EQUIPO NIZKOR |
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03oct03
Iraq needs $36 Billion for reconsruction for 2004-2007.
Iraq needs some $36 billion for reconstruction for the years 2004 to 2007, according to the findings of United Nations missions to be presented at the Iraqi Donor Conference in Madrid later this month.
The missions were undertaken by the UN Development Group and the World Bank Group with assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) soon after major combat ended in Iraq and are in addition to the $20 billion the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) has said are needed in critical sectors, including security and oil.
According to the missions' findings, Iraq's overall reconstruction needs today are vast and are a result of years of neglect and degradation of the country's infrastructure, environment and social services.
The assessment notes that not all of the identified needs may require external financing. Already in 2004, about $1 billion of these needs are covered by ongoing contracts under the UN Oil-for-Food programme, through which the sanctions-bound regime of Saddam Hussein was allowed to sell oil for humanitarian supplies.
The Madrid conference, scheduled for 23 to 24 October, will seek funding from the donor community to address priority reconstruction and rehabilitation needs, focusing on both urgent and medium-term requirements for supporting sustainable development.
In other news, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iraq, Andreas Mavrommatis, has delayed a scheduled trip to the country because of the terrorist attack on UN headquarters there on 19 August.
The Rapporteur is to submit a report to the General Assembly focusing on newly available information about violations of human rights and humanitarian law by Saddam Hussein's government over many years.
[Source: UN News Service, NY, 03Oct03]
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