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Conflicts of Interest in UNHCR Program with SocGen and Pictet Reveal Reform Rifts

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee at the U.N.

  

UNITED NATIONS, July 12, 11:45 am, updated 7 pm -- Eager to "team up" with banks Societe Generale and Pictet & Company, the United Nations' refugee agency allowed SocGen to use the UN logo in a way subsequently criticized by UN legal staff, and to invest Kashmir Relief Notes funds in a Pictet & Cie fund despite owner Ivan Pictet being a member of the UN Investment Committee. Criticized by other UN units, UNHCR agreed to cease renting out the UN logo, but said nothing can be done about the investment with Pictet et Cie.

    Inner City Press first raised these matters in April 2006. Earlier today UNHCR in Geneva finally responded, confirming but defending the investment in a Pictet fund.  UNHCR's Ron Redmond wrote to Inner City Press that

"based on the information available to us, there is no conflict of interest created for Mr. Ivan Pictet, managing partner of Pictet & Cie, and ad hoc member of the UN Investments Committee, by the fact that Pictet Funds Indian Equities is one of the funds in which KRN funds are invested. Societe Generale, the issuer of the Note, is solely responsible for choosing the funds and this selection is based on recognized risk management and hedging criteria; UNHCR plays a purely passive role as the recipient of a donation and has no interest in the performance of the Note. Moreover, Mr. Pictet's membership in the UN Investments Committee was unknown to all parties involved in drawing up this investment product, and we trust therefore that the decision to include a fund managed by Pictet & Cie was taken in good faith."

         Whether this is in keeping with current and proposed UN standards of ethics and transparency will be seen in coming days. Whether the stated lack of knowledge of Mr. Pictet's membership on the UN Investment Committee comports with minimal corporate or competence standards is also in question. The problem is a wider one: in a defensive internal memo reviewed by Inner City Press, UNHCR lawyer Helmut Buss argues that UNICEF similarly partners with FIFA and NIS Petrol Co, and that the World Food Programme does the same with TNT Airways and the World Rugby Board. Nevertheless, UNHCR has agreed to drop the logo use and the "teams up" language deployed in its April 5 press release.

            The investment in a fund controlled by a member of the UN Investment Committee UNHCR defends, including by pointing out that Morgan Stanley's Francine Bovich is also on the UN Investment Board, while the UN does much business with JPMorgan Chase. (Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase, despite the comment reference to Pierpont, are not related companies.) The UNHCR memo's argument is that it's too complicated or burdensome to avoid conflicts of interest. UNHCR's earlier justification to Inner City Press argued that "we are not talking about the usual procurement procedure," when talking about an investment in a fund controlled by a member of the UN Investment Committee.

            This conflict-or-reform debate has included at least in the carbon copies Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch-Brown, who appears to have agreed that UNHCR's actions were improper. The paper trail may be important. The story began with a UNHCR press release on April 5 of this year, headlined "New corporate investment scheme helps fund UN quake relief efforts" and stating that "the United Nations refugee agency has teamed up with two Swiss investment companies in a scheme that will benefit its earthquake relief operation in Pakistan. The joint project launched by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Zurich-based Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, and derilab s.a., a derivatives company, will allow investors to participate in a financial product that affords a unique opportunity to support reconstruction and relief efforts."

   Inner City Press inquired into the release and published a round-up article on April 11 questioning the partnership: "It might well be on the level. But it's not yet clear that if it weren't, the scheme would not proceed. It would help if the follow-up questions were answered."

Inner City Press' article included at length the statement of UNHCR's Olivier Delarue:

From: Olivier Pierre Delarue
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
Sent: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 14:18:54 +0200
Subject: Re: Fwd: Press inquiry concerning how Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, and derilab s.a were selected for participation with UNHCR

I work in UNHCR's Private Sector Fund Raising Service as Senior Corporate Relations Officer and your query about this fund raising initiative was forwarded to me... Based on the previous exchange of email you sent, your focus seems to be on the procurement and bidding process done by the UN. This particular initiative, however, is a fund raising project first proposed by  corporate entities and aimed at raising funds for UNHCR's humanitarian program.  Therefore, as with any fund raising project, we are not talking about the usual procurement procedure.

