29 July 2003

Weekly Update

Prioritized Items Destined for Iraq Total $2.5 billion 

Weekly meetings of UN and Iraqi experts and CPA advisors following the adoption of Security Council resolution 1483 (22 May), have so far produced a list of 1,612 prioritized contracts valued at almost $2.5 billion for early delivery. The contracts contain items considered by all parties to have “relative utility” based on preliminary assessments of Iraq’s needs.

The relevant UN agencies and programmes are working directly with the suppliers concerned to amend the contracts and expedite shipments.

Added to the list this week are 116 contracts worth almost $358 million for the agriculture sector and 10 contracts valued at $23.6 million for the education sector. The agricultural items include machinery, vehicles, irrigation equipment, pesticides, animal feed and veterinary supplies. Items for the education sector include school buses, printing paper and ink.

Additional information is available from the website of the Office of the Iraq Programme. For further information please contact Ian Steele email: steelei@un.org