Ban Silent After Morocco Rejected COP22-Accredited Beiruk's Document

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 16 --  Morocco banned Suelma Beirouk from the COP 22, to which she is accredited, because she listed her nationality as Western Sahara, and used an African Union passport, the UNFCCC told Inner City Press on November 11.

But Ban Ki-moon's UN Secretariat continued to dissemble and delay for five days, while Ban was in Marrakesh and get the King. From the November 16 UN transcript:

Inner City Press: very specifically about a Western Sahara issue that's arisen since he's there, which is Sulima Baruk, the… from Western Sahara, who was accredited to attend.  So you told me yesterday that you had heard it was being worked out and to ask Mr. [Nick] Nuttall.  So I did ask him again, and he reiterated what he had said last Friday, which is that Morocco said she can't go.  So I'm just wondering, on… what was the basis that you… are we getting two different messages from Mr. Nuttall, or are you reading that as being that it's somehow being worked out on the ground?

Deputy Spokesman:  That they… that is to say, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the officials there, were trying to deal with the authorities, the Moroccan authorities, about this issue.  And if it's resolved the way he said it, that's where it stands.

Inner City Press:  Well, it's not… meaning not… she was… [UN did not transcribe]

Deputy Spokesman:  He's the one who's dealing with the issue. [Cross talk]

Inner City Press:  But I guess I was just asking, have you… both you and Stéphane have said that the Secretary-General stands for the principle that accredited NGOs (non-governmental organizations) can attend, and he did actually meet with the Moroccan authorities.  So did Ban Ki-moon actually raise this issue or not at all?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, I don't have anything to say in terms of the meeting with the King.  I don't know about any other officials.

  Now Ban's Spokesman is tweeting about a “farewell” to Ban Ki-moon from civil society.