§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What constructions were erected by Brown & Root in Somalia, for whose benefit and on whose orders, what facilities they included; and for what will they now be used.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyPrior to 1 April 1994, Brown & Root provided construction services to the United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II) under a support contract negotiated directly with the United Nations.
According to the UN Secretariat, construction projects assigned to Brown & Root by UNOSOM included fabrication or relocation of the temporary, one-storey, general purpose wooden buildings that UNOSOM used as living accommodation and administrative space; the renovation of UN-owned prefabricated buildings which had outlived their normal lifespan; and the selective refurbishment of indigenous structures so as to make them usable by UNOSOM for the duration of its mandate. In some cases, Brown & Root was tasked to build or relocate entire camps from one location to another. The scope of work included the requirement to construct associated water, power, drainage and septic systems, access roads and walkways, and perimeter security fencing.
In addition, Brown & Root carried out road and runway construction projects, involving limited improvements to existing roads, runways, taxiways and parking aprons, helipads used by UNOSOM supply vehicles and transport aircraft engaged in the logistics tasks of the mission.
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§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will confirm that the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Somalia requested $94 million from United Nations headquarters in New York to pay for services from Brown & Root during the spring of 1994, and, if so, what were those services, and by whom were they approved.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyAccording to the United Nations Secretariat, the actual amount paid to Brown & Root for the period 1 November 1993 through 31 May 1994 relating to services in Somalia was $44,614,700.
The UN has issued the following breakdown of the services provided:
$ I. Equipment acquisition 15,301,000 II. Contractual services Water distribution 1,415,000 Engineering services 2,950,000 Transportation 4,018,000 Troop support 1,539,000 Equipment rental 1,463,000 Brown & Root mobilisation costs 2,046,000 Parts for US-provided equipment 12,582,700 Airfield matings purchased from US Army 1,298,000 Airport services and freight management 2,002,000 Sub-total 29,313,700 Total 44,614,700 The services provided by Brown & Root were approved by the appropriate Committee on Contracts convened in the field and in the United Nations headquarters in New York.