Showing posts with label congo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label congo. Show all posts
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Chicago Tribune: Italian firm to provide surveillance drone for U.N. in Congo
Click here to read this in full @: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-congo-democratic-un-drones-20130801,0,2616946.story
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday it has procured an unarmed surveillance drone from Italian defense electronics firm Selex ES, a unit of Finmeccanica, that will be deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the coming weeks.
It will be the first time the United Nations has used such equipment and, if the trial use by peacekeepers in eastern Congo is successful, officials and diplomats also hope the drones could be used by missions in Ivory Coast and South Sudan.
"Unarmed UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) will allow our peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo to monitor the movements of armed groups and protect the civilian population more efficiently," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters.
"The selected vendor is the Italian company Selex ES. The UAV is known as the Falco and is designed to be a medium altitude, medium endurance surveillance platform capable of carrying a range of payloads including several types of high resolution sensors," Nesirky said.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thank God for DRC crisis - $$$CASH starts pooring in for cash-strapped UN Agencies
UN agencies resume humanitarian operations in conflict-affected DRC
Click here for this story in full @ NZWeek: http://www.nzweek.com/world/un-agencies-resume-humanitarian-operations-in-conflict-affected-drc-30535/
GENEVA, Nov. 27 — The United Nations humanitarian organizations were able to resume assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs) in 12 sites around Goma, capital city of conflict-affected North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UN agencies said Tuesday.
Elisabeth Byrs, spokesperson of the World Food Program (WFP), said WFP emergency food distributions have been completed in 10 of the 12 IDP sites.
The organization carried out a rapid food security assessment over the past weekend. Many cases of malnutrition have been identified among IDPs during the assessment, she said.
WFP urgently required 114 million U.S. dollars to meet the emergency food and cash voucher requirements of new IDPs and to provide complementary relief, early recovery and resilience support over the next six months.
Adrian Edwards, spokesman with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), told reporters that the UNHCR and its NGO partners have been working over the weekend to deliver WFP food, as well as soap and water containers.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
UNDP Bid: Audit of the UN-REDD programme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
| Audit of the UN-REDD programme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Procurement Process : | RFP - Request for proposal | |
| Office : | OAI - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | |
| Deadline : | 01-Nov-12 | |
| Posted on : | 12-Oct-12 | |
| Development Area : | OTHER | |
| Reference Number : | 9950 | |
|
Documents :
Request for Proposal and TOR | ||
| Overview :
The
United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD Programme)
was created in September 2008 to assist developing countries to build
capacity to reduce emissions and to participate in a future REDD+
mechanism. The UN-REDD Programme builds on the convening role and
technical expertise of its three participating UN organizations: the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNDP,
through its Multi Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), administers and
transfers the funds upon instruction of the UN-REDD Board. Each
organization has agreed to maintain a separate ledger account. Funds
transferred to the agencies should be used for the activities approved
in the project document or amended by the UN-REDD Policy Board. Each
organization is responsible for the implementation of their share of the
work plan.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the original 9 pilot countries of the UN-REDD Programme. It launched a REDD+ national process in 2009 along with a first “Quick Start Project” under UN-REDD financial and technical support. In October 2009, a second programme was designed to develop the REDD+ strategy, the institutional framework for implementation and a monitoring system, up to March 2013. The audit of UN-REDD project in DRC is carried out to provide assurance to FAO, UNDP and UNEP senior management as well as partners and donors, that resources are being used effectively and efficiently for the purposes intended and in accordance with each organization’s respective policies and procedures. In accordance with the provisions of the UN-REDD Framework Document and the Framework for Auditing Multi-Donor Trust Funds, the audit will be carried out in the three participating organizations for their respective share of expenditure and activities, resulting in three individual audit reports. As the Internal Audit Service of the Administrative Agent, OAI undertakes to contract out the audit of The UN-REDD programme in DRC on behalf of all participating organizations. | ||
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The Telegraph: Aid to despot must stop
Click here to read the full story on the Telegraph
How many guest speakers at the Conservative Party conference have been accused of helping an indicted war criminal to lay waste to a swathe of Africa? Step forward President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, a plausible and ruthless autocrat, who was favoured with a special invitation to address the party faithful in 2007. Even at the time, this was an odd decision. Mr Kagame’s subsequent behaviour casts doubt over whether he is fit to have any kind of relationship with Britain.
