Security Council agrees on interim arrangements in Iraq.

• Author: Taylor, Russell
• Position: Peace Watch

As the UN Chronicle went to press, the United Nations Security Council on 22 May adopted with near unanimity a resolution granting wide interim governing powers to the United States and its coalition partners and including a role for the United Nations in the reconstruction of Iraq. Adopted by 14 to 0, with Syria absent, resolution 1483 (2003) lifts sanctions imposed almost 13 years ago on Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait, allows for full resumption of oil sales to restore economic activity for reconstruction, sets up a government infrastructure under the new Authority, and calls on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to appoint a Special Representative. It also allows for a Council review in 12 months' time. Mr. Annan said he would name "without delay" the Special Representative, for whom he requested full Council support.

United Nations international staff returned to Iraq on 23 April. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq Ramiro Lopes da Silva led a team of senior UN officials on 1 May and re-established a permanent presence of international personnel in Baghdad for relief operations, which had been withdrawn on the eve of hostilities. The Coordinator was accompanied by the country representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Ghulam Popal; the World Food Programme (WFP), Torben Due; the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Carel de Rooy; and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Francis Dubois. The UN agencies will assess the most urgent needs, with priority given to water and sanitation, assistance to vulnerable groups, the electricity supply, mine action and health and primary education.

The pace of the agencies' return remains dependent on the UN assessment of security and the United States' declaration of "permissive environments" in areas of need. WFP has launched the largest emergency operation in its history, and as of 8 May over 100,000 tonnes of food (enough to feed 6.75 million people for a month) had been delivered since the start of the conflict.

A long with 12 million litres of water, UNICEF has delivered vaccines for 240,000 children, and therapeutic milk and high-protein biscuits for 240,000 malnourished children and 130,000 pregnant/lactating women. It is also implementing a "School in a Box Programme" to speed the reopening of schools.

The UN is reactivating systems of humanitarian delivery with the Iraqi Ministry of Trade and other ministries. Local technicians are helping on needs and populations to be targeted. WHO has, as of 8 May, assessed nearly 300 health facilities and delivered emergency health kits for 150,000 patients, enough for three months. UNDP is focusing on emergency repairs to the electricity network, and damage assessments are being carried out in several major cities. Job creation programmes are being launched in garbage disposal and small-scale infrastructure rehabilitation. UN-Habitat is checking war-damaged public buildings and housing, and conducting emergency assessment of solid waste disposal and sewage in Basra.

The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), through the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has been undertaking assessments in the south and established a Mine Action Coordination Group in Basra. UNMAS will help coordinate the work of the United Nations system, specialist non-governmental organizations and coalition forces in the clearance of unexploded ordnance. UNOPS is working on resuming its mine action programme in the three northern governorates. In addition to advocating on behalf of some 1,000 asylum-seekers caught in "no man's land", the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is sending tents, mattresses, blankets and other non-food items to Baghdad to assist up to 2,000 Palestinian refugees evicted from their accommodation. Similar assistance is being brought in to northern Iraq for returnees. UNHCR has issued a preliminary repatriation and reintegration plan to help up to 500,000 Iraqi refugees to return home.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is working with aid groups to transport medical equipment and supplies to Iraq. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Office of the UN Coordinator for Iraq are providing coordination tools, such as the Humanitarian Information Center.

During the conflict, UN humanitarian operations in Iraq were maintained as far as possible. WFP national staff organized food distributions to internally displaced persons in the three northern governorates, assessed the public distribution system, supported the delivery of food, worked to open corridors from Turkey, Jordan and Iran into Iraq, and delivered 37,000 metric tonnes of food from the beginning of the war through 23 April. In northern Iraq, local staff of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN continued to provide basic inputs to farmers, monitor possible outbreaks of animal diseases and plant infestations, and provide support to protect the current harvest. UNICEF local staff delivered humanitarian supplies, worked to maintain potable water, prevented further losses of humanitarian assets and helped stop a...