UNITED NATIONS, September 26 – The corruption in the UN system under UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres ranges from impunity for sexual abuse and harassment to lack of financial disclosures and audits to outright double-dipping of benefits, whistleblower UN staff have complained to Inner City Press. Since Guterres had Inner City Press roughed up on and banned since July 3, even from human rights events, it cannot ask about this at the UN noon briefing as it has in the past, back to the time of Kofi Annan. But the question is about UNDP's Memorandum of Understanding with Italian ENI, an oil giant recently at the heart of a criminal scandal where together with Shell, was accused of paying $1.3 billion for oil rights in Nigeria. (ENI also gives money to Guterres' UN Censorship Alliance UNCA.) Does UNDP carry out due diligence on the parties it signs MoUs with? Or was this an intentional oversight, designed to benefit corrupt UN officials and predatory oil tycoons? It seems this is another episode in the series of UNDP elites enriching themselves off the stated narrative of bettering the life of the underdog whilst they live in the lap of luxury and travel like kings.
Precisely who is benefiting from this MoU signed by Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi at an official ceremony hosted by the Permanent Mission of Italy on 24 September? Mr. Descalzi said the MoU is “a first for the energy sector,-underscores the credibility of our efforts and the soundness of our business model.” Mr. Steiner connected this partnership with the oil giant to the SDGs, arguing that “UNDP and Eni’s combined expertise, ability to innovate, and on the ground networks can enable better access to sustainable energy sources in Africa.” UNDP professes to care about good governance-Is doing business with a corrupt oil company its definition of good governance?
Finally and most critically, this MoU begs the question -does Achim Steiner really care about Africa? Or is it a dumping ground? Will UNDP explain this away with another email akin to the one written by Chief of Staff, Italian national Michelle Candotti in which he dismissed the double dipping scandal? Inner City Press has also asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who Guterres' Communicator Alison Smale said would answered - but didn't: "August 27-3: Please state the Secretariat's and DSG / Development System's knowledge of dual citizen staff getting US Tax reimbursement and also Home Leave and Education grant entitlements using their national/original passport - and what is being done about it." No answer at all, 23 hours after the briefing in which Dujarric claimed the ban is for being in a parking lot making some diplomats and UN officials uncomfortable. (Isn't that a journalist's job?) On August 28, Dujarric wrote to Inner City Press regarding the question, "I WILL HAVE A COMMENT LATER ON THIS ISSUE." But now two days later, nothing. Instead, from within UNDP, an all-staff email referencing Inner City Press' story, leaked to Inner City Press: "From: UNDP Bulletin
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 5:06:13 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: All Staff UNDP Global
Subject: Update on Staff Benefits
Dear Colleagues,
You may have seen a press article published this week which alleges that a number of UNDP staff are improperly receiving benefits related to their expatriate status as internationally recruited staff.
Given our duty of care to staff and to the organization, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you regarding the situation.
Firstly, it is important to recognize that UNDP is a rules-based organization. For the benefit of its stakeholders, its staff, and the people it serves, UNDP recognizes it is of the utmost importance that administrative rules are applied consistently and fairly. In recognition of that principle, and as standard procedure, UNDP regularly screens for compliance with administrative rules.
Secondly, as part of that screening, UNDP had already commissioned an independent review by the UN Secretariat’s Office of Human Resources Management to ensure the fair and consistent application of rules related to eligibility for UNDP headquarters staff who are internationally recruited and receive related entitlements and benefits.
Thirdly, I would like to emphasize that there is no evidence nor any suggestion that any member of UNDP staff has acted inappropriately or dishonestly. OHR, on behalf of UNDP, will continue to ensure that rules and procedures are applied properly and correctly, in this, as in all other cases.
With my best regards,
Michele Candotti
Chief of Staff & Director of the Executive Office."
But as whistleblowers point out, "Of course they have to say that because so many high level staff are also taking home leave benefits they don't have right to. Many of us hope you won't let this story go. You must press Steiner and the high level ppl listed in that chart you posted to respond to your questions and ask the top man at HR David Bearfield to explain how these ppl take home leave when Staff Rule 4.5 (d) says they can't. This is wrong." So is Guterres' outrageous targeting, roughing up and banning of Inner City Press to try to cover up his UN's corruption.
