By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, March 24, updated -- The UN's lack of transparency, particularly about outside payments to its highest officials appointed this year by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, has hit a new low.
When Ban named Abdul Ilah Al-Khatib as his envoy to Libya, while he did not disclose that Khatib is a director of Jordan Ahli Bank which is a co top 20 owner of Union des Banques Arabes et Francaise with the Libya Foreign Bank, a 100% subsidiary of Gaddafi's Libya Central Bank, Ban did say that Khatib is a Senator in Jordan.
Beyond the banking connection, Inner City Press has now repeatedly asked for confirmation that Khatib is getting paid by the government of Jordan, and how that even possibly complies with the UN Charter which says UN officials must answer only to the UN.
Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky told Inner City Press to “ask Jordan,” and on March 23 refused to even confirm if Khatib is an Under Secretary General. Nesirky and his deputy Farhan Haq have said that Khatib will file a financial disclosure with the UN. But this will not occur until March 2012. “Ask Jordan” indeed.
Ban's highest profile appointment has been of former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet to head UN Women. Ban took Bachelet on his recent trip, and she was also chased by protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
But neither Ms. Bachelet, her agency or top spokespeople have been willing to answer a simple question that Inner City Press has for days submitted, to the agency, spokespeople and Ms. Bachelet herself:
“please confirm or deny that Ms. Bachelet receiving assistance or payment for housing or anything else from the government of Chile?”
Whistleblowing sources have informed Inner City Press that the same type of outside housing subsidy issues that Inner City Press uncovered with regard to the UN's last top lawyer Nicolas Michel, who received a housing subsidy from the Swiss government for a huge Park Avenue apartment, and that obtains to some other top Ban officials, applies to Ms. Bachelet.
So it seemed it should be easy to enough, to get a denial -- which the whistleblowing sources would then peruse -- or a confirmation and explanation. But a submission through the UN Women website resulted in no response at all, nor did an e-mail to Ms. Bachelet.
On March 23, the day Ban's spokesman Nesirky refused again to even say if Ban's Libya envoy Khatib is a UN Under Secretary General, much less paid by Jordan's government, Inner City Press redirected its question, now “on or over deadline,” to the spokesperson for UN Women constituent agency UNIFEM:
Hello -- I am re-sending to you this Press question I sent through UN Women's web site, and to [Ms. Bachelet's e-mail address] -- I'm now at (or over) deadline so need an answer -- please note that the request includes but is not limited to any housing assistance. Thanks in advance, -Matthew Russell Lee, Inner City Press
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Subject: Press question on deadline regarding any payments or assistance from Chilean gov't
Date: Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 11:30 AM
From: Matthew R. Lee [at] InnerCityPress.com
To: [UN Women, Michelle Bachelet at] un.org
Hello. As a reporter here at UN HQ, I have a simple factual question. Can't find identify or e-mail address of a UN Women spokesperson on the UN Women web site so I send this directly to you, before today's noon briefing:
Can you confirm or deny that you receiving assistance or payment for housing or anything else from the government of Chile?
I have other questions about how UN charged with sexual abuse are disciplined by the UN system, which I've asked you before, but those questions can wait. The one above is on deadline. Thanks in advance, Matthew Russell Lee, Inner City Press
This resulted in a response that “Ms. Bachelet is best placed to answer your question, but she is... expected to return to NY in a few weeks time.” Here in fairness was the complete response:
Subject: RE: Press question on deadline regarding any payments or assistance from Chilean gov't to Ms Bachelet, thank you
From: oisika.chakrabarti [at] unwomen.org
Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 3:00 PM
To: Matthew R. Lee [at] innercitypress.com, scaddan [at] un.org, Nanette Braun [at] unwomen.org
Dear Matthew, Thanks for your e-mail. Ms. Bachelet is best placed to answer your question, but she is currently travelling abroad on work. She is expected to return to NY in a few weeks time. Thanks,
Oisika Chakrabarti
Media Specialist, UN Women
So the head of UN Women does not have e-mail? And Ban's spokesperson's office cannot find out what UN staff Ban conferred on Khatib? Some transparency, this. To be continued: watch this site.
Update: Inner City Press has most recently asked about this at the noon briefings of March 23 and March 24. On March 23:
Inner City Press: on Mr. [Abdul Ilah] Khatib, the last thing on this. Have you yet figured out whether he’s an Under-Secretary-General, is he a staff member? And is he being paid by the Government of Jordan?
Spokesperson Nesirky: We’ve addressed this…
Inner City Press: Is he an Under-Secretary-General or is he a staff member?
Spokesperson Nesirky: We’ve addressed this already. If we have anything further I’ll let you know.
Inner City Press: You didn’t answer what he is.
Spokesperson: If I have anything further I’ll let you know. Matthew, I said if I had anything further, I would let you know. Okay?
On March 24, Inner City Press read out UN Staff Regulation 1.2 (j) “No staff member shall accept any honour, decoration, favour, gift or remuneration from any Government,” and asked how it applies, to Khatib and the questions asked to UN Women. Nesirky this time said he would try to give a answer, then declared a question about antiquities as the last question, taking no more. Watch this site.
