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United Nations

UN Humanitarian Program for Iraq Falls Short of Meeting Real Needs

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The United Nations' oil-for-food program, intended to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, has only managed to meet 66 percent of their actual needs, according to Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Salah. This shortfall is due in part to delays in approving contracts under the program, which allows Iraq to sell limited amounts of oil to purchase humanitarian supplies. The program has been in place for three years, with Iraq resorting to using its state reserves to cover shortages, particularly in food items such as wheat. However, the country is unable to cover shortfalls in dairy products due to a lack of storage capacity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UN humanitarian program for Iraq, the oil-for-food program, only meets 66 percent of the real needs of the Iraqi people, according to Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Salah.
  • Iraq has been using its state reserves since the implementation of the oil-for-food deal three years ago to cover shortages of items imported under the humanitarian deal.
  • The country has resorted to using its storage of wheat to feed its people, as the amount allocated under the deal meets only one-third of the total need.
  • Iraq cannot cover shortages in dairy products due to a lack of storage, with Minister Salah criticizing the UN Sanctions Committee for delaying the approval of Iraq's contracts signed under the oil-for-food program.
  • The UN Security Council has been accused of not allowing Iraq to use its frozen assets, totaling 4 billion US dollars, for humanitarian purposes.
  • The ration card system, introduced in 1990, aims to prevent the Iraqi people from starvation by providing them with the minimum of foodstuffs and other basic daily necessities.

Statistics:

  • 66 percent: the percentage of real needs met by the UN humanitarian program for Iraq.
  • 3 years: the duration of the oil-for-food program's implementation.
  • 58 percent: the amount of wheat needed that is only met one-third through the program.
  • 4 billion US dollars: the total value of Iraq's frozen assets, not being used for humanitarian purposes.
  • August 10, 1990: the date the ration card system was introduced in Iraq.

Sources:

  • XINHUA (Dec. 23) - The U.N. humanitarian program for Iraq, the oil-for-food program, meets only 66 percent of the real needs of the Iraqi people, said Iraqi Trade Minister Mohammad Mehdi Salah on Thursday.
  • COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com) - News Provided by COMTEX.

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