UNITED NATIONS, March 25: Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday decided to extend the mandate of the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC), set up to investigate the scandal-ridden Iraq oil-for-food programme, until the end of the year.

The final report of the committee, released on Oct 27 last year, revealed a network of kickbacks and surcharges involving companies registered in a number of countries.

In the report Mr Annan reiterated his commitment to ‘vital’ reform of the UN management structure in response to criticism in earlier reports that found failures in actions by the UN secretariat in regard to the now defunct $64-billion programme. The plan allowed Saddam Hussein’s sanctions-bound government to sell oil to buy essential supplies.