Inner City Press Asks UN Official Takasu and UN Controller How They Missed Ashe's "Circus-Like" Corruption, Who Pays PGA's Guards' Flights

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 15 -- As the scandal unveiled in thecorruption charges against former UN General Assembly President John Ashe, Francis Lorenzo of South South News and others continues to expand, the compromised position of the UN Correspondents Association has come to the fore. The limited inquiry Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has requested from the Office of Internal Oversight Services will not get at this - nor at this:

 Ban accepted an award, the "South-South Award for Women's and Children's Health," from none other than Francis Lorenzo, who paid UNCA, his colleague Vivian Wang who took photos with Mrs. Ban at an "UNCA Ball," and Antigua and Barbuda's then Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, here.

 On October 15, Inner City Press asked UN Under Secretary General for Management Yukio Takasu and the UN's Controller why the UN's audit is so limited, and how they missed such circus-like corruption while claiming their narrow bookkeeping is in order. Video here.

  As shown in the video, Takasu emphasized there is only so far the UN can look. But, Inner City Press asked, who paid for the plane tickets of Ashe's close protection? We'll have more on this.

 On October 15, Inner City Press asked Ban's Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq if Ban will return the award. From the transcript:

Inner City Press: The question I wanted to ask is, yesterday I was asking Stéphane [Dujarric] about some photographs that exist with the Secretary-General with some of the people named and even charged in the John Ashe case.  And he’d said a lot of people take photographs; things happen.  I wanted to ask you specifically about an award the Secretary-General received from, I guess, it’s called the South-South Award on Women and Children, and the photograph is a staged one… is, you know, a formal one, no photo-bombing, no selfie, of Mr. Frank Lorenzo, then-Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, Vivian Wang, who’s named in the papers as well.  And I just wonder what, in retrospect… this is not something that will be captured by the OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] audit that was mentioned, because none of… those two groups are not involved in this, and yet Mr. Lorenzo is; the Prime Minister of Antigua who’s pretty much through the… that paper seems to have been receiving funds.  Does an award like this get returned?  How does the UN system analyse what happened in this instance, and what are the repercussions?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, we are analysing what’s happened by doing an audit of the various actions.  So that is, like Stéphane has made clear, our initial step in the matter, and we’ll see where that leads.  If it leads to any particular course of action or any recommendations for where we’re to go next, we would follow it at that point.  But we’ve taken the initial step, and we’re just waiting to see what the results of that will be.

Inner City Press: There are other awards, but this is one in which the two groups Sun Kian Ip and Global Sustainability Foundation are not involved in any way, and yet one of the charged individuals is giving this award.  So would there… is there an expansion of this OIOS request?  Or how does this get looked at?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  First, we will see how this particular audit goes and we’ll see whether there’s any need for an expansion that the point.  But first we’re doing the initial step, and we’ll take that to its conclusion.

  Note: Lorenzo has been arrested; Baldwin is throughout the charge sheet and Vivian Wang was the money woman. But since this award was through IOSSC and SS-SCSD, Ban's limited inquiry will not get at it. We'll have more on this.


Spencer, Wang, Ban and Lorenzo, copy URL for source/ credit

   While UNCA does not represent all journalists accredited to cover the UN -- Inner City Press for example quit the group in 2012 with another Executive Committee member and co-founded the new Free UN Coalition for Access -- the UN gives it a privileged position, a large clubhouse on the third floor of the UN and, automatically, the first question at press conferences.

  But is that appropriate, given that UNCA received money from South South News, “NGO 1” in the filing against Ashe? Not only did UNCA receive money from South South News: it gave the group an “UNCA award” at a ceremony at the high-ceilinged Cipriani's restaurant on December 15, 2011.

  Inner City Press, which did not quit UNCA in fully ripened disgust in 2012, was present in December 2011 and witnessed, when Secretary General Ban Ki-moon came into Cipriani's, him being shepherded into a side room for photographs with Asian men in business suits who Inner City Press did not then recognize -- but now does.

 UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric, when Inner City Press asked on October 13 about what it had seen, said perhaps Inner City Press had "condoned" it. Video here. But Inner City Press quit UNCA afterfinding conflicts of interest in it, and being "ordered" to not report on this.  From the October 13 transcript:

Inner City Press: I want to ask inevitably about the revelations about Mr. [John] Ashe and Frank Lorenzo and others.  And just as you… as the lead Spokesman, a person that travels around with the Secretary-General, how… what would you say to the photos that exist of the Secretary-General with David Ng, who was since indicted, and Frank Lorenzo and, particularly, in instances where it appears that groups that receive contributions from the two and then put them in a room to have photographs with the Secretary-General?  Is this something that… how does the Secretary-General view this in retrospect, and what's going to be done in the future?

Spokesman:  First of all, a photo of the Secretary-General with any individual should in no way be interpreted as a sponsorship or agreement.  It's just a photo.  The Secretary-General is very much a public figure, attends a lot of public events where there are a lot of people.  Sometimes people come up to him and ask to have their photo taken.  And it's done within the… within, obviously, the security constraints that need to be had.  I think whether it's the Secretary-General of the United Nations or anyone in leadership position, you will find when you travel with them that a lot of people want to have their photo taken with them.  Inasmuch as that is… we try to control that, sometimes it's difficult to do so.  I think the Secretary-General is as shocked as anyone in this building at the charges that were levelled at these two individuals.  And he's very disappointed at the accusations towards the United Nations.

Inner City Press:  obviously, to business interests having an actual kind of formal handshaking one, I guess I'll just say that that is worth something to them.  That's why they…

Spokesman:  I'm not… I'm not debating that point… [cross talk]  I'm just saying that having a picture of the Secretary-General with any individual should in no way be seen as a sponsorship, approval, making them BFF's or anything.