In my capacity as Senior Corporate Relations Officer, my role is to work on creating new partnerships with the corporate world in order to increase our donor base and receive greater financial and expertise from the private sector. In this particular case, Derilab s.a. approached us in the aftermath of the earthquake in South Asia and proposed to assist us pro bono in finding new ways of raising donations from the financial market for this emergency. As this was never done in the past, a financial product which incorporated a charity/donation component was not easy to build. Derilab presented the project to all the major banks involved in structured and derivative products. Only Societe Generale showed a serious interest in working on this new concept. As matter of principle, UNHCR screens all new partnerships with the private sector. Societe Generale, the only bank to show an interest for this project, was screened. As a result of our careful review, Societe Generale was screened positively for various reasons, including their participation in the UN Global Compact. Please note that in the case of this initiative, UNHCR is only a receiver of donations through this financial product -- but is not endorsing the product itself

  The phrase "we are not talking about the usual procurement procedure" may have been an understatement, given the investment with a company controlled by an individual who is a member of the UN Investment Committee. Regarding the last above-quoted phrase, even the UN Headquarters staff who subsequently questioned UNHCR's program apparently found dubious this last point: the use of the phrase "teams up" implies an endorsement, the question-memo noted. ICP reiterated its broader questions to UNHCR in Geneva on June 1, including directly to Mr. Delarue, to whom UNHCR's spokesman's office also forwarded the request.

     Several UN officials contacted Inner City Press about its initial story. Subsequently UN staff in New York wrote to UNHCR in Geneva, demanding an explanation including of the seemingly violative use of the UN logo contrary to GA Resol. 92(I) of 1946.  More than a month later, UNHCR's Helmut Buss sent back a multi-page memo, acknowledging the investment in Pictet Funds Indian Equity Fund, and that Ivan Pictet is on the UN Investment Committee. Mr. Buss claimed to have determined that this conflict had been stumbled into "in good faith," and that avoiding conflicts would be difficult, given for example that Morgan Stanley's Francine Bovich is also on the UN Investment Board.

   How will conflicts of interest be avoided in the future?  More than 12 hours before initial publication of this report, Inner City Press put these questions to UNHCR in Geneva, as well as to Ivan Pictet by fax at his place of work. Inner City Press' request for UNHCR's comment stated that "while it shouldn't need to be said, Inner City Press has been appreciative of UNHCR's responses, when received, on refugee-related questions on Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, etc.. This inquiry, which began in April and was attempted to be concluded in June, is neither anti-refugee nor anti-UNHCR. As many have said, transparency is good for the UN system, in the long run. In this short-run, this is a formal request for UNHCR's written comment as quickly as possible."

            In the short and medium-run, UNHCR has declined to answer press questions about this, back in April, in early June, and now. What will happen in the longer run remains to be seen.

            At 8:15 a.m. New York time, 12 hours after sending its written request for comment, Inner City Press telephoned UNHCR deputy spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis in Geneva and reiterated the request for comment. Ms. Pagonis indicated that the request had already been forwarded to Mr. Delarue for response by midday. But since he had been asked back in early June to comment on developments of which Inner City Press was even then aware, and he did not respond, to await Mr. Delarue's belated second response seemed neither necessary nor appropriate. "It is not really about Mister Delarue," Inner City Press explained to UNHCR's Jennifer Pagonis. "It's about UNHCR and the wider United Nations."  Subsequently, the following was received:

From: REDMOND [at] unhcr.org

To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com, BUSS [at] unhcr.org, DELARUE [at] unhcr.org

Sent: Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:01 AM

Subject: Re: Request for comment asap on UNHCR / Societe Generale's Kashmir Relief Note/ Pictet Funds - on deadline

Dear Mr. Lee,

Olivier Delarue and colleagues have looked into your questions and their reply follows.

- Use of UN name and logo: UNHCR has not authorized Societe Generale to use the UN name and logo, nor of the UNHCR official logo, both of which are indeed protected under GA/RES/92(I) of 1946. In line with the "Guidelines on Cooperation between the United Nations and the Business Community", issued by the Secretary-General on 17 July 2000, however, UNHCR has, for the sole purpose of the raising of funds for UNHCR, allowed SocGen to use, on its brochure announcing the KRN, the UNHCR "visibility logo" with the addition "in support of". For your information, Article 16 (d) (ii) of the a/m Guidelines authorizes the use of the name and emblem "to assist in the raising of funds for the Organization".

