Head of UN’s Iraq Programme arrives in Baghdad for talks with senior officials

The Executive Director of the United Nations Office of the Iraq Programme has begun a three-week working visit to the country, meeting with senior officials in Baghdad.

Benon Sevan, whose office oversees the UN “oil-for-food programme” which allows Iraq to use a portion of its petroleum revenues to purchase humanitarian relief, met today with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Sevan also had meetings scheduled with officials at the Ministry of Oil.

Mr. Sevan is in Iraq to hold discussions with government officials and UN senior officers on ways to improve the overall implementation of the oil-for-food programme.

Meanwhile, the Office reported today that Iraqi oil exports plunged drastically to 3 million barrels in the week ending 11 January, down from the previous week’s high of 15.5 million barrels. This marked the lowest level of petroleum exported so far in the current phase of the programme, which began on 1 December 2001 and ends on 29 May.

The Security Council committee monitoring the sanctions against Baghdad released from hold one high-value contract in the electricity sector, worth $147.5 million. Despite this development, the total value of “holds” placed by the Committee remained almost unchanged at nearly $5 billion, the Office said.