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Iraq

Summary: February 19, 2001: Iraq (Brussels)


BACKGROUND

Since the Gulf Crisis in 1990, Iraq's compliance or non-compliance with various resolutions adopted by UN Security Council (UNSC) has governed Iraq's relations with the rest of the World. The most important resolutions are:

The implementation of sanctions has over the years been subject to disputes between UNSC and Iraq resulting in at least nine crises. The latest and still ongoing crisis has been the most prolonged and difficult to overcome. This crisis started in November 1998 with the expelling of UNSCOM from Iraq. As a result UK/US responded with air bombings in the no-fly zones, which have continued since then.

During most of 1999 UNSC could not find a common approach to deal with the matter. A compromise was finally reached by the adoption of UNSCR 1284 of 17.12.1999. However, four UNSC members abstained in the voting (Russia, China, France and Malaysia) and Iraq did not accept UNSCR 1284, which will put in place the monitoring system of UNMOVIC and offers renewable periodical suspension of the economic sanction regime. UN-Iraq relations have therefore over the last year come to a stalemate, with the exception of the oil-for-food facility, which has continuously been renewed.


EU Political Action

Since the Gulf crisis started, the European Parliament and Council have issued a number of resolutions and conclusions. The Swedish Presidency has initiated a review of EU policy on Iraq in the Council. The European Parliament plans to hold a debate on the human rights situation in Iraq during the February session. The most recent EP and Council texts are listed below:


European Parliament:
Council of Ministers:
EU Humanitarian Aid to Iraq

An overview of the EC humanitarian assistance to Iraq is given in the attached 'ECHO Background Note.' Attention is drawn to:
EU relations with Iraq

European Community: The EC has not and never had any contractual relations with Iraq. There is no official dialogue between the Commission and the Iraqi Government, and the Commission does not have a delegation in Baghdad. However, the Iraqi Chargé d'Affaires in Brussels is accredited to the EC. The Commission has, since 1991, limited its dealing with Iraq to implementing the UN Security Council's sanction regime and to emphasizing that full Iraqi compliance with relevant resolutions is a prerequisite to any reconsideration of the present state of affaires. Through its humanitarian assistance, the Commission, represented by ECHO, has gained some prominence.

EU Member States: All the EU Member States maintain that Iraq must co-operate with UN and fully comply with UNSC resolutions. In parallel bilateral EU Member States diplomatic relations with Iraq are undergoing changes.


BACKGROUND NOTE: HUMANITARIAN AID (ECHO) FOR IRAQ

ECHO and its presence in Iraq

Since the end of the Gulf War in 1991, the EC has been the major donor of humanitarian aid to Iraq, with 258,6 million EURO. It was expected that with the full implementation of the oil-for food deal, humanitarian aid should in principle be provided in the future without recourse to outside assistance. However, implementation of the deal has been slow in getting underway. At the beginning of phase IX (December 2000 - June 2001), on a total value of $ 24 billion of humanitarian allocations, only 28% ($ 6,9 billion) was supplied to the Iraqi population and $ 2,6 billion put on hold. It is clear that the oil-for-food deal cannot prevent the erosion of the country's basic infrastructure (water, sanitation, hospitals, electricity etc) due to the continued embargo. From all available indications, it can be concluded that poverty levels have continued to increase during 2000. Humanitarian assistance from the international community can at best only offset for a short term some of the worst effects of this breakdown of infrastructure.
ECHO's current criterion for establishing priorities is to provide actions that are complementary to the oil-for-humanitarian goods program in favor of the most vulnerable, concentrating on topical sectors where it would remain useful and cost-effective. In particular, compensation for the lack of "cash assistance" in the center and south (pop. Mio 19, Baghdad Mio 4) where humanitarian needs are greater than in the north of the country (pop. Mio 3). An 8,6 million Plan of Action for Iraq for the year 2000 was approved by the Commission on 19 April 2000. It focuses on the provision of clean drinking water which is essential to protect the health of the Iraqi population and in particular children, from the environmental risks of water borne communicable diseases, primarily diarrhea, but also others such as typhoid and the continuing threat of cholera outbreaks. It has been reported that these are the principal causes of illness, malnutrition, malaise and death in young children. Hospitals and Primary Health Centers are in such bad conditions that they can be hazardous to patients; their rehabilitation is also considered by ECHO as a priority, with the assistance for children in special institutions for the handicapped, orphans and street children. The Plan of Action activities are implemented through various NGOs and UN agencies namely: Care-UK, Première Urgence (France), Enfants du Monde - Droits de l'Homme (France), Médecins du monde (France), Netherlands Red Cross, UNICEF and UNHCS (UN Centre for Human Settlements, Habitat). All projects selected for financing have been evaluated and monitored regularly by ECHO staff from Amman (Jordan).