- Potential conflict of interest: Based on the information available to us, there is no conflict of interest created for Mr. Ivan Pictet, managing partner of Pictet & Cie, and ad hoc member of the UN Investments Committee, by the fact that Pictet Funds Indian Equities is one of the funds in which KRN funds are invested. Societe Generale, the issuer of the Note, is solely responsible for choosing the funds and this selection is based on recognized risk management and hedging criteria; UNHCR plays a purely passive role as the recipient of a donation and has no interest in the performance of the Note. Moreover, Mr. Pictet's membership in the UN Investments Committee was unknown to all parties involved in drawing up this investment product, and we trust therefore that the decision to include a fund managed by Pictet & Cie was taken in good faith. In any event, Mr. Pictet had no involvement whatsoever in UNHCR's decision to accept the funds thus raised by SocGen. Finally, you may also note that the volume of this investment (US$1 million shared over a number of funds, only one of which is Pictet & Cie's) cannot be considered to benefit Mr. Pictet in any substantial manner.

- Screening of Corporate Partners: Societe Generale is a member of the Global Compact . Moreover, our research at the time demonstrated that Societe Generale was rated over the past years as one of the best banks in the world, and the best in terms of derivative products. For your information, private sector partnerships are a relatively recent addition to UNHCR's fundraising strategy. In its dealings with the private sector, UNHCR consistently bases itself on the a/m Guidelines issued by the Secretary-General. In addition, UNHCR is in the process of installing an advisory board to ensure even more checks and balances. This process, by the way, was already on the way before the KRN was even first considered.

Derilab, finally, is not a signatory to the Global Compact. It is a very small Swiss company consisting of former bankers, that offered to provide its expertise in the highly specialized field of derivative products to come up with innovative approaches that could increase UNHCR's ability to raise funds from the financial market.

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. The past month is one of the busiest times of the year at UNHCR.

Regards, Ron Redmond

Head, Media Relations & Public Information, UNHCR Geneva

Update 1 p.m. July 12 -- Asked at the noon briefing if UNHCR is correct in invoking in its defense of this program and investments Kofi Annan's "Guidelines on Cooperation between the United Nations and the Business Community," spokeswoman Marie Okabe said that UNHCR has submitted a detailed response and that she, and presumably for now the Secretariat, have nothing to add to it. While UNHCR's written response was, as always, appreciated, on-the-record inquiries will continue, first into whether this UNHCR program, SocGen's initial use of the logo and the investment with Pictet & Cie, are viewed within the Secretariat and elsewhere as comporting with current and proposed standards of transparency and ethics.  Inner City Press is aware of views within the Secretariat, not close to the ground, which are at odds with UNHCR's positions and actions. These views are being solicited, on-the-record.

If Ambassadors to the UN, even from the Permanent Five, answer questions at the Security Council stakeout about their positions on such issues as amnesty for the Lords Resistance Army's Joseph Kony, and who should repair the Gaza electrical power plant, the Secretariat should answer regarding this UNHCR program. Watch this space.

Feedback: editorial [at] innercitypress.com

UN Office: S-453A, UN, NY 10017 USA Tel: 718-716-3540

Inner City Press' earlier story on this, followed by UNDP - Uganda, etc.

Inner City Press Global Inner Cities Report - April 11, 2006

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee at the UN

UNITED NATIONS, April 11 -- An inquiry to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, about what they called a financial "scheme" with Société Générale and derilab s.a., resulted in the following answer:

From: Olivier Pierre Delarue

To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Sent: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 14:18:54 +0200

Subject: Re: Fwd: Press inquiry concerning how Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, and derilab s.a were selected for participation with UNHCR

I work in UNHCR's Private Sector Fund Raising Service as Senior Corporate Relations Officer and your query about this fund raising initiative was forwarded to me... Based on the previous exchange of email you sent, your focus seems to be on the procurement and bidding process done by the UN. This particular initiative, however, is a fund raising project first proposed by  corporate entities and aimed at raising funds for UNHCR's humanitarian program.  Therefore, as with any fund raising project, we are not talking about the usual procurement procedure.

In my capacity as Senior Corporate Relations Officer, my role is to work on creating new partnerships with the corporate world in order to increase our donor base and receive greater financial and expertise from the private sector. In this particular case, Derilab s.a. approached us in the aftermath of the earthquake in South Asia and proposed to assist us pro bono in finding new ways of raising donations from the financial market for this emergency. As this was never done in the past, a financial product which incorporated a charity/donation component was not easy to build. Derilab presented the project to all the major banks involved in structured and derivative products. Only Societe Generale showed a serious interest in working on this new concept.

