Iraq: French Graft Trial Over Iraq 'Oil for Food' Programme

Mar 18, 2015 | Dunya News
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Fourteen companies, including Renault Trucks and Legrand, went on trial Wednesday, accused of siphoning off cash to Saddam Hussein s Iraqi regime during the "oil for food" programme.

The United Nations programme, which ran from 1996 to 2003, allowed the regime in Baghdad to export some oil in return for basics such as food and medicine.

But Saddam forced participating foreign companies to pay a 10 percent surcharge -- accounted for as "transport costs" or "after-sales service" -- which in reality went to the regime s coffers.

The programme was dogged with mismanagement and corruption involving UN employees and more than 2,000 firms from 66 countries.