Precisely who is benefiting from this MoU signed by Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi at an official ceremony hosted by the Permanent Mission of Italy on 24 September? Mr. Descalzi said the MoU is “a first for the energy sector,-underscores the credibility of our efforts and the soundness of our business model.” Mr. Steiner connected this partnership with the oil giant to the SDGs, arguing that “UNDP and Eni’s combined expertise, ability to innovate, and on the ground networks can enable better access to sustainable energy sources in Africa.” UNDP professes to care about good governance-Is doing business with a corrupt oil company its definition of good governance?
Finally and most critically, this MoU begs the question -does Achim Steiner really care about Africa? Or is it a dumping ground? Will UNDP explain this away with another email akin to the one written by Chief of Staff, Italian national Michelle Candotti in which he dismissed the double dipping scandal? Inner City Press has also asked Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who Guterres' Communicator Alison Smale said would answered - but didn't: "August 27-3: Please state the Secretariat's and DSG / Development System's knowledge of dual citizen staff getting US Tax reimbursement and also Home Leave and Education grant entitlements using their national/original passport - and what is being done about it." No answer at all, 23 hours after the briefing in which Dujarric claimed the ban is for being in a parking lot making some diplomats and UN officials uncomfortable. (Isn't that a journalist's job?) On August 28, Dujarric wrote to Inner City Press regarding the question, "I WILL HAVE A COMMENT LATER ON THIS ISSUE." But now two days later, nothing. Instead, from within UNDP, an all-staff email referencing Inner City Press' story, leaked to Inner City Press: "From: UNDP Bulletin
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 5:06:13 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: All Staff UNDP Global
Subject: Update on Staff Benefits
Dear Colleagues,
You may have seen a press article published this week which alleges that a number of UNDP staff are improperly receiving benefits related to their expatriate status as internationally recruited staff.
Given our duty of care to staff and to the organization, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you regarding the situation.
Firstly, it is important to recognize that UNDP is a rules-based organization. For the benefit of its stakeholders, its staff, and the people it serves, UNDP recognizes it is of the utmost importance that administrative rules are applied consistently and fairly. In recognition of that principle, and as standard procedure, UNDP regularly screens for compliance with administrative rules.
Secondly, as part of that screening, UNDP had already commissioned an independent review by the UN Secretariat’s Office of Human Resources Management to ensure the fair and consistent application of rules related to eligibility for UNDP headquarters staff who are internationally recruited and receive related entitlements and benefits.
Thirdly, I would like to emphasize that there is no evidence nor any suggestion that any member of UNDP staff has acted inappropriately or dishonestly. OHR, on behalf of UNDP, will continue to ensure that rules and procedures are applied properly and correctly, in this, as in all other cases.
With my best regards,
Michele Candotti
Chief of Staff & Director of the Executive Office."
But as whistleblowers point out, "Of course they have to say that because so many high level staff are also taking home leave benefits they don't have right to. Many of us hope you won't let this story go. You must press Steiner and the high level ppl listed in that chart you posted to respond to your questions and ask the top man at HR David Bearfield to explain how these ppl take home leave when Staff Rule 4.5 (d) says they can't. This is wrong." So is Guterres' outrageous targeting, roughing up and banning of Inner City Press to try to cover up his UN's corruption.
Here they are, with names unredacted as no responses at all to questions asked in three days ago to Guterres' Team, including on WOGC, connected to imprisoned UN briber Ng Lap Seng's Carlos Garcia, dealing in Kiribati with the UN, separate exclusive here, now this: "Dear Matthew, While UNDP and all UN agencies are suffering from the budget problem, some dishonest UNDP staff are taking two entitlements using their two passports interchangeably against the UNDP benefits entitlement rules. As a US Citizen, they get US Tax reimbursement; they also get Home Leave and Education grant entitlements using their national/original passport. It is sad to see UNDP’s senior staff participated in this fraud, as you can see from below Atlas record these staffs grade is from P4 – D2. Predominantly, Ana Patricia ALVAREZ, and Shazma Nathwani, the HR Advisors also participated in this scam. Some of the staff got more than $100,000 with this ongoing problem, e.g. Shazma Nathwani, $168,000. HR Staff have identified this issue early this year and reported to the HR Director and BMS Director but no action taken. All UNDP staff in HQ knows this problem but had no other choice fear of retaliation, because of these people close relationship with UNDP senior management including their network. We need your help...
