ORHA Fact Sheet - Ministry of Trade

ORHA Fact Sheet Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance Thuraya Phone: 88-216-7744-1080 Email: orhapic@yahoo.com Ministry of Trade Fact Sheet May 8, 2003 Overall Information The Ministry of Trade deals with national and international distribution of Iraqi goods. The headquarters for the ministry employs 1,400 Iraqi citizens and has eight satellite offices. The ministry is partially responsible for the distribution of food, personal hygiene and other basic needs products to the 26 million people of Iraq. Iraq will soon be a responsible member of the world market, and the ministry is developing policies to ensure that the Iraqi people are the beneficiaries of Iraq’s vast resources. Facts on the Ministry -60 percent of Iraqi citizens rely on the distribution of ministry products (grain and other food products). The repeal of UN sanctions is crucial to the return of normal distribution of these products. -Food storage facilities have been looted, but a sufficient amount of these facilities have been secured, in order to ensure that there is no food crisis in the near future. -Food production and distribution in Iraq has resumed in a limited capacity. Security is a concern, but some Iraqi state run businesses have provided their own security so that production and distribution could continue. -1,400 employed in Baghdad headquarters. The employment stats are unknown in other locations because buildings and documents have been severely damaged. -$20 emergency relief payments were distributed on May 13.