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Helping the Iraqi People

The mission of the Oil-for-Food program was to address the humanitarian impact of the sanctions on the Hussein regime, while maintaining the sanctions to keep Saddam from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. The program accomplished its goal. Nine different United Nations agencies, programs, and funds developed and managed humanitarian operations in Iraq across 24 economic and social sectors.

  • The program delivered food rations sufficient to feed all 27 million Iraqi residents, resulting in a drop in the malnutrition rate among Iraqi children by 50%;
  • It contributed to national vaccination campaigns that helped reduce child mortality and eradicated polio in Iraq for last three years;
  • The program provided more dependable access to electricity and clean water;
  • Foodstuffs worth more than $13 billion and medical supplies totaling $2 billion entered Iraq;
  • More than 2,500 Iraqis were empowered to carry out these projects.

It is also important to note that 0.8% of the program funds was provided to UNMOVIC, the United Nations weapons inspections program in Iraq . The program was key to destroying weapons of mass destruction in the hands of the Iraqi regime and preventing it from developing new weapons programs.