Iraq was the largest buyer of Sri Lankan tea during the reign of Saddam Hussein.

[2] In the late 1970s, Sri Lanka suffered from the increased prices of oil brought about by OPEC.

Hussein agreed to supply 250,000 tons of oil on a four-year deferred payment basis, at a low rate of interest to Sri Lanka.

[3] When a cyclone hit a village in Sri Lanka, local authorities asked Hussein for help.

Grateful families living in the village hung his picture in their houses out of respect.