As matter of principle, UNHCR screens all new partnerships with the private sector. Societe Generale, the only bank to show an interest for this project, was screened. As a result of our careful review, Societe Generale was screened positively for various reasons, including their participation in the UN Global Compact. Please note that in the case of this initiative, UNHCR is only a receiver of donations through this financial product -- but is not endorsing the product itself.

     Inner City Press responded with follow-up questions, including regarding Societe General's long embroilment in a money laundering scandal, and asked:

-is membership in the Global Compact the main screen UNHCR applies to its corporate engagements, whether philanthropic or in procurement? What are the other "various reasons"? Did your careful review of Soc Gen -- just as an example -- include the issues raised by the money laundering allegations sketched below, including those in Nigeria (we're aware that Soc Gen has not been convicted of anything, but that wouldn't seem to be the standards for a careful review).Again, these questions don't go to the merits of how the funds are used by UNHCR -- as an aside, hats off for your work in the Balkans and with Return, Afghanistan, etc.

- is derilab s.a a signatory to the Global Compact? (I'm aware I could look it up, but the question also includes -- if a company is not a signatory to the Compact, what else do you look at?) 

   Neither question has yet been answered. A Web search for derilab reflects that nearly all of the "hits" are about its recent "scheme" with UNHCR. It's own web site says only

"derilab(R) was recently founded by experts in the field of financial derivative and structured products. derilab's focus is to provide it's [sic] customers with key information on derivative and structured products. derilab also advises on the structuring of financial products."

            It might well be on the level. But it's not yet clear that if it weren't, the scheme would not proceed. It would help if the follow-up questions were answered.            

UN Acknowledges Abuse in Uganda,

But What Did Donors Know and When?

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee at the U.N.

UNITED NATIONS -- The rights of Ugandan civilians have been abused by government soldiers, leading the UN Development Programme to halt its programs in eastern Uganda, Kofi Annan's spokeswoman Marie Okabe stated on June 29, 2006. (Video is here, answer is Minute 11 to 13:35. The newspaper The New Vision picking up on Inner City Press' reports, click here to view; the AP in New York has also followed up).

   While clearer than before in acknowledging abuses by the Ugandan People's Defense Force, which Inner City Press has reported on for the past eleven days, this statement does not address what the Ugandan government's funders knew and when they knew it. UNDP has repeatedly declined to answer this question, which has been put to it in writing and orally, or has left its answers vague and not, it's said, to be quoted. Here however is AllAfrica.

            A UNDP statement issued in Kampala on Thursday, three paragraphs in length, waited until its last terse sentence to disclose that "pending clarification from the Government of Uganda on the current disarmament approach in Karamoja, UNDP Uganda has suspended its support to activities related to the KIDDP."

             This last stands for the Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Plan, a copy of which Inner City Press has obtained.  The KIDDP lists a number of funding partners, including the Danish International Development Agency, the European Union, the World Bank, the government of Italy, Germany's GTZ, USAID, Netherlands' SNV, Ireland's DCI, and the UN agencies World Food Programme and UNDP. Since UNDP initially named Denmark as the funder of disarmament programs in eastern Uganda, Inner City Press last week asked the Danish mission to the UN for its comment on specific allegations of abuses in Karamoja. "It will take time to look into," the mission's spokesman said. On Thursday Inner City Press asked the Danish Ambassador to the UN, the outgoing Security Council president. The World Food Programme was asked for comment a week ago but no response has been received. The inquiries will continue.

UPDF & UNDP (cordon & search not shown)

  With regard to UNDP, the statement is undated, and cannot itself be the warning which UNDP states it has given. Some surmise that the abuses were to meet the aggressive gun-collection targets, even to provide a photo-op. As with photography, transparency would have been better from the beginning, and is still being called for.

Feedback: editorial [at] innercitypress.com

 USA (UNHQ-NYC) Tel: 718-716-3540

In Uganda, UNDP's Belated Announcement of Program Halt Leaves Questions Unanswered

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee at the U.N.

