a special nutritional programme for children, pregnant women and breast-feeding
mothers.
In the letter, Annan approved Iraq's overall proposals for allocating more than 5.5 billion dollars
during the current 180-day phase of the programme, which runs from December 6 to June 3.
The largest single allocation, of 1.275 billion dollars, is for food and is intended to provide a
daily ration of 2,472 kilocalories per person each day, in line with UN recommendations.
An additional 209.3 million is set aside for the food handling sector, including supply trucks and
quality control laboratories.
Annan acknowledged that this "had a direct bearing" on the targeted nutrition programme.
But, he said, "neither the financial allocation nor the range of items related to infrastructure
are commensurate with the scale of the existing programme."
This provides high-protein biscuits and therapeutic milk to malnourished children and to women in
the final three months of pregnancy or the first three months after birth. There are about 50,000
births a month in Iraq.
Annan challenged Iraq "to clarify how the relatively limited resources allocated in the
distribution plan would satisfy the government's objectives in improving the nutritional status of
children."
The plan earmarks 600 million dollars for Iraq's ailing oil industry, 582.5 million for
electricity, 440.4 million for rebuilding and improving railways, and almost 402 million for water
and sanitation.
The figures include the northern part of Iraq, where UN agencies provide for the mainly Kurdish
population, as well as the parts of the country under government control.
A special allocation of 387.4 million dollars is for vulnerable groups, exclusively in
government-run areas.
Other sums include 350.7 million dollars for agriculture, 342 million for housing, and 300 million
for medicine and medical supplies.
The plan allocates 171 million dollars for irrigation, 153 million for primary and secondary
education and 130.4 million for higher education.
The office administering the oil-for-food programme said it did not yet have estimates of actual
oil revenue during the current phase.
Over the past 14 months, the Security Council has revamped the sanctions it imposed on Iraq's after
the August 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
It removed the ceiling on the amount of oil Iraq could export; then it cut from 30 to 25 percent
the share of revenue set aside to compensate Kuwaiti war victims, and increased to 71 percent the
proportion available for humanitarian imports. (The remaining four percent covers various UN
administrative costs).
Almost 7.8 billion dollars was available for humanitarian imports in the previous phase of the
programme, but Iraq's exports have slumped since the start of December because of a row with the
UN's sanctions committee over pricing.
Although the row has been settled, last week's exports -- 1.6 million barrels -- were the lowest
weekly volume since the start of the programme in December 1996.
rh/mk
LOAD-DATE: February 14, 2001
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