In order to clarify the confusing general media reporting about the costs of the military occupation of Iraq and the projections of the costs of the reconstruction of Iraq, it may be important to understand the reasons for the U.N. presence in Iraq.
If there is no U.N. Peace-keeping force, what are U.N. officials doing in Iraq, since there are several other international organisations attending to medical and humanitarian emergencies in the country ?
One of the reasons that the U.N. - as an organisation - may be being attacked by Iraqis is that after years of sanctions, their main source of foreign trade is still being divided up amongst the countries that supported Gulf War I. One of the reasons the U.N. is maintaining a presence is in order to manage the Iraqi economy.
The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) held its 49th Session, last week and the Governing Council awarded US $ 315,113,082 to be shared among various claimants for damages attributed to Iraq, nearly 13 years ago.
To date, claims totalling $ 46.6 Billion have been recognised and $17.8 Billion has been given to claimants. This comes from revenues derived from the “Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food”. which allocates up to 30% of Iraq’s oil revenues to the UNCC.
The UNCC Governing Council met under the presidency of German Ambassador Michael Steiner and has decided to hold its Fiftieth Session, 16 to 18 December. Since the “Oil-for Food” programme is scheduled to be phased out by 21 November, the UNCC will have to make necessary adjustments.
For additional information, please see:
The official UNCC Press Release, in pdf form;
http://www.unog.ch/uncc/pressrel/pr_49c.pdf
United Nations Compensation Commission; http://www.uncc.ch
Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food;
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/
Gulf War Profiteering – Victors and Victims, by Christiane Martens and Paul V. Rafferty http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=313&blz=1
If there is no U.N. Peace-keeping force, what are U.N. officials doing in Iraq, since there are several other international organisations attending to medical and humanitarian emergencies in the country ?
One of the reasons that the U.N. - as an organisation - may be being attacked by Iraqis is that after years of sanctions, their main source of foreign trade is still being divided up amongst the countries that supported Gulf War I. One of the reasons the U.N. is maintaining a presence is in order to manage the Iraqi economy.
The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) held its 49th Session, last week and the Governing Council awarded US $ 315,113,082 to be shared among various claimants for damages attributed to Iraq, nearly 13 years ago.
To date, claims totalling $ 46.6 Billion have been recognised and $17.8 Billion has been given to claimants. This comes from revenues derived from the “Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food”. which allocates up to 30% of Iraq’s oil revenues to the UNCC.
The UNCC Governing Council met under the presidency of German Ambassador Michael Steiner and has decided to hold its Fiftieth Session, 16 to 18 December. Since the “Oil-for Food” programme is scheduled to be phased out by 21 November, the UNCC will have to make necessary adjustments.
For additional information, please see:
The official UNCC Press Release, in pdf form;
http://www.unog.ch/uncc/pressrel/pr_49c.pdf
United Nations Compensation Commission; http://www.uncc.ch
Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-for-Food;
http://www.un.org/Depts/oip/
Gulf War Profiteering – Victors and Victims, by Christiane Martens and Paul V. Rafferty http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=313&blz=1