Iraq earns another $479 million under UN oil-for-food program
Iraq, Economics, 8/31/2000

Iraq last week exported 17.2 million barrels of oil, earning an estimated $479 million for the United Nations humanitarian "oil-for-food" program, according to the latest figures released Tuesday by the UN office administering the scheme.

Meanwhile, the Security Council Committee monitoring the sanctions against Iraq, known as the "661 Committee," last week approved an additional contract for the sale of Iraqi oil, the Office of the Iraq Program said. The contract went to a Swiss company for 1.5 million barrels of oil.

Also over the past week, the Committee approved an additional 74 contracts for the humanitarian program in Iraq. The Office reported that humanitarian supplies, as well as equipment for Iraq's oil industry, continued to arrive normally through the three land border points and at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.

On Tuesday, the Office put out a list of the water and sanitation supplies that are eligible for "fast track" approval by the Committee. The accelerated approval process, set up by the Security Council, directs the Sanctions Committee to approve lists of foodstuffs, as well as health, agricultural and educational supplies, which would no longer require submission to the Committee for approval, but rather would be notified directly to the Secretary-General through the Office.

The new list of water and sanitation supplies includes pipes, sewage treatment materials, and related vehicles. Lists for food, educational materials, medical supplies and spare parts for Iraq's oil industry had previously been approved by the Committee.

The Committee has approved 98 contracts since the current phase of the program began on June 9, with a total volume of about 384 million barrels.

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