UN releases latest figures on oil-for-food programme for Iraq

Iraq earned some $340 million through oil exports over the

past week under the United Nations oil-for-food program bringing the country's oil export revenue since mid-December to some $6.172 billion, the Office reports in its weekly update for the period 29 April through 5 May.

Humanitarian supplies and equipment for the oil industry continue to

arrive normally by land and by sea, according to the update. In the past

week, some 120,000 of wheat, rice and cooking oil arrived, along with

infant formula and detergents, medicines and health equipment, school

desks and material such as pipe fittings, pumps and insulation.

Meanwhile, the Security Council sanctions committee has lifted holds on

a number of contracts in the humanitarian and oil sectors. The total

worth of contracts currently on hold is roughly $1.82 billion, "well

down from last week's figure of nearly $1.95 billion," according to a UN

spokesman, a UN statement said.