UNITED NATIONS, June 28 -- On June 29 in Uganda, ten days after Inner City Press' questions about disarmament abuses began and two days after a more quiet announcement, the United Nations Development Programme is slated to go public with the news that it has suspended its programs in eastern Uganda. This follows the newspaper The New Vision picking up on Inner City Press' reports (click here to view; the AP in New York has also followed up). In the field of public relations, the advice is often to get out in front of events, rather than play catch-up. When that is missed, it's spin, spin, spin.

  In the Kampala-based New Vision, Ugandan People's Defense Force spokesman Felix Kulayigye is quoted as disputing Inner City Press' reports, stating that "statistics showed that the cordon-and-search had been more successful than voluntary surrendering of guns" and that "this month, the UPDF recovered over 1,100 guns compared to 636 guns recovered in two years ending March 2006."  It all depends on the tactics used... The AP has UNDP's spokesman declaiming that "our operations in the region have halted due to a continuing difficult security situation and concerns about Ugandan military operations in the area." UNDP's letter goes further, referencing recent reports of "killings, beatings, arbitrary detention, intimidation and harassment."

    Wednesday in New York, nine days after Inner City Press first raised these questions, UNDP's spokesman came to speak to Inner City Press for over an hour, describing the announcement to slated for Thursday in Kampala, saying it will refer to "security" issues rather than human rights abuses, and arguing that UNDP was and is a "small player" in Uganda's Karamojo region. The spokesman congratulated Inner City Press for raising the issues, and asked in essence what more could the UN do at this time?

      Plenty, according to a source in the Prime Minister's Office (OPM) in Kampala. In a second email to Inner City Press, the source paints a picture quite different from that offered by UNDP's spokesman in New York, writing that

"OPM terminated the contract of the 4th advisor, Techeste Ahderom, because of management and performance issues arising out of this situation. We have brought these matters to UNDP attention but have received no constructive feedback. As a result the program, support to implementation of the IDP Policy, which Techeste was managing has suffered serious setbacks. The human security / Karamoja program is having similar problems and Robert Scharf has been warned on a number of occasions. One of Robert's main responsibility was to support coordination of the implementation of the KIDDP at the highest level including ministry of Defense and internal affairs. For over six months now he has failed to convene a single meeting - OPM role in the promotion of voluntary disarmament has been compromised... In the Mine Action Programme a UK based NGO was recruited to conduct mine assessments in northern Uganda - more than 90% of DFID money has gone to contracts of so called experts. They have failed to produce a credible report and the financial accountability is questionable but UNDP continues to disburse funds to this NGO."

            On the question of UNDP's use of funds, the agency's spokesman did not bring any budget documents during his visit Wednesday to Inner City Press. Asked to explain the use of the $293,000 spent before the program was suspended, the spokesman referred to start-up costs, including the need to "set up offices in huts." He stated that now no UNDP program staff remain in the field.  He congratulated Inner City Press for raising the issues, which have now been picked up by Ugandan press, click here for The New Vision, and with more UNDP involvement, the AP.

   On Wednesday in New York, UNDP's spokesman urged Inner City Press to shift the focus of its two week old inquiry, to turn to wider programs and other funders. The story and its implications are certainly wider than UNDP, and will be followed where they lead. But here are a list of questions provided to the UNDP spokesman prior to his hour-long presentation, and still not answered:

-On what date did UNDP suspend its support of programs in Eastern Uganda?

-What if any are the conditions of the suspension?

-What is the overall spending figure for UNDP's programs throughout Uganda for 2006?

-Your 6/27 message states that 'cordon and search' operations "undermine the possibility of achieving lasting peace and development for the region" and that "UNDP has joined with other development partners in Uganda to voice concern about this exercise to Ugandan authorities." Who are the "other development partners in Uganda" referenced in this statement?

-Your message states that UNDP "is aware of the allegations of abuse by the Ugandan military... including the ones you have raised" but further claims that UNDP "does not have the mandate to independently investigate accusations of human rights abuses by a national military against citizens of that country."

-If UNDP does not "have the mandate to independently investigate accusations of human rights abuses by a national military against citizens" of a country where UNDP operates, who in UNDP's opinion does have such a mandate?

-UNDP's then-Country Director, Cornelus Klein, made a speech on May 25, 2006 where he applauded Ugandan Government efforts at disarmament and specifically singled out the work of the UPDF with praise. He said "Uganda… is seizing the opportunity to address small and light weapons concerns. While UNDP currently provides modest support to the nation, it is Uganda that can support and lead other countries in doing the same. Let me take this opportunity, therefore, to applaud the Government for its strong leadership and commitment. I also wish to express our thanks to the National Focal Point, the UPDF, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Safer Africa whose excellent work we have all seen this morning, and all other partners that have worked collectively towards this important achievement. I hope that the well trained, hard working and dedicated people we have seen handling this process will remain busy for a long time so that all illicit weapons in the country are destroyed."