Telegraph View: Andrew Mitchell, the Development Secretary, must cancel aid to Rwanda's president Paul Kagame immediately.
How many guest speakers at the Conservative Party conference have been accused of helping an indicted war criminal to lay waste to a swathe of Africa? Step forward President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, a plausible and ruthless autocrat, who was favoured with a special invitation to address the party faithful in 2007. Even at the time, this was an odd decision. Mr Kagame’s subsequent behaviour casts doubt over whether he is fit to have any kind of relationship with Britain.
According to United Nations investigators, Rwanda
has supplied weapons and volunteers to rebels in the Democratic Republic of
Congo who have inflicted yet more bloodshed on that benighted
country and driven 470,000 people from their homes. The man behind the
uprising is Bosco Ntaganda, a renegade general popularly known as the
“terminator”, who appears supremely unconcerned about his indictment by the
International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes. If the UN is right and
Rwanda has been helping this warlord, then Mr Kagame’s behaviour is
unconscionable. America clearly believes the UN: Washington has ended
military aid for Rwanda.
And Britain? We are Rwanda’s largest bilateral aid donor, with a programme
worth £75 million this year. Unusually, Britain gives Mr Kagame “general
budgetary support”, meaning that £37 million goes straight into his coffers.
Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, has “delayed” a payment of £16 million. Given the gravity of the charges, this inadequate response suggests that Britain is still inhibited by loyalty to the despot and embarrassment over having favoured him for so long. The idea that any leader who promotes murder and plunder should receive funding is abhorrent. Mr Mitchell should cancel aid to Rwanda's government immediately...
Click here to read the full story on the Telegraph
Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, has “delayed” a payment of £16 million. Given the gravity of the charges, this inadequate response suggests that Britain is still inhibited by loyalty to the despot and embarrassment over having favoured him for so long. The idea that any leader who promotes murder and plunder should receive funding is abhorrent. Mr Mitchell should cancel aid to Rwanda's government immediately...
Click here to read the full story on the Telegraph
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Another UNDP scandal in the making in Congo ( staff are being threaten to keep silent)
De : asbl APRODEC <aprodecasbl@gmail.com> Date : 30 août 2011 17:03Objet : RD CONGO : Lettre ouverte à M. Fidèle SARASSORO Représentant spécial adjoint du Secrétaire général des Nations unies en RD CONGO [APRODEC.blog4ever.com] Cc : fidele.sarassoro@undp.org, euraud@eca.europa.eu, Catherine.Ashton@ec.europa.eu, thijs.berman@europarl.europa. Monsieur le Député, Notre Association vous prie de prendre connaissance de la correpondance qu'elle a adressé à Madame Florence MARCHAL la chargée de communication du PNUD en République Démocratique du Congo ainsi que de la lettre ouverte qu'elle adressée en date du 29 juillet 2011 à Monsieur Fidèle SARASSORO le Représentant résident du PNUD dans ce pays afin de lui demander des explications au sujet [http://static.blog4ever.com/
Les réponses que Monsieur Fidèle SARASSORO voudra bien réserver à la lettre ouverte lui adressée par l'APRODEC asbl seront déterminantes pour juger non seulement de la régularité dans la gestion des fonds publics qui sont mis à la disposition du PNUD par les bailleurs internationaux dans le cadre du financement du processus électoral en République Démocratique du Congo mais aussi de la crédibilité de la politique menée par les Nations unies dans ce pays. Nous vous prions de croire, Monsieur le Député, en l'assurance de notre parfaite considération. Le Secrétariat général APRODEC asbl APRODEC asbl : n° d’entreprise (Moniteur Belge) : 891.074.266. Siège social : Rue des Vétérinaires, 89 Boîte 3. B -1070 BRUXELLES (BELGIQUE). Tél/Fax : 0032.484.925.836 E-mail : aprodecasbl@gmail.com. Blog:http://aprodec.blog4ever.com; Nous rejoindre sur facebook : http://fr-fr.facebook.com/ ****************************** L'efficacité des projets onusiens financés par l'UE mise en doute RTBF - 25.05.2011 La Cour des comptes européenne a publié mercredi un cinglant rapport sur l'usage des fonds européens alloués à des projets des Nations unies dans les pays en conflit, des projets auxquels l'UE consacre en moyenne un milliard d'euros chaque année. Karel Pinxten Sur base d'un échantillon de dix-neuf projets onusiens en Irak, Afghanistan et au Soudan financés par l'UE de 2006 à 2008, le rapport estime que la toute grande majorité de ceux-ci ont été mal conçus, la moitié à peine atteignant leurs objectifs principaux. Et la Cour de citer dans son rapport l'un ou l'autre cas concret, comme un programme visant à renforcer les capacités de la nouvelle administration du Sud-Soudan dont "65% des dépenses n'ont pu être justifiées", ou encore un programme de déminage en Afghanistan où seul 1,6 km2, sur les 26,6 km2 initialement prévus, a pu être déminé, et ce sans la moindre réduction de coûts pour autant. "La seule conclusion possible, c'est que la Commission européenne, responsable de l'usage de l'argent public européen, doit être plus sévère avec l'ONU en matière d'audit", a commenté mercredi le Belge Karel Pinxten, auditeur auprès de la Cour des comptes européenne et auteur de l'étude. Selon l'institution basée à Luxembourg, les Nations unies ne fournissent en effet que très peu de données sur l'usage des fonds pour des projets, et leurs résultats. "Sept des dix-neuf projets n'ont tout simplement pu être évalués car la Cour des comptes n'a pas pu recevoir les données élementaires", a déploré Karel Pinxten, qui reconnaît toutefois qu'il n'est pas toujours aisé d'opérer dans des pays en guerre. Face à ce constat, la Commission européenne devrait, selon la Cour, procéder à l'avenir à une évaluation préalable plus poussée des projets financés, veiller à la définition d'objectifs clairs ainsi qu'au respect des délais, accorder davantage d'attention à leur efficacité et réclamer auprès de l'ONU les rapports nécessaires à une bonne évaluation. Selon Karel Pinxten, un quart de l'aide humanitaire et au développement de l'Union européenne transite aujourd'hui par le biais de l'ONU, laquelle tire un tiers de son budget de l'UE. Belga ****************************** Extrait du rapport spécial n° 3/2011 de la Cour des Comptes européenne sur L’EFFICIENCE ET L’EFFICACITÉ DES CONTRIBUTIONS DE L’UE ACHEMINÉES PAR DES ORGANISATIONS DES NATIONS UNIES DANS DES PAYS AFFECTÉS PAR DES CONFLITS - Hide quoted text - Retrouvez nous sur APRODEC ASBL - Hide quoted text - ---------- Message transféré ---------- De : asbl APRODEC <aprodecasbl@gmail.com> Date : 15 août 2011 23:00 Objet : Re: RD CONGO : Lettre ouverte à M. Fidèle SARASSORO Représentant spécial adjoint du Secrétaire général des Nations unies en RD CONGO [APRODEC.blog4ever.com] À : florence.marchal@undp.org Cc : cotedivoire@un.int, france@franceonu.org, india@un.int, ind_general@indiaun.net, fidele.sarassoro@undp.org,adama.guindo@undp.org, culpin@un.org, helen.clark@undp.org, Catherine.Ashton@ec.europa.eu, euraud@eca.europa.eu,mariya.nedelcheva@europarl. Madame, Votre silence ainsi que celui de Monsieur Fidèle SARASSORO seront interpretés par notre Association comme il se doit c'est-à-dire comme une preuve manifeste de l'implication du PNUD dans les préparatifs de fraude électorale en République Démocratique du Congo. Notre Association diffusera largement son point de vue auprès de l'opposition et de ses partenaires de la société civile congolaises. Votre institution et plus largement, les Nations unies devront assumer leur rôle dans la déstabilisation politique qui résultera de la mystification qu'elles ont entretenues autour d'un prétendu processus électoral crédible et transparent en République Démocratique du Congo. Pour l'APRODEC asbl Didier NKINGU Administrateur chargé des questions juridiques a.i. Le 11 août 2011 11:28, asbl APRODEC <aprodecasbl@gmail.com> a écrit :
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Bloomberg.Com: - U.S. Should Show Its Support for UN by Trying to Fix It: View
click here to view this story on Bloomberg.com
The United Nations is essential but deeply flawed. We strongly support the institution, but encourage efforts to make it more effective and efficient.
