Saturday, April 28, 2012

Annan As $7 Million Man, Consultants But "Without Prejudging Outcome"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 25 -- For the Syria mission of envoy Kofi Annan, over $7 million are being requested from UN member states for the last ten months of 2012. This does not include additional "extra-budgetary resources" for three Political Affairs Officers for six months, and a Senior Advisor for three months.

  The budget document's goal (b), against which performance will be judged, is a political process "aimed at effectively addressing the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the Syrian people, without prejudging the outcome." 

 It's important to emphasize: by this UN document, Bashar al Assad could remain in power but the UN judge and promote Annan's efforts as a success. 

 Some now call Kofi Annan the Seven Million Dollar Man.

  Among 18 staff positions are "11 substantive international staff (1 USG, 2 ASG, 2 D-2, 2 P-5, 2 P-4, 2 P-3)." Since Annan has two ostensibly equally deputies, Jean-Marie Guehenno and Nasser El-Kidwa, one assumes that they are the two ASGs or Assistant Secretaries Generals. 
 
  That would make former Secretary General Annan now an UNDER Secretary General, with the pay that comes with that position. How does that square with a previous statement that Annan, who already receives two separate UN system pensions, was not getting more pay?

  The budget request states:

The estimated requirements for the Office of the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States for the Syrian Crisis for the 10-month period ending 31 December 2012 amount to $7,488,000 net ($7,932,200 gross) and will provide for salaries and common staff costs for 18 positions ($3,022,300), as well as operational costs ($4,465,700), comprising consultancies ($165,700), official travel ($1,590,500), and facilities and infrastructure ($578,400); ground transportation ($100,200); air transportation ($750,000); communications ($94,800) and information technology ($135,700); and other supplies, services and equipment ($1,050,400). Of the non-post items, $111,800 relates to one-time expenditures for the refurbishment of office space ($30,000) and provision of information technology and other equipment ($81,800). 
 
Who are the additional consultants, for $165,000? Where is the office space being refurbished with $30,000? Will any of this be subject to UN procurement rules?  And if the mission fails or otherwise ends before the end of the year, what happens with the money? 

  Some on Annan's team have already been given six month UN contracts, among the issues on which both Annan's office somtimes and the UN nearly always have declined to answer. But questions will continue to be asked. Watch this site.