by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
UN GATE, July 1 – How corrupt and irrelevant has the UN system become under Secretary Ganeral Antonio Guterres, who bans the Press from entering his UN?
On June 30 Inner City Press wrote to the official email addresses of the the UN Mission of Pakistan, which is taking over presidency of the UN Security Council on July 1, asking to access to ask questions. On the morning of July 1, Inner City Press in writing also asked the Mission about new rapes by UN Peacekeeping, in which Pakistan brags of being a major player.
Nothing. No answer. The request specifically said "This is a timely request that you allow Inner City Press to enter the UN and cover, and/or provide the WebEx pass code(s) to access Pakistan's UNSC Presidency press briefing by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad - whom I know, see below - on July 1, 2025 at 12:45 pm. I have questions to ask on what you will do this month about Gaza, UNRWA and Rwanda, Kashmir, DRC, Greenland, Sudan, Ukraine, DRC and Rwanda, about the SDNY indictment involving Turkey's Mission to the UN as well as the coups in Gabon and Niger and the conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Yemen and Libya - and on ongoing cases of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers, and Missions' abuses in NYC, on many of which Inner City Press first reported - including its current scoops on Colombia, DRC, Libya and Somalia. And most recently South Sudan and UNECA. Note: I know Asim Iftikhar Ahmad from his previous time at the mission, at the time I was still a resident correspondent in the UN, before ouster and censorship. Make him aware of this request so that he has a chance to permit virtual or physical attendance." Nothing.
During a more than two hour UN Security Council meeting presided over by Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett on June 22, Guterres slumped in his chair, glared and sharpened his pencil. Free UN Coalition for Access (FUNCA) thread here.
Guterres is lawless. A media reporting on omissions from Guterres' financial disclosures, and otherwise questioning his policies, he had roughed up and then banned entirely, with no appeal.
Recently, he promoted Mr. Miguel Graca, his personal assistant from Portugal from D1 to D2 and now he is promoted "without proper process or announcement" to ASG. He also promoted his special assistant Mr. Aguinaldo Baptista from P3 to P4 and to P5 and now to D1. Guterres is corrupt.
The SG also appointed his long-time entourage from his transition team, Ms. Michelle Gyles-McDonnough as the Executive Director of the UNITAR, the ASG level with no clear process. And he also appointed Ms. Michele Griffin to the Director of the Electoral Assistance Division in DPPA, bypassing all the proper procedures. She didn't have any prior experience nor knowledge in election matters at all. His UN ha failed on elections too, see JOH in Honduras.
For now, Inner City Press cannot enter and ask about this - its written questions are unanswered by Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