Inner City Press:  I guess I just want to be more specific.  If an event… and there's one that actually, as it turns out, I witnessed in Cipriani.  If the Secretary-General enters a large space and is then taken to a smaller space for such photographs, what's the basis for that, as opposed to people with selfies?  I mean, I understand what you're saying…

Spokesman:  I think, you know, if you were there, then maybe you condoned the event as well.  The issue is the Secretary-General attends a lot of events.  Sometimes there is a VIP reception.  None of it should be construed as anything as the Secretary-General having his picture taken with anyone.

Inner City Press: it's been a number of days now; I'm assuming that, if not you, OLA [Office of Legal Affairs], someone has read through this long FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] affidavit.  And I want to just ask you again, because in it, it says that, after the… the… the official UN document about the Macau centre was procured, there was a separate payment to Mr. Ashe, separate communications with a UN official number one, who reissued the document as a… amended… revised for technical reasons, with the name of the company in it.  And it seems to me, even before you waiting for an OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] investigation, the scope of which wouldn't touch that, who in the UN is actually… how does it work, first of all?  Who… which part of the UN amends documents after they're released?  Is it DGACM [Department for General Assembly and Conference Management]…?

Spokesman:  Listen, I'm not going to talk about the specifics of the case.  But it is clear that if the President of one of the legislative bodies in this Organization which controls the agenda, or a sponsoring country for resolution, asks the Secretary-General to amend a text, we serve as the Secretariat.  It's not… it's… it doesn't entail sponsoring of what's inside that text. 

  While Inner City Press' answer to the spokesman's "if you were there, then maybe you condoned the event as well," is that Inner City Press quit UNCA
 after finding conflicts of interest in it, and being "ordered" to not report on this, we'll have more on this.


On October 13, Inner City Press asked this follow up:

Inner City Press: I just want to directly ask you about the idea that it's sort of people struggling to get photos with the UN officials.  There was a… there was a peacekeeping day concert that was… for which solicitation of… you know, sponsorship was sought by a group called World Harmony Alliance, and it had nothing… the group has nothing to do with peacekeeping, but they paid for day.  They… they… in fact, the funder complained that he didn't get the promised photograph with Ban Ki-moon, but I wonder, what was… what's the UN's understanding when they take outside financial sponsorship for such a day?  I mean, former UN official [Ibrahim] Gambari was seen with the same group taking photographs on the fourth floor in the Millennium Hotel.  What's it all about?  What’s happening?

Spokesman:  What former officials do in hotels is really not of my purview.

Inner City Press:  Sure.  What about UN peacekeeping?

Spokesman:  I would take a look at that actual programme, but I would expect every part of the UN to do due diligence when it partners with an outside organization.  And just…  I'll leave it at that.

   On October 12, Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, video here, transcript here:

Inner City Press: in light of these charges against John Ashe, Frank Lorenzo, and others, it's emerging that the Secretary-General, if not met, had staged photo opportunities with a number of the individuals charged.  And I wanted to know, in looking at this, do you have some kind of a comment on how these occurred, particularly in instances where they may have been arranged by a third party, been arranged by an organization that invited Ban Ki-moon and then received funds from South-South News or others and then put the two together on photograph?  Was that appropriate?  And what would be your response to… to OIOS [Office of Internal Oversight Services] looking at that or otherwise?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, regarding that, as you're aware, the Office of Internal Oversight Services will do an audit.  They've been requested to do that, and so we'll be able to see whether there was any effect from either the relationship with these various groups, these two groups, the Sun Kian Ip Group and the Global Sustainability Foundation, and any of the monies received.  So, we'll await what they have to say about any of this.

Inner City Press:  But, given that Mr. Frank Lorenzo has been charged and he's now out on $2 million bail, he was head of South-South News, which spread $12 million, according to the documents, throughout the UN system.  So, what was, how, what was the criteria used to choose these two NGOs and not either South-South News or International Organization for South-South Cooperation or South South Steering Committee on Sustainable Development?  It seems like it's a very limited inquiry and…

Deputy Spokesman:  It's not really an inquiry.  It's an audit, and this is initial step.  If OIOS feels like there is something… there's a direction which they need to go as a result of these initial results, they're certainly free to do that, but we needed to get the ball rolling and have an initial step forward so that we can look into what exactly is the impact of the monies and the relationship with these groups.


John Ashe at UNCA with former president, after and before Pioli
click photo for source / credit

  Back in December 2011, shepherding Ban for this (compensated) photo op with dubious businessmen was Giampaolo Pioli, then as now the president of UNCA. South South News interviewed Pioli that night, bragging of the UNCA award it got / paid for, screenshot from video here.

    (For context it must be noted too that Pioli rented one of his Manhattan apartments to Palitha Kohona then granted Kohona's request as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to screen his government's war crimes denial film “Lies Agreed To” in the UN's Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium: this precipitated Inner City Press quitting UNCA, in full disclosure.)

   How can UNCA be given first questions to ask about a scandal involving South South News, from which UNCA took more then to which it gave an award? And what are the other implications?

  (In terms of Mr. Ng's desire for photo ops, Inner City Press is informed that he separately wanted a photo with US President Obama, and paid six figures to a middleman - who disappeared with the money. UNCA on the other hand, one wag noted, delivered Ban Ki-moon for photos at Cipriani's.)

  UNCA, it should be noted, has been and is open to business interested beyond Mr. Ng and South South News. Another UNCA awards ceremony was sponsored by a company called “Acoona;” the Italian oil company ENI pays the group money.

But UNCA's South South News connection, given what has been disclosed and charged this week, should at a minimum and as a first step disqualify UNCA from first questions from the UN, and from the continuation of its role.

 Consider: if it gave rise to criminal charges that South South News paid Ashe to get a GA document for Ng to show off in Macau, who about South South News paying UNCA, and UNCA delivering Ban for a photo op with Ng, that Ng could use for related purposes? We'll have more on this.

Wider, and going forward in this series, limiting UN investigation to OIOS - whose director of investigations Stefanovic has resigned, Inner City Press hereby exclusively reported on October 9 - looking at only two NGOs is laughable. The scandal is expanding: there is a pattern here, pattern and practice. Watch this site.

