UN Corruption Detailed at UNDP & UNFPA by Whistleblowers to Banned Inner City Press

UN Corruption Detailed at UNDP & UNFPA by Whistleblowers to Banned Inner City Press by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack UN GATE, Feb 17 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres, who continues to ban Inner City Press from even entering the UN? And whose spokespeople refuse to answer written questions like on the below? Inner City Press today publishes this, from UNDP / UNFPA whistleblowers: Dear Matthew Russell Lee I have been following your reporting for a long time and I truly adore the work you do. This is exactly what the United Nations needs from within to clean the ranks. I used to see you sitting at the bus station in the past, and it would break my heart to see you there while the UNSG operates like a true cowboy. He treats the organization like his own personal fiefdom, especially when he decides he does not like someone.  Your dedication is especially vital in an environment overseen by a chronically incompetent UNSG who appears to appoint individuals based on personal preferences rather than merit, and without performing any meaningful reference checks.  I am writing to you anonymously to disclose evidence of significant recruitment irregularities and nepotistic practices regarding Mahsa Jafari. She is now Secretary of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board. I am bringing this to your attention now because this individual has operated with impunity for far too long. While many competent, dedicated professionals have lost their positions due to restructuring and budget cuts - and because they did not have the connections needed in the 'system',  she has continued to rise despite a lack of foundational merit.  I wish to highlight the following points for your investigation:  Initial Recruitment and Qualifications: Mahsa Jafari was originally brought into the system in a secretarial capacity. She was never recruited based on the competitive technical competencies required for professional-grade tracks.   Rapid Advancement to D1: She currently holds a D1 Director-level position as of 2025. She reportedly obtained a distance-learning MBA around 2011 from some Canadian University. Standard UN requirements for a D1 post typically necessitate fifteen years of relevant, post-degree professional experience. Her timeline does not appear to meet these mandatory benchmarks.  Documented Nepotism: Her career trajectory, including her earlier appointment to a P4-level role, appears to be the result of personal patronage. She held a consultancy contract and based on that she appeared to have been appointed to a P3 or directly a P4 in UNHQ. She is the niece of Leila Pakkala (UNICEF) and maintained a personal relationship with Nick Hartmann (UNDP). These connections are supported by photographic evidence available on social media platforms such as Facebook.  Conduct and Accountability: Beyond the technical irregularities, her tenure has been marked by an utterly mean and haughty attitude toward staff. It is an affront to the principles of the Charter that an individual who bypassed the competitive process now oversees those who earned their positions through merit.   D1 positions usually require individuals to have at least a degree from a recognized institution and sufficient years of experience and international exposure before reaching that level. Had she not been the nice of Leila Pakkala (with whom she would constantly say was very close), she would have never been even shortlisted. This is the way the UNSG office has been operating for years with appointments based on nepotism and not merit, paid from the tax-payers money !  The integrity of the international civil service depends on transparency. I am providing this information so that an independent inquiry may verify her professional timeline and the circumstances of her promotions against the established UN Staff Rules and Regulations.   I truly hope it can help you in your fight for justice and equity.  Let's see - watch this site. And watch USUN.    No explanation, from Guterres, Courtenay Rattray, nor Melissa Fleming, neither of whom have answered letters from pro bono law firms about applying free press principles (including Article 19) to the UN, and readmitting Inner City Press, which re-applied on June 19, 2025 to covering UNGA80.  Six months later a denial, with no explanation, nor to request for reasoning. We'll have more on this. *** 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. 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