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01 March 1999

DELAYS KEEP SUPPLIES FROM IRAQI CIVILIANS, UN REPORTS

(UN says medical supplies are sitting in Iraqi warehouses) (890)
By Judy Aita
USIA United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- The United Nations has reported that Iraq is not
distributing about $275 million worth of medical supplies and a
significant quantity of other goods have not been distributed or, in
some cases, even ordered under the Security Council program designed
to help Iraqi civilians.
In a written report to the Security Council on the "oil-for-food"
program, Secretary General Kofi Annan said he is concerned over the
long delays between the time supplies arrive in Iraqi warehouses and
when the Iraqi Government distributes the supplies to civilians.
"While there is full recognition of the unsatisfactory health and
nutritional situation in Iraq, the slow pace of distribution of
medicine and medical supplies from Kimadia central warehouses to the
governorate warehouses, and further to health facilities, is a matter
of serious concern," Annan said.
The secretary general pointed out that the amount of medicines and
medical supplies in the warehouses is more than half of all the
medical supplies that have arrived in the country since the start of
the program.
"The quantity of medical equipment in warehouses is alarmingly high,"
he said. "Only 15 percent of all medical equipment received by the
warehouses has been distributed. Follow-up visits to sites receiving
the equipment found that only 2 to 3 percent had actually been
installed."
The secretary general blamed poor working conditions in the
warehouses, lack of transport and "the rigid hierarchy in the Ministry
of Health administration which makes it difficult for functionaries to
approve deliveries without approval of superiors. ..."
A variety of sources, including the World Health Organization (WHO),
suggested that the stockpiling of supplies increased after September
1998 when tensions between Iraq and the UN weapons inspectors and the
Security Council mounted. "Superiors may have deliberately withheld
supplies in anticipation of emergency needs," Annan said.
The secretary general added that he is seriously concerned that Iraq
has not submitted applications for food supplies under the previous
and current phase of the oil-for-food program.
He noted that the UN plan calls for more than $8 million worth of high
protein biscuits for pregnant and lactating women and about $8.7
million for therapeutic milk for malnourished children under five
years old. "As of 31 January, the Ministry of Health, after
considerable delay and numerous reminders from the (UN), had signed
contracts for only $1,692,100 worth of high protein biscuits....(and)
260 tons of therapeutic milk valued at about $1.5 million," Annan
said.
The coordinator of the UN's Iraq program told the Security Council
February 25 that drastic changes have to be made in the way the
program is implemented if the basic humanitarian needs of Iraqi
civilians are to be met.
Benon Sevan, executive director of the UN's Iraq program, said that
sagging oil revenues, weak delivery and distribution systems, and a
lack of cooperation from Baghdad limit the effective implementation of
the program.
A further review is being undertaken by a special panel on
humanitarian issues. It is one of three panels set up by the Security
Council under the chairmanship of Brazilian Ambassador Celso Amorim to
review issues of concern -- weapons of mass destruction, humanitarian
issues, and POWs and Kuwaiti property -- and recommend ways the UN's
work in those areas can be improved. The three reports are expected
bin mid-April.
Security Council President Robert Fowler of Canada said that during a
private council meeting, members discussed "how the program could be
improved and very specifically the need for Iraq to improve its
cooperation with the program."
Fowler highlighted the "significant inventories (of) medicines and
school supplies that have not been delivered."
Sevan said that the UN expects less than $3 million in revenue during
the current six-month period even though Iraq is allowed to sell more
than $5 billion under the Security Council's plan.
Prices for Iraqi crude have decreased to around $8.60 per barrel, thus
total revenue for Iraqi sales is estimated at $2,900 million. From
that amount, pipeline fees, money for spare parts for Iraq's oil
industry and other expenses will be deducted, leaving about $1,800
million available to purchase humanitarian supplies -- an amount that
was available when the program was initiated and later determined to
be too low to meet the basic needs of Iraqi civilians.
"We are really not moving forward," Sevan told journalists after his
private meeting with the council.
Even with the purchase of spare parts to repair the Iraq oil industry
so that it can pump the increased amount of oil allotted, Sevan noted,
"we don't expect any impact on the increase of oil flows before March
2000."
"It is time for the council to start looking for alternative measures
of financing the requirements ... in order to be able to increase the
output and export ... otherwise there is no way the program can
continue the way it is," he said. "We have to take some bold
decisions."
"The issue of what is in storage -- that is something the Iraqi
authorities should be addressing urgently," Sevan added. "You cannot
tell me you have a serious situation and yet the oil is still in
storage."