by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
UN GATE, July 3 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? While its UNMISS Mission steals a radio station and land by the Juba airport, its envoy has been missing from the country for four months while taxpayers' money is doled out for sexual favors, staff tell Inner City Press:
Dear Mr. Matthew Russell Lee:
UNMISS is facing a leadership and operational crisis. SRSG Nicholas Haysom has reportedly been on extended sick leave for the past four months, leaving the mission without clear leadership during a critical time for peace and development in the region. According to a senior official in New York, Mr. Haysom had expressed reluctance about being reassigned from Somalia to South Sudan. Following his deportation from the Somalia mission, he is said to have formally requested UN Secretary-General Guterres - who recently murkily promoted his cronies Miguel Graca and Aguinaldo Baptista to ever-higher posts - not to deploy him to another field mission, citing his advanced age—reportedly 75 at the time.
Despite this, Guterres reassigned him, apparently without due consideration for the long-term leadership needs of UNMISS. No action has been taken to appoint an acting SRSG or provide interim leadership during Mr. Haysom’s absence, raising serious concerns about negligence and a lack of accountability at senior levels. Many fear that the Organization is failing to give South Sudan the strategic focus and oversight required to fulfill its peacekeeping mandate. The leadership void has further intensified scrutiny over internal staffing practices. Military officers with little or no civilian management background have reportedly been appointed to senior civilian director-level (D-level) positions.
These appointments are viewed by many staff members as “Christmas rewards” granted in exchange for loyalty to powerful figures, rather than based on merit... Equally troubling are claims of staff being promoted directly from P-3 to D-2 levels, bypassing essential career development and rotational field experience. Some secondees have reportedly been granted D-2 status while still holding P-5 contracts, despite the Organization’s ongoing financial crisis and budget tightening. As morale among staff continues to erode, there is a growing demand for decisive action from UN Headquarters.
Staff are calling for the urgent appointment of a competent and full-time SRSG, along with broader leadership reforms aimed at restoring professionalism, integrity, and accountability within the mission. Many believe that only strong, ethical leadership can steer UNMISS back on course and enable it to fulfil its core mandate of supporting peace and stability in South Sudan.
Guterres, they say, should resign or lose immunity - and end censorship. On June 19, 2025, Inner City Press reapplied to enter, here. Watch this site.
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