For much of the world, the UN is the world’s most important international organization. So it is good news that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is prepared to take a leading role in coordinating economic assistance and supporting Libyan democracy. The UN sometimes has international legitimacy that Western diplomacy lacks and is uniquely qualified to take on such a mission. But conflict resolution isn’t the only way the UN helps advance Western interests.
Peacekeeping is another. Almost 120,000 military and civilian UN peacekeepers are now deployed at 16 crisis spots around the world -- at a total cost of less than $8 billion. In places like Sudan, Congo, East Timor and Ivory Coast, the UN is saving lives, providing security for relief organizations and economic development experts, and helping national reconciliation take hold. If the UN didn’t exist, Western countries would be faced with the horrible choice of either becoming involved in those conflicts themselves or letting hundreds of thousands of innocents die. As UN operations draw troops from the entire world (more than 110 countries are currently contributing), they make it easier for the U.S. and Europe to concentrate on more difficult missions such as the one in Afghanistan.
UN Security Council resolutions that tightened sanctions on Iran and North Korea were major accomplishments, for which President Barack Obama and UN Ambassador Susan Ricedeserve credit. By showing a willingness to listen to others Rice has improved U.S. relations with senior UN officials and other key delegations. But Obama and Rice have been less successful in explaining to the American people why supporting the UN is in the U.S.’s interest.
Financial Accountability
American taxpayers spend about $3.35 billion every year on the UN. They have a right to insist that this money be spent well. Ban should do more to show that it is.
Ban seems to have gotten the message. He has strengthened the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services, which was established in 1994 to investigate allegations of corruption and evaluate UN programs. For most of the past 16 years, that office floundered under ineffective leadership. Things began to change in September 2010 under Carman Lapointe, a well regarded Canadian who Ban appointed. Ban also deserves credit for mandating a 3 percent across-the-board budget cut for all UN agencies in response to the economic difficulties facing many member states. But he could do more by trimming the UN’s personnel costs and dismissing sub-par performers.
Human Rights
Ban could also use his bully pulpit to support the principles embedded in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For most of his first term as secretary general, which began in 2007, Ban was reluctant to criticize member states. But recently he has begun to speak out. Earlier this month, he said publicly that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown on protesters was “totally unacceptable,” that Assad will be held accountable, and that he has “lost all sense of humanity.” Also encouraging was the Aug. 23 vote by the UN Human Rights Council to send an “independent commission of inquiry to investigate” violations of human rights in Syria and its condemnation of “continued grave and systematic human rights violations by Syrian authorities.”
Targeting Israel
But the UN’s credibility on human rights issues is undermined by the Council’s undue focus on Israel. We accept that Israel’s conduct in the occupied territories merits criticism, but unlike Syria and Libya, Israel isn’t bombarding civilians on a daily basis. Yet Israel is the only country that is targeted with a permanent item on the Council’s agenda. Not North Korea, not Cuba, notZimbabwe -- only Israel. While Ban lacks the authority to prevent the Council from politicizing human rights, he can and should condemn it.
He should also forcefully address the case of Richard Falk, the Council’s special rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories. Falk has defended Palestinian suicide bombers, compared Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians to Nazi treatment of Jews, claimed that there was an “apparent coverup” by the U.S. government of the Sept. 11 attacks, and published a cartoon on his blog depicting a dog wearing a Jewish skullcap and a “USA” sweater urinating on Lady Justice and chewing on human bones.
Over the Line
As an American citizen, Falk has the right to say whatever he wants about Israel, or the U.S. As an international civil servant he has the right to criticize either nation’s policies or actions. But Falk’s statements are so far over the line, he deserves to be removed from his UN position. Falk later apologized and acknowledged that the cartoon was anti-Semitic (though he said he initially thought it was only anti-American). While Ban has called for Falk’s dismissal, that isn’t enough. He needs to push Navanethem Pillay, the high commissioner for human rights, to ask the 47 countries that are members of the Council to remove him.
Ban will begin his second five-year term as secretary general on Jan. 1. A strong relationship between the U.S. and UN is in the interests of both. Building that relationship will depend as much on Ban as on Obama.
To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board: view@bloomberg.net.
Monday, August 29, 2011
AP: 3 years for UN driver caught trafficking minerals in Congo
KINSHASA, Congo — A judge in eastern Congo says he has sentenced a United Nations driver to three years in prison for attempting to traffic cassiterite, a metal used to make cell phones.