    Six days prior to Mr. Klein's speech, as recounted in my first message to you nine days ago, the first reported attack by the UPDF in Kotido sub-county, where on May 19th the UPDF encircled a village and attacked to force the residents to turn over their weapons, resulting in four people being killed by the UPDF or its local defense units, including a 15-year old girl. Over 100 homes were burned and the village's protective fence was destroyed. Many residents were taken and detained in the UPDF barracks in Kotido. On the same day, May 19th, in Nadunget sub county, the UPDF reportedly encircled a village at 4 a.m.. People were ordered out of their huts and beaten while the army searched the village. Although reportedly the army found no weapons or ammunition, ten men from the village were taken and detained at the Moroto army barracks.

 Question: When he gave his speech on 25 May 2006, was Mr. Klein aware of these separate attacks by the UPDF some six days earlier?

--Reportedly, Mr. Klein left Kampala "at the end of May, after eight months in Uganda." Where is Mr. Klein now? Can he and his successor Theophane Nikyema be interviewed?

UNDP's Klein in Uganda

            Beyond these still unanswered questions, there were questions that were half-answered, or answered through Internet research:

Does the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have a presence in Uganda and a mandate to review Ugandan Government military operations against Ugandan citizens?

            The answer is yes - click here to view, and to read on pages 61-63 that

"In the sub-region of Karamoja, in northeastern Uganda, the traditional culture of cattle rustling with its increasingly violent modern expressions, persistent Government neglect, and an unsuccessful disarmament programme have led to serious security concerns, human rights violations, violence, and a total lack of protection for civilians. Administration of justice structures, law enforcement institutions, and other central Government services are virtually non-existent in the sub-region; as a result, a parallel system of traditional justice, based on reprisals and revenge, has emerged instead... In recognition of the need to consolidate peace with the need for justice, accountability, and reconciliation, OHCHR will establish itself as the lead agency within the United Nations Country Team, in cooperation with civil society actors and the Amnesty Commission, to help to develop national reconciliation strategies, which could include truth-telling, repentance, and compensation, to complement the ongoing peace process. In the Karamoja sub-region, OHCHR will explore ways to enhance the protection of civilians, combat impunity, help to restore security through community-based mechanisms, and facilitate inter-ethnic dialogue on peace and human rights education. These activities will be conducted in partnership with the United Nations Country Team, which is deepening its engagement in Karamoja in response to the Government's Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Programme (2006–2008)."

   We will have more on this wider plan; for now we note that the UNDP spokesman on Wednesday stated that while UNDP is usually publicly quiet, it raises the human rights issues it sees to the head of the UN Country Team, who in turn forwards the information to UN Headquarters. In this case, UN Headquarters has yet to make a comment.

Question: When UNDP becomes "aware of allegations of abuse" by the national military of a country where it works, does it provide this information to any UN entity with a mandate to independently investigate such things?

            This question, Inner City Press asked to two representatives in Kofi Annan's spokesman's office, without on-the-record response. UNDP's spokesman described to Inner City Press UNDP's desire to stay quiet in order to be able to continue to work in countries, as it does in Myanmar on HIV/AIDS. Asked about the wisdom of such silence, or even incongruous UNDP praise, for as for the Millennium Development Goals progress of Uzbekistan, also known for torture, the spokesman only answered, "good question." But what's the answer?

            At the noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Kofi Annan's spokesman to comment on UNDP's suspension of programs in eastern Uganda due to disarmament abuse by the government. The spokesman said that UN agencies are expected to monitor and ensure that funds are not misused; on UNDP's suspension of programs in eastern Uganda, he said there'd be no statement "yet." Perhaps UNDP's press release slated for June 29 in Kampala will trigger some response by the Kofi Annan's spokesman, even during the Secretary-General trip, which will include the African Union's weekend meeting in Banjul, where Mr. Annan will, he responded, meet with Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.

Endnotes: most UN reporters on Wednesday covered the lifting of the budget cap. Freer pundits opine that the fireworks are still to come, Friday before the 4th of July (for which UN grounds passes are much in demand).

