By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Follow Up
UNITED NATIONS, January 17, Video I here -- Minutes after the UN announced on November 26 the departure of Humanitarian Affairs chief Baroness Valerie Amos, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq if the vacancy would be advertised for candidates from all countries, or if it is set aside for Amos' United Kingdom. And, Inner City Press asked on January 16, will the aid group OCHA works with play any role in the review?Video II here.
On January 9, Inner City Press exclusively reported that the UK after first submitting only the name of Andrew Lansley has added too more, scarcely more qualified.
And, significantly, the Italy had nominated Emma Bonino, sources exclusively told Inner City Press, and Germany nominated Martin Kobler, currently the head of the UN's Mission in the Congo.
On January 14, Inner City Press was informed by sources of another candidate, a minister from the United Arab Emirates, Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi, a member of the ruling family of Sharjah. The UAE has, it is noted,, the "Humanitarian City." And the UAE did give $1 million to OCHA's CERF last month.
Bonino is well regarded in international circles -- one source said she is "too strong a character" for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to choose, another notes, sadly, health concerns -- and Kobler after Iraq has his experience in the Congo, for better and worse. Either is more experience than the UK troika.
Beyond Lansley, whose qualification is a brief visit to UN health conferences, the other UK candidates sources tell Inner City Press are Caroline Spelman and Stephen O'Brien.
On January 17, Inner City Press asked Ban's lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric, video here, transcript here:
Inner City Press: On the OCHA recruitment process to find the new person, I've been informed that the UK has submitted two additional names to make a total of three, that Italy, Germany and UAE have also put forward names and I'm sure others. So, is it a wide open process? Have other countries submitted more than one? Is it still a matter of looking, giving in the first instance a look to the UK of those three names? What of the request by a number of highly respected humanitarian NGOs [non-governmental organizations] that the inter-agency standing committee, i.e. these NGOs that are outside of the UN system, be given some role in the review process? And I wanted to know what’s the response of the Secretary to that request.
Spokesman Dujarric: Obviously, the recruitment process has been to get the best possible person. Not for the first time, you seem to have more information than I do. I have to say, we will not go into the details of the recruitment process. As we said earlier, a call went out for names, for candidates. A recruitment process is ongoing but the Secretary-General is solely responsible and it is being done under his authority.
Inner City Press: In previous cases, even when there's no short list given out, there's a review panel, and I guess the request… since it's been made semi-publicly in a petition, especially for a job that involves providing aid in conjunction with NGOs all over the world--
Spokesman Dujarric: I think the Secretary-General and his senior staff are well aware of what the job implies. And one could argue that every senior job in the UN involves working with outside partners. The recruitment is being handled by the Secretary-General and his staff.
So... no.
Spokesman Dujarric: Obviously, the recruitment process has been to get the best possible person. Not for the first time, you seem to have more information than I do. I have to say, we will not go into the details of the recruitment process. As we said earlier, a call went out for names, for candidates. A recruitment process is ongoing but the Secretary-General is solely responsible and it is being done under his authority.
Inner City Press: In previous cases, even when there's no short list given out, there's a review panel, and I guess the request… since it's been made semi-publicly in a petition, especially for a job that involves providing aid in conjunction with NGOs all over the world--
Spokesman Dujarric: I think the Secretary-General and his senior staff are well aware of what the job implies. And one could argue that every senior job in the UN involves working with outside partners. The recruitment is being handled by the Secretary-General and his staff.
So... no.
Could the UK really lose this Under Secretary General post? It's looking more likely. If Kobler were chosen, would fellow German Angela Kane have to leave? We'll have more on this.