Friday, August 14, 2009
UN's Ban Expects Nepotism Report Aug. 18, As His Daughter's and Son in Law's Promotion Questioned
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, August 14 -- Questions about nepotism at the UN have multiplied this summer, now leading directly to the top. The efforts by Alan Doss, the Special Representative to the Democratic Republic of the Congo of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, to procure a job for his daughter Rebecca with the UN Development Program, documented by an e-mail obtained and first published by Inner City Press in which Mr. Doss requested "leeway" from applicable hiring rules, has triggered an investigation on which a report is now expected on August 18.
On August 14, Mr. Ban's Spokesperson's Office in a message to Inner City Press disputed that they have been dodging questions and said that Ban "takes this matter very seriously, and expects to see a report upon his return to New York" on August 18. This was reiterated on camera in response to follow-up questions from Inner City Press, here.
But Mr. Ban himself has been subject to nepotism related questions. His son in law Siddath Chatterjee, already given a promotion by another SRSG Staffan de Mistura, in May obtained an even higher job with the UN Office of Project Services in Copenhagen. Inner City Press, which happened on the story while in Copenhagen covering Mr. Ban's trip to Sri Lanka, asked Ban's Spokesperson's Office to confirm the rank and hiring. The Office refused until, four days later, Inner City Press published the story.
Even then, UNOPS refused to state how high a promotion Ban's son in law was given. Internal UNOPS e-mails subsequently obtained by Inner City Press and published below show that it is at the D-2 level, the rank immediately below Assistant Secretary General. Also below is a detailed message concerning Ban's son in law's work in Iraq which calls the promotion into question.
Now despite Ban's Spokesperson's Office referring the question to yet another UN agency, UNICEF, Inner City Press has obtained confirmation that Ban's daughter in late June was given a Temporary Fixed Term contract by UNICEF, in Copenhagen where her husband in May got the promotion. Throughout the UN system, Inner City Press has met spouses who are unable to obtain jobs in the same city, country or even continent.
So, some ask, how seriously can or will Ban take the Doss affair?
UN's Ban and and his DRC envoy Alan Doss shaking hands: sharing a POV?
When last month Inner City Press asked a senior Ban advisor to confirm UNOPS' hiring and promotion of Ban's son in law, the response was that it is a "sensitive" matter but that Ban's Spokesperson should answer. After posing the question, no response was given for four days.
Similarly, when Inner City Press from July 31 on asked about Ban's envoy Alan Doss' e-mail asking for leeway in the hiring of his daughter, Mr. Ban's Spokesperson's Office repeatedly referred all questions to UNDP, even though Doss works for Mr. Ban and the Secretariat.
At the UN's noon briefing on August 14, before publishing this story, Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe to respond to those who question if how Ban views and deals with the Doss matter may be impacted by Ban's own "sensitivity," as the Ban advisor put it, to questions about the UN system hirings of his daughter and son in law. "Absolutely no connection between the two," Ms. Okabe said. Video here, from Minute 10:48. Watch this site.
Regarding Mr. Ban's son in law Siddarth Chatterjee, first from a whistleblowing source anonymous due to fear of retaliation, and then official but internal UNOPS e-mails:
To Inner City Press
I hope you succeed in drawing this level of nepotism to the attention of all, both within and without the UN system. The Iraqis deserved better. UNOPS, for all its faults, deserves better.
Overview of Sid Chatterjee:
Sid was a junior MOVCON officer in northern Iraq during the 986 (Oil for Food) program. Staffan de Mistura was with WFP in northern Iraq, and this is where they met. Sid went on to become a security officer for UNICEF (Somalia), ending up as P4. When de Mistura was appointed SRSG Iraq, apparently Sid called, asked if he could work for him as Chief of Staff, and was immediately given the job. The COS post is a D2 appointment, but Sid was brought in, and ‘performed’ the role, as a D1. He has moved to Regional Director with UNOPS as D2 (see below):
...Never made a decision as COS in Baghdad – never did anything which might be used against him in some way in the future. Kept a clean slate throughout – the problem being, of course, that the mission virtually ground to a halt, as no decisions were made, and no direction given.... In essence, an over-promoted, under qualified, totally ineffective individual, concerned only with getting as high as possible within the system, while conditions are in his favor. (That may seem very subjective, but I can assure you it is the opinion of the vast majority of people in Iraq, especially those working in UNAMI itself. When one international member of UNAMI staff heard Sid had been recruited as Regional Director for UNOPS, he shouted: “D2? D2? He’s not even a f***ing P2!)