  Mid-afternoon, both co-chairs of the S-G's Alliance of Civilizations took questions from reporters. Fox News asked how the Alliance is funded. "We're transparent, ask the Secretariat," was the answer. Inner City Press asked if the Alliance or its High Level Group has discussed the crackdown on the Uighurs, Muslims in western China's Xinjiang province. "I like that question," Spain's foreign minister said. But he then did not really answer, except to note that both China and India are represented in the High Level Group. But what about the Uighurs?

UN Global Compact Board Holds First Meeting, Closed to Press

  In undercovered United Nations news, the Global Compact Board met on Wednesday. Among other things, member Mary Robinson suggested a working group on human rights. In terms of transparency, despite assurances that its members could be interviewed, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart proved unavailable at the meeting's conclusion, heading he said to Washington, DC. While the meeting was closed to the media, Inner City Press has learned that three of the ten corporate members of the board were absent: Anne Lauvergeon of France-based Areva, Mr. B Muthuraman  of India-based Tata Steel, and Hiroyuki Uemura of Japan-based Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company.

 

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UN Grapples with Somalia, While UNDP Funds Mugabe's Human Rights Unit, Without Explanation

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee at the U.N.

  UNITED NATIONS, July 11 --Inner City Press had to inquire again at the noon briefing if Kofi Annan's spokesman's office has had any better luck in getting answers from the UN Development Programme. After facing stonewalling and insults while inquiring into UNDP's since-halted disarmament programs in Uganda, now Inner City Press' questions are ignored by UNDP. Last week the request was for an explanation of UNDP's program to help Uzbekistan's Karimov regime collect taxes. There has been no response; Kofi Annan's spokeswoman said, "They are looking into it."  But it's UNDP's own program.

            Now, Inner City Press has asked UNDP to explain its funding of a "Human Rights Council" controlled by Robert Mugabe, who among other things has been lambasted by UN-Habitat for politically motivated mass evictions. What standards does UNDP have for such program?  There has been no answer. Inner City Press on Tuesday formally asked for UNDP's Administrator to come and answer questions.

            "We will ask," the spokeswoman. "But you're free to ask as well."

            Inner City Press has, and in writing. The silence is hard to understand, not only given the UN's and UNDP's stated missions, but also, politically, given that the UNDP's current administrator Kemal Dervis is described by some in UN Headquarters as a candidate to be the next Secretary-General.  Make that, SECRET-ary...

Other Inner City Press reports are archived on www.InnerCityPress.org

UN Grapples with Somalia, While UNDP Funds Mugabe's Human Rights Unit, Without Explanation

In North Korean War of Words, Abuses in Uganda and Impunity Go Largely Ignored

On North Korea, Blue Words Move to a Saturday Showdown, UNDP Uzbek Stonewall

As the World Turns in Uganda and Korea, the UN Speaks only on Gaza, from Geneva

North Korea in the UN: Large Arms Supplant the Small, and Confusion on Uganda

UN Gives Mugabe Time with His Friendly Mediator, Refugees Abandoned

At the UN, Friday Night's Alright for Fighting; Annan Meets Mugabe

UN Acknowledges Abuse in Uganda, But What Did Donors Know and When? Kazakh Questions

In Uganda, UNDP to Make Belated Announcement of Program Halt, But Questions Remain (and see The New Vision, offsite).

Disarmament Abuse in Uganda Leads UN Agency to Suspend Its Work and Spending

Disarmament Abuse in Uganda Blamed on UNDP, Still Silent on Finance

Alleged Abuse in Disarmament in Uganda Known by UNDP, But Dollar Figures Still Not Given: What Did UN Know and When?

Strong Arm on Small Arms: Rift Within UN About Uganda's Involuntary Disarmament of Karamojong Villages

UN in Denial on Sudan, While Boldly Predicting the Future of Kosovo/a

UN's Selective Vision on Somalia and Wishful Thinking on Uighurs

UN Habitat Predicts The World Is a Ghetto, But Will Finance Be Addressed at Vancouver World Urban Forum?

At the UN, a Commando Unit to Quickly Stop Genocide is Proposed, by Diplomatic Sir Brian Urquhart

UN's Annan Concerned About Use of Terror's T-Word to Repress, Wants Freedom of Information

UN  Waffles on Human Rights in Central Asia and China; ICC on Kony and a Hero from Algiers

At the UN, Internal Justice Needs Reform, While in Timor Leste, Has Evidence Gone Missing?

