Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called
on all concerned to depoliticize the humanitarian oil-for-food programme
for Iraq, which allows Baghdad to use a portion of its petroleum revenues
to purchase relief for the country's people.
"Although the programme is being
implemented within the context of a sanctions regime, it is essential for
all parties concerned, now more than ever, to depoliticize and facilitate
the implementation of the programme in order to alleviate the continued
suffering of the Iraqi people," the Secretary-General writes in a
report to the Security Council released today. "The Iraqi people must
receive all the assistance that they direly need and deserve," he
stresses.
The report provides details on the humanitarian situation in Iraq, where despite improvements in nutrition, poor people are often forced to barter their food rations to procure other basic necessities. It notes that "even though Iraq has a surfeit of vegetables, fruits and animal products, the majority of the Iraqis cannot afford to buy them" because of declining purchasing power.
The Secretary-General also points out that owing to the shortage of some medicines in Iraq, drugs are still being rationed to outpatients. "One of the serious health risks of this practice is the potential development of resistant bacterial strains during the treatment of infectious diseases where less than the full course of antibacterial agents is provided to patients," he warns. The report documents continuing shortages of some injectable antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and drugs used in the treatment of diabetes and heart diseases.
The Secretary-General expresses concern about the number of "holds" placed by a Security Council committee on contracts for humanitarian goods. "It is regrettable that it has not yet been possible for the committee to start a fresh round of technical meetings to review the holds placed on applications in each sector," he observes in reference to the so called 661 committee which monitors the sanctions against Iraq.
According to a United Nations spokesman, the Security Council is scheduled to take up the report in closed consultations on Thursday.
Spokesman Fred Eckhard also told reporters that Hans Blix, the Executive Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), briefed the Council this morning. Mr. Blix said that "the Commission is prepared to move fast if the Government of Iraq gives the green light for inspections," the spokesman said.