How EC Humanitarian Aid is implemented and monitored?

EC humanitarian aid is implemented through a limited number of accredited international NGOs and UN agencies. ECHO regional Office staff in Amman regularly monitors the operations in Iraq. In 2000, the GOI has for the first time agreed that ECHO monitors from Baghdad the projects implemented in the Kurdish controlled areas.


What will be ECHO strategy for 2001?

A new Plan of Action is under preparation with the same strategy and priorities. The future situation as regards the embargo and the oil for humanitarian goods program after the current phase is at best uncertain. It is therefore important that ECHO continues to be present in Iraq in 2001 and that the humanitarian situation be constantly reviewed.


Projects approved for ECHO financing in 2000

Partner Beneficiaries and Place Aims and Type of Aid Amount allocated (Euros)
CARE -UK 370 000 people in two towns (Afik et Shamya) in the Governorate of Qadissyah mprove water quality, general hygiene and health care - refurbishing water preparation plant, installing a water distribution network and repairing 2 hospitals and 4 dispensaries. 2 300 000
Enfants du
Monde Droits de l'Homme		 5 100 handicapped children in the 14 Governorates of central and southern Iraq Provide support for handicapped children, orphans and street children - refurbishment and equipage of 13 specialist institutions, providing food and restore the bus 1 000 000
MDM F
Médecins du Monde-France		 3 pediatric surgery units (hospitals in Bassorah and Baghdad) - 3.7 million children below 5 Expand capacity of 3 of the 4 units supplying medical equipment, medicines and consumables and holding update courses in pediatric surgery. 370 000
NRC
Netherlands Red Cross		 12 dispensaries (2 in northern Iraq and 9 in central and southern Iraq) - 300-1000 patients / day each Expand the capacity of 12 rural dispensaries refurbishing buildings and supplying essential medical furnishings and equipment. 380 000
NRC
Netherlands Red Cross		 Factory of intravenous transfusion solutions that covers 40% of requirements in central and southern Iraq. Increase the capacity of this factory - supplying basic production materials, spare parts and laboratory equipment. 770 000
Première Urgence 6 hospitals in 5 Governorates 830 000 patients / year. Improve access to health care by getting the hospitals' infrastructure restored and providing training in maintenance 2 100 000
UNICEF 33 schools and 5 dispensaries in Bassorah beneficiaries:
16 000 pupils and 14 000 children below 5.		 Create more hygienic conditions for children (refurbishing school toilets and providing cleaning materials) and provide care for malnourished children (basic medical equipment & refurbishing) 500 000
UNCHS
United Nations		 The Al Habibia part of the Saddam City suburb of Baghdad beneficiaries: 12 000 pupils. Create a more hygienic environment and improve water distribution. Restoring Al Habibia sewage pumping station & refurbishing the sewage system. 445 000
Reserve 735 000
Total 8 600 000



  • Ref: EC01-013EN
  • EU source: European Commission
  • UN forum: 
  • Date: 19/2/2001


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See also
 

European Union Member States