Overview of Jan Mattsson:
Came to UNOPS, from UNDP, in 2006... Not field orientated, which is a shame for a UN entity which is predominantly field based. Built a huge empire in Copenhagen, with ludicrous senior staff levels (at P5 and above level). UNOPS, of course, is unique in the UN system, as it is the only entity which is entirely project funded (no core funds whatsoever). Those in the field now have to work harder to fund the bureaucracy which has been established in Copenhagen. Has very weak interpersonal skills, and is utterly hopeless (embarrassingly so) when engaging in conversation with others (including donors, national government representatives etc). His only concern, it is felt by many, is to achieve USG rank before he retires. Of course, only the Secretary General can appoint USGs. Hence Sid to Copenhagen, on promotion.
From: Jan MATTSSON
Sent: 01 May 2009 06:49
To: UNOPS - ALL STAFF
Subject: Appointment of Siddharth Chatterjee as Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East (EMO)
Dear Colleagues,
UNOPS is pleased to announce the appointment of Siddharth Chatterjee as Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East (EMO), stationed in Copenhagen. Starting today Sid will be responsible for UNOPS operations in this new regional office set-up, developing business and delivering a full range of quality services to clients. He will explore partnerships within and outside the UN, including the private sector. And as part of UNOPS senior management team Sid will, like the other Regional Directors, help shape the future direction of the organization. Sid will report directly to Vitaly and myself.
A national of India, Sid is a graduate of the National Defence Academy of India and obtained a certificate in Social Policy from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. For more than 12 years he has held positions of increasing responsibility in UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Iraq, and with UNICEF in Sudan, Indonesia and Somalia. Previously he served 12 years with distinction in the Indian Army Special Forces, rising to the rank of senior Major.
Sid’s familiarity with multi-sector programmes in emergency, transition and development environments, combined with leadership experience in the military and the UN will be a real asset to UNOPS.
Sid is a poet, a keen golfer, enjoys long distance running and scuba diving, and when time allows he willingly jumps out of perfectly good airplanes.
Please give Sid your strong support in our shared efforts to strengthen UNOPS for the benefit of our partners and the people we ultimately serve.
Warm regards,
Jan
Jan Mattsson | Executive Director | Copenhagen, Denmark |
[From Inner City Press' well placed source] Several things are of note about the recruitment. Was it transparent? Nobody thinks so. Is he qualified for a D2 post? Certainly not. His previous experience within the UN was mostly as a junior international staff. The e-mail refers to him having gained a ‘certificate’ in Social Policy from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands – which is a weak attempt to cover up the fact that he does not have a degree (I don’t think he has a first degree, and certainly hasn’t got a Masters degree – a usual requirement for any Professional (P) post, whether junior or senior (and certainly Masters required for D level posts).
...In essence, he is officially totally under-qualified for a D2 post. Not only under-qualified, but his qualifications would, in normal circumstances, actually preclude him from even being short-listed.
For the record, here is what UNOPS, to which Ban's Office of the Spokesperson referred Inner City Press when weeks ago Inner City Press first raised the issue, said in response to a request to know whether the S-G's son in law's post was at the D-1 or D-2 level:
Subj: response from UNOPS to your question
From: [Deputy Spokespeson at] un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 7/24/2009 11:48:20 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Response from UNOPS on the selection of Siddharth Chatterjee as UNOPS Regional Director for Europe and Middle East
Siddharth Chatterjee, was appointed in May 2009 as UNOPS Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East (EMO). He was awarded the position after competing successfully in a routine and transparent recruitment process independently managed by UNOPS.
Mr. Chatterjee met or exceeded all the criteria for the post. UNOPS totally rejects any suggestion that he gained the position due to family connections.
For 12 years Mr. Chatterjee held positions of increasing responsibility in UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Iraq, and working for UNICEF in Sudan, Indonesia and Somalia. Earlier he served 12 years with distinction in the Indian Army Special Forces, including duty as a military observer for the UN, rising to the rank of senior Major. During the recruitment process he impressed the selection panel with his 24 years of leadership and experience handling UN tasks in conflict and post-conflict settings.