UN Won't Say Why Ban Snubbed Bring Back Our Girls, Of South Sudan & CAR Rapes; UMOJA and Legionnaires Disease Testing UNanswered

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 25 -- A week after the UN through its Spokesperson's Office refused to release a copy of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's speech to 150 bankers, calling it "private," the same UN has yet to provide a response to more than one of ten questions submitted by Inner City Press. And even the one answer, it seems, it contradicted from elsewhere in the UN system.

   On August 25, Inner City Press submitted five questions, on of which for the third time:

"please state the status of Mr. Baumann at UMOJA, as asked twice. Here is USG Takasu's email [of August 13, asked of twice]

"I wish to inform you that ASG Franz Baumann will be stepping down from his position as Umoja Senior Deployment Coordinator for New York, effective immediately. Mr Baumann has held this position since the inception of the Headquarters Deployment Group (HDG) in New York in September of 2014, and brought to it his considerable experience and expertise over a long career with the United Nations. The HDG was created to secure an effective transition to Umoja 'Cluster 4' this coming November, recognising the particular complexity associated with preparing New York to deploy the new common administrative support model.

"I am grateful to Mr Baumann for his leadership over the past year in establishing and overseeing the HDG, which is an ad hoc arrangement that co-locates from across HQ Departments and Offices administrative staff central to the preparations for Umoja. The HDG exists to prepare for and support the deployment of Umoja in New York, leading the readiness activities to enable an effective transition.

"Going forward, I will assume personal responsibility for the success of the HDG in my role as Umoja Project Owner. Mr Christian Saunders, the Director of my Office will act as New York Deployment Coordinator, to build upon the good work to date and take us through Umoja 'Go Live' on 1 November.
This one is on deadline."

 On August 24, the UN Spokesperson's Office told Inner City Press its understanding was Baumann was still there.Video here. But beyond the August 13 "immediate" email, other sources tell Inner City Press different, even of Mr. Baumann over at the UN Pension Fund.

 Here are other questions Inner City Press posed in writing to the UN Spokesperson's Office on August 25:

"Aug 25 (1) In South Sudan, what is the UN's response to MSF citing disease caused by lack of shelter and sanitation in the camps positioned within the United Nations base in Malakal? What is UNMISS and its UN partners doing? Also, please state UNMISS' and DPKO's awareness of an impending assault on Panyijjar county, Unity State.

"Aug 25 (2) On the Secretary General's trip, please explain why the SG refused to meet with the Bring Back Our Girls groups. If necessary, here is a report: “members of the group who thronged to Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, in anticipation of a meeting with the UN scribe at 6:30pm, were left dejected as he failed to show up for the meeting. It was learnt that 45 minutes after the group sent out e-mails inviting media houses to cover a proposed meeting with Mr. Ki-moon, they were told it will no longer hold.” Please explain, on deadline. [We say dissed, they say "snubbed."]

"Aug 25 (3) Also on the Secretary General's trip, and the UN read-out for the SG's meeting with President Francois Hollande, please explain what the SG meant by his "commitment in addressing issues of misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse, by UN peacekeepers,” including as regards the USG for Peacekeeping Mr Herve Ladsous, and explain why sexual abuse by French “peacekeepers” in the Sangaris force was not mentioned or included in the UN read-out.

"Aug 25 (4) On Legionnaires Disease, please state whether testing was conducted in the UN by the August 20 New York deadline."  Tweeted photo here.

Here is the one question answered on August 24:

Q Aug 24 (1) In Sudan, it is reported that North Darfur authorities banned UNAMID flights. Please confirm or deny this, when it happened and the UN's understanding of why, and the UN's response.

Answer: "On 22 August, the Government of Sudan denied authorization for UNAMID flights to and from El Fasher, North Darfur, with the exception of one flight from Khartoum. Media reports thereafter alleged that this decision followed accusations by North Darfur authorities that UNAMID did not adequately coordinate the visit of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) with them, on 21 and 22 August. 

"UNAMID rejects these allegations and confirms that the Government of Sudan, including the authorities in North Darfur, was fully involved in preparing, coordinating and participating in the AUPSC visit to Darfur."

  While appreciated, what was the impact of banning flights to and from North Darfur? The UN answered Inner City Press' follow up question on the status of the Ban by saying its "understanding is that the flights are running now."

  Since then, UNAMID has told local media that there was no hinderance of flights. Is this covering up, like UN Peacekeeping under Herve Ladsous did on rapes in Tabit in Darfur, and in Minova in DR Congo before that?

 Here are the four still unanswered questions:

Aug 24 (2) In Somalia, now that AMISOM (which is supported by UNSOA) has admitted killing civilians at Merka (or Marka) in late July, what is the UN's response and how will the UN human rights due diligence policy be implemented?

Aug 24 (3) While in France, does the Secretary General or his team intend to inquire into the belated French investigation into the child sexual abuse alleged against French Sangaris forces in the Central African Republic?

Aug 24 (4) In DRC, it is reported that in Kinshasa earlier this month the authorities rounded up copies of the C-News newspaper (censorship) and that in July the director of Full Contact Radio station broadcasting in Kananga was taken into custody after a broadcast alleging governmental dysfunctions... In Uvira, in South Kivu province, in August 2015, there was the arrest of Brinal Nundun, a journalist from Channel 7 TV, who was reporting on Burundian refugees in Uvira at the headquarters of the NGO "Action Ku  Sidon." His equipment was seized. What is the UN, DPKO or MONUSCO response to this?

Aug 24 (5) It is said that Burundi police or security forces are to be deployed to MINUSMA in Mali. Please confirm or deny, and if confirm, state what screening would be in place given recent events in Burundi. Also, what is the UN's response to Amnesty International's report of Burundi security forces using torture?

   Four hours and counting after submission, only one of five answered; the UN is literally and figuratively on vacation, churning out canned statement but not answers. We'll continue on this.
 
  With the UN embroiled in rape scandals, exposed as playing host to spying for the US National Security Agency while its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gave a speech to 150 bankers later deemed “private,” is this dysfunction a product of the press not wanting answers or the UN not wanting to give them?

