U.N.: Iraq Needs $5 Billion from Donors for 2004

[ze_dscherman]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will need $5 billion from a planned meeting of international donors in October just to keep its creaking infrastructure going and basic services from grinding to a halt, a senior U.N. official said on Tuesday.

Ramiro Lopez da Silva, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, told a small group of journalists that Iraqi Finance Ministry officials estimate the cost of keeping the country's institutions and services running at $20 billion for 2004. That includes recurring costs covered in the annual budget.

On the revenue side, da Silva said, Iraq could expect little income beyond what its ramshackle oil industry can earn, although debt forgiveness and the repatriation of seized and frozen funds may also help ease the burden.

Given Iraq's problems in cranking up oil exports, most estimates forecast total income of $15 billion or less in 2004 -- - leaving a gap of at least $5 billion that donors must fill.

"That is just to keep things going," da Silva said. "If you want a qualitative leap, a quantum leap in living standards and conditions, you would need much more."

http://news.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=PNUA4PLESFS3WCRBAEZSFFA?type=topNews&storyID=3220085

[Trajan]

1. Lets see if .....

Ronnie Raygun and Poppy Bush can reopen the BCCI on behalf of Iraq ...

They did it once: .. they can do it again ....

[Julien Sorel]

2. You broke it, you bought it?

Not this time? What happened to that value conservatives always prattle about, you know the one: self responsibility.

Isn't that a conservative mantra? Sure it is -- when they are preaching it to other people. When it comes to their own messes though, they'll take any handout that comes along. The U.S. and Britain insisted on keeping the sanctions in place; the U.S. and Britain invaded the country and tore up what was left of it, but now they want other countries' monies to rebuild the place. In some ways, this shows more gall than the invasion itself.

[cthrumatrix]

3. enter World Bank to collaterlize any natural resoures....right on time

These guys don't miss a beat.

[StandWatie]

6. missed that aspect

of course, I'm sure those vultures will be decending shortly.

[HungryLoser]

4. The oil companies should pay

that's not much for them.

[OneBlueSky]

5. that's about what a month of occupation is costing us . . .

maybe we can just give the guys a few weeks off and use the money elsewhere . . . they sure could use a break . . .