SEVENTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE UNCC GOVERNING COUNCIL TO BE HELD FROM 5 TO 7 APRIL

The Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) will hold its seventy-first session from 5 to 7 April 2011. At the opening plenary, the Council will elect a new president to replace Austria, whose term concluded in December 2010. Brazil currently holds the vice-presidency and has been acting as president since January 2011.

During the session, the Governing Council will discuss various issues relating to the work of the Compensation Commission including reports on the activities of the UNCC Secretariat since the last session in November 2010; on the Follow-up Programme for Environmental Awards established by the Council to monitor the technical and financial implementation of environmental remediation and restoration projects; and on the distribution by Governments and international organisations of payments to successful claimants, the transparency of the distribution process, and the return of undistributed funds.

General background information on the work of the Compensation Commission is provided below.

A press release with information on the results of the seventy-first session will be issued on 7 April 2011.

The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations Security Council. It was established in accordance with Security Council resolutions 687 (1991) and 692 (1991) to process claims and pay compensation for direct losses and damage suffered by individuals, corporations, Governments and international organizations as a direct result of Iraq’s unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait (2 August 1990 to 2 March 1991).

The Compensation Commission received approximately 2.7 million claims. The total asserted value of these claims (i.e., the amount sought by the claimants) amounts to approximately US$352.5 billion. Ninety-seven Governments filed claims on behalf of their nationals, corporations and themselves, as well as thirteen offices of three international organizations, which filed claims on behalf of individuals not in a position to submit their claims through a Government. They consist of the claims of individuals for departure from Kuwait or Iraq (category A claims), the claims of individuals for serious personal injury or death (category B claims), the claims of individuals for losses up to $100,000 (category C claims), the claims of individuals for losses over $100,000 (category D claims), the claims of corporations, other private legal entities and public sector enterprises (category E claims), and the claims of Governments and international organizations (category F claims). In June 2005, the Commission completed its processing of all submitted claims. The total compensation awarded amounts to approximately $52.4 billion.

To date, the Compensation Commission has made available to Governments and international organizations approximately $31.4 billion for distribution to successful claimants in all categories. Funds to pay compensation are drawn from the United Nations Compensation Fund, which currently receives 5 per cent of the proceeds generated by the export sales of Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products. The Commission monitors the distribution of payments to claimants by the relevant Governments and international organizations. They are obligated to distribute funds to successful claimants expeditiously and report back to the Commission on such distribution.

Further information about the Compensation Commission can be found on its website located at www.uncc.ch.


For use of information media; not an official record

UNCC/11/02E