  On August 17, Inner City Press asked the UN's spokesperson for the day, Vannina Maestracci, about UN rapes in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo before it, about the spying for the NSA and about Ban's speech on August 14 to 150 people at the Buffalo headquarters of M&T Bank, subject to government charges on unfair lending and on money laundering. Video here.

   UN Associate Spokesperson Maestracci began by saying that the UN's contracts with AT&T, which turned over all information to the US, would not be made public. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: Would it be fair to assume that UN contractors paid by the UN are assumed not to be spying on people inside the UN?

Associate Spokesperson Maestracci:  I don't know what the procurement contract entails, and I don't like assuming as a general rule.  Oleg.

Inner City Press:  Can we get a copy of the contract?

Associate Spokesperson Maestracci:  I doubt it.  Oleg.

 Inner City Press has since researched this and found a UN written policy militating for release of the contracts. Former UN Office of Internal Oversight Services chiefInga Britt Ahlenius, when she left, wrote to Ban that “I see no visible effort to deliver on your stated commitment to increased transparency.”

   Next on the UN rapes in CAR, on which Maestracci had read out a statement that UNICEF was providing the victim legal advice, Inner City Press asked

Inner City Press: You read out on UNICEF that they purport to be providing legal advice to the victim.  And I guess I just wonder, given that the… that the legal problem is caused by the UN system's own invocation of immunity, what advice are they giving, to sue those responsible or… it just seems like… isn't it kind of a conflict for the UN system to be the one providing, purporting to provide legal advice to a person victimized by the UN system who can't get justice because of UN immunity.  So, what's the advice, I guess I'm saying…?

Associate Spokesperson:  I'm not sure what the advice is because I'm here, not with UNICEF in the [Central African Republic], but I think they are showing all the possible avenues that she has and what she can do.  I mean, I think it's fairly… people might not know what these avenues are.  And it's important…

Inner City Press:  Can she sue UN?

Associate Spokesperson:  Can I speak?  And it's important for people to raise awareness and to make sure that they do know where to go.

Inner City Press: Where should she go?  I mean, I'm just saying it seems… it's a contradiction because if she tries to sue…
Associate Spokesperson:  And where…

Inner City Press:  …she's told that it's immune, that the UN is immune.

Associate Spokesperson:  That's not true.  There's an investigation going on.  And that, you know, it is going on.  Why don't we let it go on and see what it comes up with?

Inner City Press:  That's the second question I wanted to ask.
Associate Spokesperson:  You are so not interested in the answers.

Inner City Press: Yeah, I am interested. I wasn't getting an answer.  That's the problem.

Associate Spokesperson:  Erol, please.

 Vine here.

   So, for the second time Maestracci cut off the question, this time with the statement, “You are so not interested in the answers.” But even when Inner City Press emailed questions after the briefing to Maestracci and Ban's lead spokesman, no answers were received. This is today's UN.

  Further on the UN rapes, now in the DRC Congo, Inner City Press asked:

Inner City Press: Just for the record, the answer I was asking for is what legal advice UNICEF gave.  But, I hear… since you said to wait, I wanted to ask you this.  In 2012… I don't know if it was in this room or a previous UN briefing room… there was discussion of the rape of two girls in the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo] by three… they believe they're from Uruguay but three peacekeepers in the DRC.  This was alleged by Dr. Victoria Fontan of the UN University of Peace in Costa Rica.  It was said there would be an investigation, but nothing has ever been said of either the peacekeepers being held responsible or the SRSG [Special Representative of the Secretary-General] of the Mission at the time or DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations].  So, I wanted to know… I'm asking you, I don't expect you necessarily to know from the podium, but this is an answer I'm extremely interested in — what happened?

Associate Spokesperson:  I don't know about the specific case obviously from 2012.  But, I think you've heard what the Secretary-General has been saying all of last week and what he's, what he's been pushing when it comes to both misconduct and… including… sorry, misconduct including sexual exploitation and abuse.  I mean, he's been very strong.  He has shown his resolve to push this forward and to make sure that there is, you know, institutional accountability, responsibility, but also that Member States provide us with the information that we ask because, as you know, there is a limit, some things are up to Member States.  But, obviously, he's very determined to make progress in this, in this area for the victims of misconduct.

Inner City Press:  But, what happened in this case?

Associate Spokesperson:  I don't know.  I just said that.
Inner City Press: I'm asking, can you ask DPKO?  The two victims’ names were Gisele and Esperanz…

Associate Spokesperson:  Sure.  Why don't you send me an e-mail rather than saying everything here.  Oleg.

   Another cut off. And to the detailed email sent after the briefing, no answer at all. This is today's or Ban's UN. Here was the final exchange of the day, about Ban Ki-moon's speech to bankers:

Inner City Press: there was an article in The Buffalo News saying that the Secretary-General had gone to Buffalo and given a speech in front of 150 people in the M&T Bank headquarters for a couple of reasons.  One… I'm interested because M&T Bank has a bank merger that's been stalled out for three years due to allegations of money-laundering and lending discrimination, but mostly I wanted to know, did he give such a speech?  Can we get the text of the speech?  Why wasn't it given in advance?  And did he raise these issues about lending fairness and money laundering in his discussions with the CEO of the bank?

Associate Spokesperson:  So this was mainly a private visit.  He went to visit Buffalo and Niagara Falls, actually, and he was invited by someone he's known for a long time to address this… this group of people that you've mentioned.  We didn't put it out, again, because it was mostly, mainly, largely, a private visit.  He was with his family over the weekend.

Inner City Press: Were the people there all employees of the bank?  Was…

Associate Spokesperson:  No, I think it was community leaders from all over Buffalo, if I understand correctly.

Inner City Press: Do you have the remarks?

Associate Spokesperson:  I'll check, but, again:  mainly private visit and I don't think we'd be sharing them.  Anything else?  Great.  Have a good afternoon.

   No answers. This is today's or Ban's UN, UNtransparent and worse - and the Free UN Coalition for Access opposes it. Watch this site.
   