ATLAS Record - List of Staffs with inappropriate multiple benefits
No Name Title Current Location Level Country-Place of Home Leave Nationality Types Douale payments made
1 ALVAREZ, Ana Patricia HR Business Partner Central Bureaus, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York P-5 Honduras Honduras- official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
2 ASSAF, Dena Deputy Director, HQ/UNDOCO UNDP - New York D-2 Palestine Palestine - official Home Leave
USA - Tax
3 BRANT Heather Chief of Section, HQ/Evaluation Office UNDP - New York P-5 Switzerland Switzerland - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
4 ALAIN Noudehou Chief of Staff & Director, Executive Office, CO/SS South Sudan D-2 Benin Benin - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
5 ORUC Yesim Deputy Director, HQ/BERA/LO/Washington Washington P-5 Tureky Turkey - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
6 REIMOV, Ajmiyaz Programme Analyst (Research), HQ/BPPS UNDP - New York P-2 Uzbekistan Uzbekistan - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
7 RUSSELL, Andrew UN Development Coordinator, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York D-1 Canada Canada - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
8 SERENYI Peter Policy Specialist, HQ/UNDOCO UNDP - New York P-4 Hungary Hungary - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
9 SHAMASH-LADD Hamutal Esther Legal Specialist UNDP - New York P-4 Israel Israel - official Home Leave
USA - Tax
10 UNGUREANU Carla Human Resources Analyst, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York P-2 Peru Peru - official Home Leave
USA - Tax
11 JUHKAM Robert Team Leader, HQ/BERA UNDP - New York P-5 Estonia Estonia - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
12 KINSLEY Sharon Deputy Chief of Staff & Deputy Director UNDP - New York D-1 UK UK - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
13 LINOU Natalia Policy Specialist, HQ/BPPS UNDP - New York P-4 Greece Greece - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
14 NATHWANI Shazma Human Resources Specialist, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York P-4 Australia Australia - Official Home Leave
USA - Tax A
Regards,
UNDP Staffers
We'll have more on this.
ATLAS Record - List of Staffs with inappropriate multiple benefits
No Name Title Current Location Level Country-Place of Home Leave Nationality Types Douale payments made
1 ALVAREZ, Ana Patricia HR Business Partner Central Bureaus, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York P-5 Honduras Honduras- official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
2 ASSAF, Dena Deputy Director, HQ/UNDOCO UNDP - New York D-2 Palestine Palestine - official Home Leave
USA - Tax
3 BRANT Heather Chief of Section, HQ/Evaluation Office UNDP - New York P-5 Switzerland Switzerland - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
4 ALAIN Noudehou Chief of Staff & Director, Executive Office, CO/SS South Sudan D-2 Benin Benin - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
5 ORUC Yesim Deputy Director, HQ/BERA/LO/Washington Washington P-5 Tureky Turkey - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
6 REIMOV, Ajmiyaz Programme Analyst (Research), HQ/BPPS UNDP - New York P-2 Uzbekistan Uzbekistan - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
7 RUSSELL, Andrew UN Development Coordinator, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York D-1 Canada Canada - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
8 SERENYI Peter Policy Specialist, HQ/UNDOCO UNDP - New York P-4 Hungary Hungary - official Education Grant
USA - Tax
9 SHAMASH-LADD Hamutal Esther Legal Specialist UNDP - New York P-4 Israel Israel - official Home Leave
USA - Tax
10 UNGUREANU Carla Human Resources Analyst, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York P-2 Peru Peru - official Home Leave
USA - Tax
11 JUHKAM Robert Team Leader, HQ/BERA UNDP - New York P-5 Estonia Estonia - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
12 KINSLEY Sharon Deputy Chief of Staff & Deputy Director UNDP - New York D-1 UK UK - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
13 LINOU Natalia Policy Specialist, HQ/BPPS UNDP - New York P-4 Greece Greece - official Home Leave and Education Grant
USA - Tax
14 NATHWANI Shazma Human Resources Specialist, HQ/BMS/OHR UNDP - New York P-4 Australia Australia - Official Home Leave
USA - Tax A
Regards,
UNDP Staffers
We'll have more on this.
