They also scour the countryside from three regional bases in Basrah, Mosul and Kirkuk, and travel to villages throughout the 18 governorates of Iraq. In each location, they are immediately surrounded by 30 or 40 people, many children, who often complain about the lack of suitable items for them as part of the rations. They request food, sometimes toys. The psychological impact of the work on all observers cannot be underestimated either. Recent wars have left the country 's infrastructure in an appalling state.
Electricity is in short supply, with only a few hours per day in the provinces.
The same applies to the telephone system. Sometimes it's impossible to make even a local phone call. Our work is seriously affected by the lack of communication in a relatively big country. To offset this problem, the UN is in the process of installing its own VHF communications system. In a report to the Council on 28 November, the Secretary-General reviewed the implementation of this programme during 1997.