Australia commits $Aus 100 million to Iraqi relief

03 April 2003
The Australian government has committed $Aus 100 million ($59 million) and 100,000 tonnes of wheat for immediate Iraqi relief, director-general of AusAID Bruce Davis said at a press conference in Washington on 2 April.

Davis said that most of the funding has been committed to UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Two vessels carrying 50,000 tonnes of wheat each are in the Gulf. One has been directed to unload its cargo in Kuwait City and the second is to be unloaded in the Iraqi port Umm Qasr when security allows, Davis added. The vessels had been contracted to deliver the wheat under the oil-for-food programme before it was suspended on 17 March. They had been docked in Oman following the suspension of the programme.

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