UN & US, Transparency for Finance But Not Foreign Affairs: Somalia, Sovereignty and Senator Tom Coburn

In Bolton's Wake, Silence and Speech at the UN, Congo and Kony, Let the Games Begin

Pro-Poor Talk and a Critique of the World Trade Organization from a WTO Founder: In UN Lull, Ugandan Fog and Montenegrin Mufti

Human Rights Forgotten in UN's War of Words, Bolton versus Mark Malloch Brown: News Analysis

In Praise of Migration, UN Misses the Net and Bangalore While Going Soft on Financial Exclusion

UN Sees Somalia Through a Glass, Darkly, While Chomsky Speaks on Corporations and Everything But Congo

AIDS Ends at the UN? Side Deals on Patents, Side Notes on Japanese Corporations, Salvadoran and Violence in Burundi

On AIDS at the UN, Who Speaks and Who Remains Unseen

Corporate Spin on AIDS, Holbrooke's Kudos to Montenegro and its Independence (May 31, 2006)

Kinshasa Election Nightmares, from Ituri to Kasai. Au Revoir Allan Rock; the UN's Belly-Dancing

Working with Warlords, Insulated by Latrines: Somalia and Pakistan Addressed at the UN

The Silence of the Congo and Naomi Watts; Between Bolivia and the World Bank

Human Rights Council Has Its Own Hanging Chads; Cocky U.S. State Department Spins from SUVs

Child Labor and Cargill and Nestle; Iran, Darfur and WHO's on First with Bird Flu

Press Freedom? Editor Arrested by Congo-Brazzaville, As It Presides Over Security Council

The Place of the Cost-Cut UN in Europe's Torn-Up Heart;
Deafness to Consumers, Even by the Greens

Background Checks at the UN, But Not the Global Compact; Teaching Statistics from Turkmenbashi's Single Book

Ripped Off Worse in the Big Apple, by Citigroup and Chase: High Cost Mortgages Spread in Outer Boroughs in 2005, Study Finds

Burundi: Chaos at Camp for Congolese Refugees, Silence from UNHCR, While Reform's Debated by Forty Until 4 AM

In Liberia, From Nightmare to Challenge; Lack of Generosity to Egeland's CERF, Which China's Asked About

The Chadian Mirage: Beyond French Bombs, Is Exxon In the Cast? Asylum and the Uzbeks, Shadows of Stories to Come

Through the UN's One-Way Mirror, Sustainable Development To Be Discussed by Corporations, Even Nuclear Areva

Racial Disparities Grew Worse in 2005 at Citigroup, HSBC and Other Large Banks

Mine Your Own Business: Explosive Remnants of War and the Great Powers, Amid the Paparazzi

Human Rights Are Lost in the Mail: DR Congo Got the Letter, But the Process is Still Murky

Iraq's Oil to be Metered by Shell, While Basrah Project Remains Less than Clear

At the UN, Dues Threats and Presidents-Elect, Unanswered Greek Mission Questions

Kofi, Kony, Kagame and Coltan: This Moment in the Congo and Kampala

As Operation Swarmer Begins, UN's Qazi Denies It's Civil War and Has No Answers if Iraq's Oil is Being Metered

Cash Crop: In Nepal, Bhutanese Refugees Prohibited from Income Generation Even in their Camps

The Shorted and Shorting in Humanitarian Aid: From Davos to Darfur, the Numbers Don't Add Up

UN Reform: Transparency Later, Not Now -- At Least Not for AXA - WFP Insurance Contract

In Congolese Chaos, Shots Fired at U.N. Helicopter Gunship

In the Sudanese Crisis, Oil Revenue Goes Missing, UN Says

Empty Words on Money Laundering and Narcotics, from the UN and Georgia

What is the Sound of Eleven Uzbeks Disappearing? A Lack of Seats in Tashkent, a Turf War at UN

Kosovo: Of Collective Punishment and Electricity; Lights Out on Privatization of Ferronikeli Mines

Abkhazia: Cleansing and (Money) Laundering, Says Georgia

Post-Tsunami Human Rights Abuses, including by UNDP in the Maldives

Who Pays for the Global Bird Flu Fight? Not the Corporations, So Far - UN

Citigroup Dissembles at United Nations Environmental Conference

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