United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483

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United Nations Security Council Resolution 1483 was adopted by a vote of 14 to zero (with Syria absent) on 22 May 2003.

This resolution resolved many of the legal and governmental ambiguities that resulted from the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the US and UK led "coalition of the willing". Its three most important features are that it empowered the coalition, making it the legitimate and legal governing and peacekeeping authority; recognized the creation of a transitional governing council of Iraqis; and removed all sanctions against Iraq that were placed upon the former regime of Saddam Hussein, additionally terminating the (now unnecessary) Oil-for-Food Program.

The resolution transferred the authority to authorize expenditures from Iraq's oil revenue from the United Nations to a Development Fund for Iraq, controlled by the Coalition Provisional Authority, on May 23, 2003. It also created an international body to monitor the Coalition's expenditures from Iraq's oil revenue, the International Advisory and Monitoring Board. The Coalition's authority to expend Iraq's oil revenue was conditional. The Coalition was only authorized to expend those funds for the benefit of the Iraqi people. Those expenditures were only authorized if they were made in an open and transparent manner. The Coalition was only authorized to expend funds so long as they cooperatived in the IAMB's oversight of those expenditures, and the Coalition was charged with the obligation to make those expenditures with meaningful Iraqi input.

The Oil-for-Food Program's remaining funds of $10 billion were transferred over a 6 month winding-up period to the Development Fund for Iraq, representing 14% of the program's total income over 5 years.

The United Nations supplemented resolution 1483 with resolution 1546 in the summer of 2004.

The Coalition was widely criticized for failing to implement adequate financial controls; with failing to make expenditures from the Development Fund for Iraq in an open and transparent manner. See the KPMG audit of the Development Fund for Iraq.