As Inner City Press Probes UN Pension Fund, Investment Chief Boykin Will Take Questions at Global Town Hall Meeting?

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive series

UNITED NATIONS, April 12 -- Irregularities at the $50 billion UN Joint Staff Pension Fund, which Inner City Press has previously exclusively covered, for example here, have grown worse, according to whistleblower communications received by Inner City Press from multiple sources, and published on March 29.

On April 13, after Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's chief of staff scheduled a "Global Town Hall Meeting" to "provide reassurance concerning the health of the Fund itself... in response to recent attention surrounding the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund," Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman:

Inner City Press: This has to do with what you put out or what was put out from Under-Secretary-General [Yukio] Takasu about the pension fund.  Now I'm aware there's going to be some kind of town hall meeting about it. I guess I would just wait to see what happens at the town hall meeting, except that I notice that the statement had almost nothing do about the investment component, Ms. [Carol] Boykin and the representative of the Secretary-General on investments, and I wanted to ask, one, there's an OIOS [United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services] report about procurement of an IT contractor called [inaudible -- it's Murex] that remains outstanding.  There's the postponement of a D-2 position based on a finding of dispute tribunal.  So is this town hall meeting intended to address all of these issues?

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  I think the town hall meeting is intending to address the concerns that staff members either through staff representatives or individually have raised.  I think it's a very normal reaction to the concern. Whenever people talk about their pensions, I think people… it's their future.  And I think it's… it's only normal that the management, senior management of this Organization would address directly and all the questions.  There will be… there are no issues that are off-topic during the town hall meeting.  If people want to raise issues about investment issues, about staffing issues.

Inner City Press:  Will Ms. Boykin be there and be able to answer question?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I don't know personally.  I would assume… strongly assume and based on my assumptions that the leadership of the Pension Fund, whether it's on the investment side, the liability side, will obviously be there and be able to answer questions.  I think… again, it's best to address these things head on.

   If that's true, about addressing things head one, why did the UN resist confirming when Inner City Press three times asked if Investment Committee chair Ivan Pictet had resigned?

  Why did Ban's representative to the Pension Fund Carolyn Boykin never appear to answer questions as had been proffered?

  Now there's talk of a shift into hedge funds, and irregularities in contracting for IT services, from Murex (criticized by the UN's own Office of Internal Oversight Services) prospectively to Bloomberg without a full procurement process. The way to "provide clarity" is to answer or at least try to answer questions when they are asked. We'll have more on this.

 On April 8, after Inner City Press three times asked the UN spokespeople to simply confirm that Ivan Pictet resigned as chair of the Fund's Investment Committee, lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric belated acknowledged it.UN's transcript.

  Then on April 10, against belatedly, the UN issued a lengthy statement, which in fairness we publish here in full, while our series on the Pension Fund, now on its Investment Committee, continues:

In response to recent reports about the Joint Staff Pension Fund, Under-Secretary-General for Management Yukio Takasu has the following to say:

Various communications, including in the media, have unfortunately been circulated recently alleging fraud and irregularities at the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (“UNJSPF” or “the Fund”). I would like to provide some factual information to clarify any misunderstandings and misrepresentations.

The UNJSPF enjoys a healthy funded status in excess of 90%, and we are committed to preserving the sanctity of the Fund.

The UNJSPF takes every precaution they can to prevent fraud. Staff who have any information of alleged wrongdoing are obliged to report those concerns to the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). All allegations of fraud, misconduct, or violation of applicable human resources or financial rules and regulations are, and will continue to be, taken seriously and fully considered.

OIOS has confirmed that they have reviewed the nature of the recent allegations that have been brought to their attention. OIOS has indicated that none of the allegations that have appeared in the press thus far constitute financial fraud. OIOS is collecting all information available on this situation, and will examine closely every allegation.

As required for any large pension fund, the UNJSPF has a very robust internal control framework, with several oversight bodies including, but not limited to, internal auditors (OIOS), external auditors, a Pension Board, an Audit Committee, an Asset Liability Monitoring Committee, an Enterprise-wide Risk Management Working Group, and Risk Management & Compliance staff.

The governance structure of UNJSPF also reflects a clear delineation of responsibilities. Reporting to the UNJSPF Board, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Arvizú, is responsible for the liability side of the Fund, primarily for administration and benefit payments. Management of the investments of the Fund is the responsibility of the Representative of the Secretary-General (“RSG”), Ms. Carol Boykin, who reports to the Secretary-General.

In order to ensure the effective operation of the Fund, the United Nations Pension Board has long recognized the requirements of the Fund to have staff with very specific and long-term expertise, owing to the complex pension design, financial management and global payroll, and that the Fund’s human resources management should be in line with its operational and investment needs. As such, since 2000, there has been a memorandum of understanding in place which stipulates that UN administrative procedures and directives do not automatically apply to the Fund staff, since the requirements of the Board take precedence.

The United Nations Pension Board, and the General Assembly, have requested that this existing memorandum of understanding be reviewed and updated. Consideration on the elements of a revised memorandum of understanding is ongoing and will involve the appropriate consultations with staff.

Any decisions on human resources policies or the financial rules governing the operations of the UNJSPF will be taken with a view to ensuring they are best suited to meet the operational and investment needs of the Fund.

 We'll have more on this - watch this site.

From the UN's April 8 transcript:

Inner City Press: This has to do with the Pension Fund, as I alluded to.  I asked Farhan, then I asked you, whether the head of the investment committee of this $50 billion fund has resigned.  And I wanted to ask now, that I've heard that a memo has gone to the Fifth Committee to that effect.

Spokesman:  Yes, it has… he did leave.  He did resign.  And if I'm not mistaken, he said that after, I think, almost 10 years of service, he felt it was time to move on.  We're obviously very grateful for the time and effort Mr. Pictet put into his role.

Inner City Press:  I've heard also that his letter of resignation actually makes some criticism.  Is that a full summary?

Spokesman: No, I would…  I would not agree with that assessment.

Inner City Press: What's the process for actually appointing a new Chairperson of this $50 billion fund?  What's the Secretary-General's role?

