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| Significant Dates in Cotecna's Involvement in the Food-for-Oil Program |
| 2004-10-26 |
| From Cotecna's website Cotecna won the first UN call for tender for the authentication of imported goods in Iraq as early as 1992. At the time, finalization of negotiations for a contract ceased because of the lack of agreement by the Iraqi government. In April 1995, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 986, setting forth the framework for the Oil-for-Food Programme, allowing Iraq to use 53% (later increased to 59%) of oil sales revenues for the purchase of humanitarian goods. The resolution also requested the UN Secretary General to receive authenticated confirmation that exported goods had arrived in Iraq and, for this purpose, the UN contracted for the services of an agency internationally recognized as an expert in that field. In July 1996, the UN issued its call for tender for the Oil-for-Food programme. In August 1996, Cotecna Inspection S.A. responded but was not awarded the contract. Rather, the contract was awarded to a British inspection company. Cotecna participated in a new UN call for tender for this programme in the fall of 1998 and was selected, based on its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and technologically advanced solutions, to commence providing services in February 1999. Indeed, the quality of Cotecna's performance led to three extensions of the initial contract through to July 2001. In the summer of 2001, the UN issued a new call-for-tender and Cotecna was again selected and awarded a one-year contract. This contract was extended twice until November 2003. In November 2003, this contract was assigned by the UN to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq (CPA), and was later extended by the CPA to June 2004 under identical terms, following termination of the UN Oil-for-food programme. Cotecna responded to a new tender issued by the CPA for the Oil-for-Food Contracts Deliveries under a competitive bidding process and was advised on June 22, 2004 that the contract had been awarded to Cotecna by the CPA and the Iraqi Interim Government. Cotecna's limited, technical role in the Oil-for-Food programme was carried out in full compliance with its contract requirements, with its own strict code of ethical conduct, and according to the best practices in the industry, as codified by the International Federation of Inspection Agencies. In 1999, following reports in the British press on Cotecna's employment of Kojo Annan, the son of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and allegations regarding the selection of Cotecna as UN agent for the Oil-for-Food programme, Joseph Connor lead an internal investigation at the UN which found that the Oil-for-Food authentication contract had been awarded in full compliance with UN requirements. It should be noted that Kojo Annan's full-time employment by Cotecna as a graduate trainee and later as an Assistant Liaison Officer in Lagos, Nigeria, ended well before the selection of Cotecna for the UN mission; Mr. Annan's full-time employment began in December 1995 and ended in December 1997, after which Kojo Annan was retained as a consultant until the end of 1998. His activities concerned exclusively Cotecna's separate activities in Nigeria and Ghana, and he was not involved in any of Cotecna's operations involving the United Nations or Iraq. Cotecna intends to continue to clarify any questions remaining about the professional mission it accomplished through its limited, technical role in the Oil-for-Food program and to respond to any misinformation that unfairly distorts its record of professionalism and ethical business practices. |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |
| #1 It should be noted that Kojo Annan’s full-time employment by Cotecna as a graduate trainee and later as an Assistant Liaison Officer in Lagos, Nigeria, ended well before the selection of Cotecna for the UN mission; Mr. Annan’s full-time employment began in December 1995 and ended in December 1997, after which Kojo Annan was retained as a consultant until the end of 1998. His activities concerned exclusively Cotecna’s separate activities in Nigeria and Ghana, and he was not involved in any of Cotecna’s operations involving the United Nations or Iraq. And he didn't tell 'em a thing. Nope, not a thing. Kept his mouth shut the entire time. Didn't know anything, so he couldn't tell 'em antything. You bet. The lad's got a future in Chicago, inspecting buildings, verifying elections, and staying dumb. |
| Posted by: Darth VAda 2004-10-26 10:43:39 PM |