Mr. President,

My delegation is pleased to see you preside over the Council and to thank your predecessor.

2. My delegation will vote for the Resolution because we support efforts that will ensure the smooth and unimpeded implementation of the humanitarian programme for Iraq which is vital for ameliorating the plight of the Iraqi people who continue to suffer the effects of the 10-year old comprehensive sanctions imposed on their country.

3. As is reflected in the Resolution, and pointed out by the Secretary-General in his latest Report to the Council (document S/2000/1132 of 29 November 2000), the humanitarian programme for Iraq is temporary and short-term in nature and was never intended to meet all the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi population or to be a substitute for normal economic activity. Also, as the Secretary-General has pointed out, the programme is not geared to address or remedy the long-term deterioration of living standards of the people or their declining educational and health standards and the country’s infrastructure.

4. My delegation is grateful to the Secretary-General in reminding the Council and the international community of the temporariness of the humanitarian programme we are extending for Iraq, today, for another 180 days. It is important that members of the Council keep this in perspective and to remind ourselves, as we renew the programme that this is the 4^th year of the programme and there is a real risk that what is intended to be a temporary mechanism to provide humanitarian relief to the people of Iraq may well become a permanent arrangement, as is the case in respect of the sanctions regime itself

5. The humanitarian programme, however well-intentioned and executed, cannot be a substitute for the lifting of the sanctions, which alone can deliver the Iraqi people out of their present sorry state of affairs, which has been well documented. As the Secretary-General himself stated in his Report, "the vast majority of the Iraqi people still faces a situation of decreasing income, thereby increasing the dependency of the poorer strata on the commodities and services provided through the programme". He went on to comment on the "patterns of pauperization and the growing food insecurity" among the Iraqi people, particularly among the most vulnerable of them. The majority of the population struggle to maintain themselves at above subsistence level while vast numbers of highly trained professionals have emigrated due to the deterioration of their living standards as well as isolation from developments in their respective fields, such as science and medicine. These are the very people Iraq can ill afford to lose for its long-term rehabilitation.

6. It is important that as the Council extends the humanitarian programme, members keep in mind the sobering reminder of the Secretary-General, which he and the Executive Director of the Iraq Programme, never tire of repeating in each and every one of their Reports and briefings.

7. My delegation is also grateful to the Secretary-General and the Executive Director of the OIP for drawing attention – repeatedly in their Reports and briefings – to the problem of the holds in the 661 Committee which has become a major impediment to the smooth running of the programme, with obvious negative effects on the ground. The Secretary-General, in his Report, has expressed serious concern over the excessive number of holds placed on applications. He observed that the volume of holds has risen drastically to US$2.31 billion as at 31 October 2000 and has impacted adversely on such important sectors as electricity, water and sanitation, agriculture, transportation and telecommunications. The holds have also adversely affected efforts to deal with the serious problems of sewage and sanitation. It is equally true in respect of the deteriorating oil infrastructure, including the important Mina Al-Bakr oil terminal, which has not shown any marked improvement since it was highlighted in the Secretary-General’s last Report. The Secretary-General has also drawn attention to the holds on trucks which are badly needed for transportation of food supplies, which, if not eased, may soon affect distribution of food rations. My delegation, strongly supports the Secretary-General’s appeal to all parties concerned to fully cooperate and address the excessive number of holds placed on applications.

8. Many reasons, of course, have been adduced to explain the holds but while some of these reasons are plausible and will, in time, be resolved, many others clearly will require the necessary political will on the part of Council members. At any rate, whatever the reasons, what is alarming and is of serious concern to the Secretary-General, and to my delegation, is the excessive number of the holds – which must be urgently addressed and resolved. It remains our hope that the Secretary-General’s next Report to the Council on the subject will present a more positive picture on the question of the holds and on the humanitarian situation in Iraq in general.

Mr. President,

9.    My delegation continues to be dismayed at the current humanitarian situation in Iraq and agrees with the Secretary-General’s characterisation of the sanctions regime as one that enjoyed considerable success in its disarmament mission but has been responsible for worsening the humanitarian crisis in that country – as an unintended consequence. Like him, we, too, are seriously concerned at the continuing suffering of the Iraqi people and hopes that the sanctions that had been imposed on Iraq can be lifted sooner rather than later. For this, all parties concerned must play their respective roles. In this regard, my delegation looks forward to the upcoming dialogue with Iraq in the context of the Secretary-General’s good offices that, hopefully, will facilitate the early and amicable resolution of all outstanding issues with Iraq, in the interest of the well-being of the Iraqi people and regional and international peace and security.

10. In conclusion Mr. President, let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to Ambassador Peter Van Walsum, Chairman of the 661 Committee, for the able manner in which he had discharged his onerous duties under very difficult circumstances.

Thank you.

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