Spokesman: I will find out.

  Well, Inner City Press is multiply informed that RSG Carolyn Boykin has been proposing current IC member Linah Kelebogile Mohohlo, but that there are attendance issues.

  Other IC members with questions:  Simon Zheng of China, about Boykin's (lack of) knowledge of the RMB, and Achim Kassow of Germany. There are others, and we'll have more.

  On March 30, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq:

Inner City Press..  about alleged irregularities in the Pension Fund and a desire by the current Chief of the Pension Fund to change the rules so there's less outside review. Is the Secretariat aware of these concerns and how does the Secretariat think they should be resolved, and how would staff in New York be represented as to this $53 billion fund?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  As you know, the Secretariat in the form of the Secretary-General does not have control over the Pension Fund.  It's not something that I can comment on.  You'd have to take that up directly with the Pension Fund. 

  It seemed a strange or telling answer, given that there is a Representative of the Secretary General to the pension fund, Caro Boykin, on whom Inner City Press has previously reported, here.

  More recently, as first reported here by Inner City Press, Boykin's management has been questioned by the UN Dispute Tribunal on March 30, 2015, here, in Singh vs UNSG (Ban Ki-moon):

"the Applicant’s request for management evaluation was deem
ed premature, and thus not receivable. However, the MEU made the following observations:

"Following communications with the UNJSPF, the MEU noted that the job opening for the Post was exceptionally approved by [OHRM] and later reviewed and approved by the Central Review Board. The MEU learned that the CFA exception was granted because the future incumbent will be in charge of managing all investments of the [IMD], which are valued at USD 53 billion."

  So after learning more about the growing scandal in the UN Pension Fund, including through a staff meeting on March 31 that was itself controversial, Inner City Press on April 1 asked Haq again.

 Haq now said he had spoken with Boykin who might -- might -- speak to the press. Inner City Press asked, yes or no, if Investment Committee chairman Ivan Pictet has quit.  Haq did not answer.

 There are $53 billion at stake here, and the Secretary General appoints the members of the Investment Committee. We'll have more on this.

 And on this, the allegations of (some) staff:

-Attempts by the fund CEO, Sergio Arvizú, to recruit a new CFO, subsequent  found to be unsuitable for the post.

- A consultancy services contract worth $520,000, divided into two, so as to avoid scrutiny by the Headquarters Committee on Contracts, a committee that only reviews procurement requests above $500,000.

- Attempts by the CEO to approve return air tickets from Mexico to New York for four individuals with no relationship, contractual or otherwise, to the fund.

- Irregular modification of a vacancy announcement in order to favor a particular candidate to the post of D-1 Chief of Legal Services.

- Attempts by the CEO to give a short-term contract to a 90 year-old referee on his CV -- this person was said, on March 31, to be closer to 100 years old.

  A failure to disclose a conflict of interest involving JP Morgan Chase was also alleged.

  The UN Pension Fund, which has resisted not only Press coverage but also accountability to its own pensioneers, is said to be poised to implement a major reduction in staff rights, according to a communication a whistleblower directed to Inner City Press on April 2, 2014 and which Inner City Press published on April 3, here.

   Inner City Press immediately began investigating the complaint, including a draft Secretary General's Bulletin said to be pushed by Pension Fund CEO Sergio Arvizu Trevino. From April 3 through the UN noon briefing on April 14, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokespeople three times for a response, including to staff unions' letters of protest. 

  Finally on April 14 came this response from Ban's spokesman:

Subject: Your question on the Joint Staff Pension Fund
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] org
Date: Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 4:21 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com
Cc: Stephane Dujarric [at] org

The UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) is not a Secretariat entity but composed of many member organizations. The matter of formalizing delegation of certain authorities in human resources matters to the CEO of the UNJSPF follows discussions at the Board and the General Assembly. The General Assembly requested a review of the policies governing the recruitment, promotion and retention of the staff of the Fund and measures to find suitable candidates for certain Fund positions that were difficult to fill. The review found that the currently applicable memorandum of understanding between the Office of Human Resources Management and the UNJSPF no longer fully meets the needs of the Fund as a inter-agency entity with a unique mandate.

  This despite extensive protest from impacted staff, for example this received by Inner City Press:

"There is no way they accept 'No" for an answer to this mandate even though they say we are here to listen to your concerns, unless you stand united and firm with details clearly expressed and drafted sitting with the staff and their representatives. This divide and rule must stop and an inclusive conversation guaranteeing staff rights for grievances and eliminating this mess until the IPAS goes live and works as necessary. Sending you the complete documents we have received so far, thanks to those who contributed some documents attached here that are taken from the various communications and found at printers (special thanks to those high level people). Will send more as they become available.

 And so there will be more - watch this site. Tellingly, UN Management has engaged in what many view ascensorship, click here for that.

   In the interim the old Staff Union has gotten involved, stating that it is "confident that the draft is real and is currently under consideration" --

In case this draft is approved the CEO of the fund will be able to:

remove the UN contracts of over 230 pension fund staff;

appoint, promote and terminate pension board staff at will;

make exceptions to the staff rules; and much more.

Worryingly, it was the Pension Board that was supposed to formulate proposals on HR issues and present them to the General Assembly. We understand that the CEO is now pressuring the Secretary-General to sign this off before the Pension Board even meets, thus making it a fait accompli. This would contradict the wishes of the General Assembly.

The staff of the fund manage $45 billion - your $45 billion. They rightly work in a diligent and independent manner, which is essential - it's your retirement income at stake.

We are aware of strange management practices at the Pension Fund for a while. Staff members there work under one of two types of contracts: a regular UN contract or a contract limited to service in the Pension Fund. If this draft goes forward, the Fund's CEO will have absolute power over his staff and we will have very little oversight on the way our pension fund is managed.

  The whistleblower's summary points at CEO Sergio Arvizu Trevino and his deputy Paul Dooley. Back in July 2013 when the UN Pension Fund was poised to designate a new deputy director, sources told Inner City Press that first among the three finalists was an individual previously recommended for discipline by the Office of Internal Oversight Service, Paul Dooley.