The post of regional director was advertised on UNOPS website and in prominent international media. UNOPS received 121 applications, and short listed five candidates based on their specific experience and their match to the competencies sought for the position. UNOPS conducted a formal panel interview with these five, asking identical questions of each. The candidates were ranked based on their interview scores. References were checked and the successful candidate offered the position.
This response does not state Mr. Ban's son in law's new rank nor compensation, nor describe "any safeguards in place" nor "confirm that the spouses of the Secretary General and Mr. Mattssson met in late May, describe all use of UN system personnel in this regard and the cost. Please describe and disclose all communications between the Bans and the Mattssons, in connection with the hiring, with S-G's decision to increase UNOPS' autonomy in hiring and the increase in D-1 and D-2 positions and otherwise."
These questions were reiterated to UNOPS and the UN Spokesperson's Office on July 24, but were never answered. In the interim, Inner City Press has obtained an internal UNOPS email documenting that Mr. Ban's son in law's post is at the higher, D-2 level:
From: Vitaly VANSHELBOIM
Sent: 03 March 2009 11:09
To: UNOPS - EMO
Subject: Welcome to the new mailgroup
As you know, yesterday EUO and MEO formally merged into a new regional office called EMO (Europe and the Middle East) based in Copenhagen...I will be acting Regional Director of EMO until we have recruited a “permanent” replacement. In response to our advertisement for the D-2 regional director job, we received some 130 applications. Five candidates were short-listed for interviews: four were interviewed last Friday and the last interview is scheduled for Thursday this week. We’d like to make a decision by mid-March.
From Ms. Okabe Friday morning:
From: Deputy Spokesperson at un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 8/14/2009 7:57:02 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: your latest entry
What I said was that queries on the biting incident should be directed to the NY County DA Office.
On the allegations, we take the matter very seriously.
"The Secretary-General is aware of the situation. He has been assured that a thorough independent investigation is underway, He takes this matter very seriously, and expects to see a report upon his return to NY."
Before the August 14 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked, among other things, "please confirm that the report you refer to will be the one by UNDP's Office of Audit and Investigation. As the article you're responding to reports, sources in UNDP say the investigation is being compromised by its leadership's long time friendship with Alan Doss. (1) Any response? More important and on deadline: following up on my questions about the hiring of the S-G's son in law by UNOPS, which your Office after not providing any answers about for four days ended up referring to UNOPS only after publication and public raising, (2) please confirm this morning that the S-G's daughter has also obtained a UN system job on a Fixed Term Contract in Copenhagen, and how it should be viewed as above board given the son in law's getting a UNOPS there."
Ms. Okabe did not comment on the credibility of UNDP's investigation, nor the other matter. Rather, she referred Inner City Press to UNICEF, from which
Subj: Answers your queries re: employment status Ms. Ban
From: Spokesman at unicef.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: 8/14/2009 10:25:42 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Hi Matthew,
Answers on Ms. Ban.
Ms. Ban commenced work with UNICEF in January 2003 as a JPO. After completing her term as a JPO and serving the obligatory period away from service, she competed for and won a P2 position in our Sudan office in January 2005.
Currently, she is employed on a 12-month temporary contract (TFT) with UNICEF (at the P3 level) based in Copenhagen which started on 29 June 2009. Her title is "Project Manager: Supply Web Catalogue" in our Supply Division's Knowledge Management section.
From Feb 2006 to 2008, she held a post as a UNICEF staff member based in Nairobi. In 2008, she requested (and was granted) special leave from her staff position in Nairobi. After a period on special leave without pay, she resigned from that post.
Earlier this year she applied for the temporary position mentioned above in Copenhagen. Candidates were reviewed according to our normal procedures, she was gauged the best candidate and she was offered the job.
The work she is undertaking for UNICEF has no relationship whatsoever with the position her husband occupies in UNOPS. It is not uncommon for married couples to apply for positions that allow them to live in the same city/country.
A Ban adviser after Friday's noon briefing argued that married couples should be allowed to be posted together. Inner City Press does not disagree, but has met many couples in the UN system forced to be apart. Shouldn't all UN staff be treated equally? As one source asked, isn't preferential treatment for relatives of high officials the definition of nepotism? Watch this site.
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