Transfer of the Oil for Food Programme

At midnight 21 November, responsibility for the Oil for Food programme was transferred from the United Nations to the CPA. The UN and World Bank estimate that "60 percent of Iraqi people are now completely dependent on the food ration system" (UN / World Bank Joint Iraq Needs Assessment, October 2003, para 2.12), which has been supplied through the oil for food programme since 1996. This page collects documents on the transition.

Transfer to the CPA

• UN Security Council Resolution 1483 provided for the transfer of the programme (paragraph 16)
• UN Statement on status of funds. As of 19 November 2003, the programme had distributed humanitarian goods costing $31 billion, with another $11.8 billion committed to goods and projects yet to be completed. $3 billion has been transferred to the Development Fund for Iraq, and $1.6 billion remains in the UN/Iraq account.
• CPA Oil for Food page. This currently contains almost no information
• Statement by Benon Sevan (19 Nov 2003).
• CPA overview of OFF transition plans, sent to the 661 committee (responsible for aspects of OFF implementation). This outlines the planned division of labour, transfer of contracts and employees, security and payment procedures. (12 November 2003)
• Slides from presentation on the transition (17 November 2003)

About the Oil for Food programme

• CASI's guide to the programme
• The UN Office of the Iraq Programme's introduction to oil for food.
• Reports on the Oil for Food programme are a key source of information both on the programme and on humanitarian conditions in Iraq under sanctions
• The UN Press Release on the end of the programme outlines its history (19 Nov 2003)
• A statement by the UN secretary general praises the operation of the programme (19 November 2003)
• CASI's information source listings. See in particular the sections on the Office of the Iraq Programme and the Oil for Food Programme

This archive site is hosted by the Iraq Analysis Group, to whom queries should be directed