   Inner City Press, contacted by whistleblowers inside the Pension Fund, previously dug into a lack of accountability there. It obtained and reported on OIOS' "Investigation of conflict of interest, favoritism and mismanagement at the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund" describing how through the Pension Fund's Paul Dooley, millions of dollars in contacts were given to a company called Sprig, Ltd, run by Gerald Bodell, who was previously Dooley's supervisor at Guardian Mortgage Corporation. 

  Recommendations 1 and 2 of the OIOS investigative report directed that "appropriate action be taken” regarding Dooley as well as Dulcie Bull.

Previous chief Bernard G. Cocheme refused to implement the recommendation for discipline. Farhan Haq, then as now a UN spokesperson, confirmed to Inner City PressCocheme's decision not to discipline:

Subj: Your question on OIOS and the Pension Fund
From: Farhan Haq [at] un.org
To: Inner City Press

In March 2006, the OIOS completed an investigation into allegations of possible conflict of interest, favoritism and mismanagement at the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund. Based upon the evidence adduced, OIOS concluded that several staff members - including two Senior UNJSPF staff - have acted improperly in connection to contracts for information technology services awarded to a consultant retained by UNJSPF. 

OIOS issued several recommendations in this case, including that UNJSPF management take appropriate action against its two staff. The Chief Executive Officer of UNJSPF informed OIOS that he disagrees with the findings and recommendations of the report of investigation - as regards the actions of his staff - and advised that he "intends to take no action" with regard to them. OIOS advised him that pursuant to its mandate, it will report his response to the General Assembly.

That was one thing. But to now promote the individual to deputy chief? As one Pension Fund source put it to Inner City Press, there is less and less accountability in the UN, the more and more they talk about it elsewhere.

  Back then, the UN fought back against Inner City Press' reports by a spurious Security complaint how Inner City Press went to the Pension Fund to cover a meeting. This was repeated last year when Inner City Press covered meetings of Herve Ladsous' Senior Advisory Group on Peacekeeping Operations including a Sri Lankan military figure depicted in the UN's own reports as engaged in war crimes.

In 2013, the UN threatened to suspend or withdraw Inner City Press' accreditation for merely hanging a sign of the new Free UN Coalition for Access, which it co-founded to oppose the earlier type of attacks, against any journalist.Labor rights, free press without favoritism or censorship - what is Ban's UN coming to? Watch this site. 

   

Call to Cancel Syria Photos at UN, on Day of Charlie Hebdo Attack, by Syrian National Coalition

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 7 -- On a day when official around the world and at the UN after the attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris spoke about the right to freedom of expression and to display unpopular views, the UN received a protest to a photo exhibit about Syria set to begin the next day, January 8.

 The Syrian National Coalition -- the moderate opposition, in Washingtonese -- wrote to UN Management official Yukio Takasu:

"It has come to my attention that on 8 – 16 January 2015 the United Nations Secretariat Building will host an exhibit for the Syrian Arab Republic Mission featuring the photographs of Syrian regime propagandist Hagop Vanesian, in an event entitled 'My Homeland.' The UN cannot in good conscience host an exhibit that callously promotes a regime that is responsible for immense death and unprecedented destruction. By doing so, the UN condones the atrocities committed by Syrian forces, and serves as a mouthpiece for Assad’s heinous war crimes."

  As set forth below, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a contradictory way, in a private event in the clubhouse of a group that has itself engaged in censorship, spoke on January 7 about the need for freedom of expression. 

  (Whether he's raised this in his native South Korea, where a newspaper editor faces criminal charges for insulting the president, is not known; the issue was not included in Ban's long read-out of his New Years call to South Korean president Park.)

  Perhaps Ban's Secretariat won't act on the SNC complaint because it came one day before the exhibition. Will its response be about "freedom of expression"?

  There are certainly distinctions to be made between Charlie Hebdo, the Syrian government and this photographer, and we're open to hearing all. But what does freedom of expression mean?

  How and to whom is news doled out at the UN, when something big, and bad in the case of today's Charlie Hebdo murders in France, happens in the wider world?

   As statements of outrage and condolence rolled in from capitals all over the world, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stayed silent. UN Television sent out an updated alert that the president of the Security Council would read a statement about the attack at 11:30 am -- but nothing about Ban Ki-moon, who could presumably speak faster and with fewer approvals.

  Ban Ki-moon's online public schedule for January 7 listed, and still at 2:45 pm only lists, two appointments: “12:00 p.m. Meeting with Mr. Mehdi Jomaa, Prime Minister of Tunisia and 3:30 p.m. Meeting with Mr. Jack Rosen, Chief Executive, Rosen Partners, LLC.”

    But UN correspondents who had paid money to UNCA,now the UN's Censorship Alliance, had been sent an e-mail that Ban would make remarks in the clubhouse the UN gives them, sometime after 10:15 am.

  Note: UNCA used this club for a faux "UN briefing" by then president Ahmad Jarba of the SNC, which now calls for the cancelation of a photo exhibit in the UN...

   There at 10 am, UN Television was putting cameras in -- but still, nothing in the UN Media Alert or even UNTV Pool report. It became clear, while standing in front of the UN Censorship Alliance's clubhouse, that Ban would be using this private event to make his remarks on Charlie Hebdo, and predictable take no questions.

   What is the relationship between Ban's UN and UNCA? Journalists accredited to cover the UN are told, if they ask, that they are not required to join UNCA - and Inner City Press is not a member, having quit the group after being elected to its Executive Committee for 2011-12 and before, and then co-founded the new Free UN Coalition for Access. 

   At noon on January 7, Inner City Press for FUNCA asked Ban's spokesman Dujarric why it was not in the Media Alert. Click here for video of that Q&A, and one on Sri Lanka, and from outside the private event, here.

   But the UN was using UNCA as a proxy for the whole press corps - trying, as more than one correspondent put it, to make them join UNCA to not “miss news” such as this.

