SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 23 – To candidates
nominated and running for Secretary General of the United
Nations, a detailed questionnaire has been sent by Inner
City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access, on issues
of transparency, independent, accountability, press
freedom and freedom of information.
The
questionnaire has been sent, including via the UN Mission
of the countries nominating them, to candidates Michelle
Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, Macky Sall and
Virginia Gamba.
Amazingly,
Gamba - who politicized the Children and Armed Conflict
blacklist during her tenure, as Inner City Press asked
about until banned by Guterres - is being praised for
stating "Ms. Gamba’s activities related to the selection
process will be financed by civil society through in-kind
donations provided by the International Model United
Nations Association (IMUNA), and by her personal
resources."
How
much in her personal resources? In 2024 she "disclosed"
no assets:
Assets:
Nil Profits from the sale of personal property: Nil Stock
options: Nil Income from non-United Nations sources: Nil
Liabilities: Consolidation loan, UNFCU Outside activities:
Nil
And IMUNA, with all due respect - does this mean it is an endorsement of Gamba over all other candidates, including those to come in by April 1 or after? IMUNA, without disclosing its decision making structure, lists George Washington University and an author, Ma'ayan Harel-Sibelman, and says "IMUNA, a United States 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications."
Is
the DGC of Melissa Fleming, who has banned the Press and
ignored polite letters from pro bono law firms, making an
endorsement? We'll have more on this.
We
will continue reporting the responses, or lack thereof,
including for the candidates expected before April 1, and
after.
But as some make excuses, or even praise, the abysmal
level of campaign finance disclosure to date - phrases
like "private resources" with no further detail - it's
time to again look at who funds the ringmaster of this
UNGA circus, Germany's Annalena Baerbock.
Her
March 4, 2026 letter says there will be for each candidate
a "press stakeout." But this is only for Antonio Guterres'
hand-picked sycophantic press corpse. For her entire
terms, she has refused daily press questions and has
colluded in censorship. Here is what she, in the tradition
of the indicted PGA John Ashe (RIP) has disclosed (while
not answering who seconds her staff) among others:
Government
of People’s Republic of China
General Administrative, logistical & management
support $500,000
July 2025 Government of the State
of Qatar General Administrative,
logistical & management support
$250,000
July
2025 Government of
Germany General Administrative,
logistical & management support
$1,159,200 July 2025
Government
of Turkiye General Administrative,
logistical & management support
$60,000 August 2024
Government
of Morocco General Administrative,
logistical & management support
$50,000 August 2025
Government
of State of Kuwait General
Administrative, logistical & management
support $150,000 September
2025
Government
of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia General
Administrative, logistical & management
support $80,000 October
2025
Government of Zimbabwe General Administrative, logistical & management support $5,000 December 2025
From
China to Zimbabwe, with fig leaf pittances from Estonia
and New Zealand. And of course, her own country Germany,
which wrote:
"Dear
Mr Lee, thank you for reaching out
to us and for your detailed inquiry regarding press access
to the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week. We
value the role of journalism, acknowledge the importance
of press freedom and appreciate your dedication to this
important work. However, we
must kindly inform you that the accreditation and access
of journalists to the United Nations premises fall under
the exclusive jurisdiction of the United Nations itself,
specifically the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit
(MALU). The German Mission to the United Nations
does not have the authority to intervene in or influence
these accreditation
processes. Please note that
our Mission can only provide support to German journalists
accompanying official delegations. For further assistance,
we encourage you to continue to address your concerns
directly to MALU or the relevant UN
officials. Best
regards, Pia
Naendorf
Pia Naendorf Permanent
Mission of Germany to the United Nations 871
UN Plaza, NY 10017." Today's UN is a buck-passing
joke, with the bucks murky and the watchdogs defanged (or
never fanged). We'll have more on this.
