Payment Information - Authentication by the United Nations Independent Inspection Agents Concerning Deliveries to Iraq

(See chart)

For each shipment of goods to Iraq, the Independent Inspection Agent at the relevant point of entry examines all documentation presented. A partial or complete physical examination of the cargo may also be conducted and samples of certain commodities may be drawn for laboratory analysis. At the conclusion of the inspection process, the Independent Inspection Agent generates a shipment inspection and authentication report, which is forwarded electronically to the Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP). The OIP processes the shipment inspection and authentication report and submits it to the United Nations Treasury, confirming the arrival of the goods in Iraq. In order to enable the Independent Inspection Agent to reconcile the shipped materials with the approval letter, the packing and shipping documentation should be organized in a clear and proper manner. For further information in this regard please consult: STATUS OF AUTHENTICATED GOODS (Humanitarian Supplies) (Oil Spare Parts).

Payment to suppliers for contracts concluded with the Government of Iraq are conditional upon compliance with the terms specified within the letter of credit. The letter of credit shall require, as a condition for payment, the submission to the issuing bank of the following documentation:

1. The customary commercial documentation, any required governmental license or equivalent, authorizing the export, and a copy of the approval letter issued by the Office of the Iraq Programme which states that the exporter is eligible for payment from the United Nations Iraq Account. The supplier is responsible for the preparation and submission of these documents to the Bank.
2. A confirmation by the Secretary-General's designee of the arrival of the exported goods in Iraq, which is submitted to the Bank by the United Nations. The basis for the preparation of this document is the authentication, pursuant to paragraph 8 of Security Council resolution 986 (1995), by the United Nations Independent Inspection Agent of the arrival of goods in Iraq or performance of services.

The Bank shall make payment under the letter of credit only if all the documents listed above and stipulated in the LC have been presented and if all other terms and conditions stipulated in the LC have been complied with. When specified in the contract and the supporting documents, partial payments may be made in the full amounts that correspond to actual instalment deliveries to Iraq, provided arrivals of such actual deliveries are confirmed in accordance with procedure.

The authentication information field below permits suppliers to view deliveries or services authenticated by the Independent Inspection Agent, by Comm. number.

Suppliers should allow 10 business days from the date of arrival of the goods to permit processing of the authentication by Cotecna and OIP and posting of authentication information on the Office of the Iraq Programme web site. For goods delivered by land the arrival date is the date the goods were presented to the Independent Inspection Agent. For consignments delivered to Umm Qasr, by vessel, the date of arrival is the date that the vessel berthed and goods were available for inspection. If authentication information concerning deliveries has not been posted on the web site, at the conclusion of this period, suppliers may contact the Office of the Iraq Programme via the relevant permanent mission.

If the authentication information field below indicates that the arrival of the goods in Iraq has been confirmed by the Independent Inspection Agent, suppliers should allow a further 10 business days for the processing of the request by the Office of the Iraq Programme and the United Nations Treasury until the standardized confirmation of the arrival of goods is submitted to the Bank. The Bank is entitled to seven (7) working days to review all documents received. The payment process which follows is dependent on the current volume under process by the Bank.