  The past and returned president of UNCA, Giampaolo Pioli, has said that no correspondent who is a member of the Free UN Coalition for Access can be a member of UNCA. And the notification of and invitation to Ban's “remarks” was sent only to UNCA members, who pay dues money to UNCA.

  Is this appropriate?

  Inner City Press, after doing its best to cover Ban's short - and yes, questionless - remarks from the space outside the UN Censorship Alliance's clubhouse, Tweeted photo here,audio from source here, went to the day's UN noon briefing and asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric why Ban's prepared remarks on the Charlie Hebdo killings had not been in the Media Alert.

  Dujarric replied that it was too short notice and said that it had been “squawked” -- only to in-house journalists who were inside the UN building -- at 9:45 am.  But that left a full hour to e-mail a Media Alert update to the wider list of journalists accredited to cover the UN. It wasn't done: it's the UN's Censorship Alliance.

  Inner City Press for FUNCA asked Dujarric why it wasn't listed on Ban's public schedule, while Rosen Partners was (Inner City Press asked what that meeting was about but was not told.)

  Dujarric replied that speaking to UNCA -- ostensibly wishing happy New Year to the journalists covering the UN, in an event publicized only to the subset which pays money to UNCA -- was an in-house event. Correspondents can, it seems, become too embedded.

  When asked why he would hold a Ban Ki-moon news event without making sure it was in the Media Alert, Pioli said “we have nothing to do with the Media Alert.” And that is one of the problems, or reality: UNCA is not ABOUT wider access to news at the UN.

  In fact, UNCA board members including Pioli tried to get Inner City Press thrown out in 2012, after demanding thatarticles and even photographs be taken down. #WeAreCharlie, as they say.

  At the end of the day's UN noon briefing, in which another journalist reminded Dujarric that not all UN correspondents are members of UNCA and the UNCA only sends notices to its dues paying members, Dujarric said he would look into that. That is not enough.

  Tellingly, from the Twitter feed of UNCA, which Dujarric claims can be relied on as a middleman to reach the UN press corps, Inner City Press is blocked. Any particular media could do it - but with UNCA doing it, the UN must cease using UNCA as a middle-man, as its Censorship Alliance.

 Notices should be sent to all UN accredited media. There is no reason to use UNCA as a middle-man. That Ban should not partner in this way with censors is another question. Prepared remarks should be in the Media Alert.  This is basic - and the Free UN Coalition for Access will remain on the case.

   

As UN Controller Job Goes to US' Bettina Bartsiotas, Inner City Press Scoop, Joint Inspection Unit Connection

By Matthew Russell Lee, Follow Up to Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, October 30 -- After the position on UN Controller was left empty for months, on October 28 Inner City Press exclusively reported that internally the UN has selected a new one, joint US - Uruguayan citizen Bettina Bartsiotas.

  Inner City Press noted a US cable published by Wikileaks showing the US pushing to get Bartsiotas a similar financial job at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

 On October 29, Inner City Press asked the UN to confirm:

Inner City Press:  I wanted to ask the about the Comptroller position here in the UN... Some months ago, the former Comptroller moved to UNDP as Associate Administrator.

Spokesman:  It's not a matter, it's a fact.  It was announced.

Inner City Press:  Who's been running it since then?  And can you confirm that Bettina Bartsiotas is going to be named the new Comptroller this week?

Spokesman:  There has been an acting Comptroller, and senior appointments are official once — if I may be so bold — once I announce them from this podium.  So we can play around with the name game for quite some time.

Inner City Press:  But given this number of months without a Comptroller…

Spokesman:  There's an acting Comptroller, so I think that the finances treasury of the UN remains in safe hands under the supervision of Mr. Takasu as is the Head of the Department of Management.   

   Well, on October 30 the UN did confirm. Inner City Press asked Spokesman Dujarric about the Wikileaked memo, and if the US played any role in the selection at the UN. Dujarric said the selection was complete.

  What about George Barsiotas being on the UN's Joint Inspection Unit? Click here. Any issues? The UN issues statements and moves on.

Trying to follow the money at the UN is not easy, often intentionally so. Press questions for example about Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's travel, posed to the head of the Department of Management Yukio Takasu were answered with reference to unnamed Trust Funds which report on a two year lag. A follow up question to Ban's Office of the Spokesperson did not garner any better response.

  The Assistant Secretary General position of UN Controller, then, under the supervision of former Japanese Ambassador to the UN Takasu is not unimportant. Back in May 2014 then-Controller Maria Eugenia Casar was picked to become Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Program.

  Now Inner City Press is exclusively informed by well-placed sources that a new Controller has been picked but not yet announced. Amid complaints by some delegations that the US already has too many top positions, from the Department of Political Affairs of Jeffrey Feltman to Ebola logistics czar Tony Banbury and Capital Master Plan master-builder Michael Adlerstein, the sources tell Inner City Press the new UN Controller will be joint US - Uruguay citizen Bettina Bartsiotas.

  Bettina Bartsiotas, Inner City Press' research finds, is an active American, for example making $1000 in public campaign contributions and even showing up in aclassified US cable obtained and released by Wikileaks, regarding the International Atomic Energy Agency:

“This position should be pursued aggressively when it opens up in the future. Dual Uruguay/U.S. national Bettina Bartsiotas, currently a Section Head in this office, has a good relationship with the Mission and may seek this position in the future.”

  So the US was pushing Bartsiotas for a financial position in the IAEA then, and presumably now, for the UN Controller position. While the UN refuses to make public its “short lists” for such recruitments, the sources exclusively tell Inner City Press of the current UN Treasurer, from Mexico, as well as a Belgian official being interviewed. But, they say, “American Bettina Bartsiotas came out on top.”

  As Inner City Press previously reported back in September, another American pick by Ban Ki-moon, Carol Boykin for the investment chief in the UN pension fund, drew significant push-back due to Boykin's past record and litigation in Maryland. And this one? Then, the new Free UN Coalition for Access renewed the press for a Freedom of Information Act at the UN. Will this push things closer? Watch this site.