After Lame Duck UNSG Guterres Steals 4 More Years for UN Rights Commish Volker Turk Staff Lament

After Lame Duck UNSG Guterres Steals 4 More Years for UN Rights Commish Volker Turk Staff Lament by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack UN GATE, July 26 – How corrupt and decrepit has the UN system become under Antonio Guterres, in this case due to Guterres? Today's example is again from the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, to which Guterres appointed his unqualified crony Volker Turk more than two years ago.  From OHCHR staff - "Dear Matthew Russell Lee, Many thanks for exposing corruption in UN under Antonio Guterres and his cronies like Volker Turk Staff morale hits a new low as we saw crony Volker Turk voted by UNGA. Member states voted politically against politicies and leaders. But they got it wrong. This vote was about the performance of Volker Turk as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Has he been fair? Balanced? Neutral? Victim oriented? The answer is no. He has been selective. He has picked his criticisms and covered other human rights situations when it was politically and financially convenient. Or worse, when he sought political support for his reappointment. Has he been balanced? No, he has selectively picked countries against which he used very stigmatizing statements and others where he prioritised alleged “quiet diplomacy”, which most thought as appeasement (like with China or Cuba). Please note that receiving funds has been a major determining factor in his advocacy choices. Has Volker Turk been a good manager? Clear no. He is a disaster.  He has wasted millions in pointless initiatives like UDHR75 or his Global Alliance, created a Hub in Geneva or a useless Inquiries Branch. He has misused earmarked funds for the field. He has institutionalized a system of nepotism and patronage which extend to his directors and siblings, his new DHC (also with family ties in the office), the recommendations for appointments by the Human Rights Council, and the way unearmarked and earmarked voluntary contributions are masked in OHCHR. Yet he has lost Palais Wilson to UNHCR.  Volker Turk has consistently violated the first directive from Catherine Pollard on UN80 which demanded budget cuts at all levels. Turk’s hypocrisy has been clear, only junior (and mainly female) colleagues have lost their jobs. Member states rushed to vote and missed and opportunity to reflect about Volker Turk’s performance. EU Member states rejected a proposal to delay the vote for a week. Well done! You have given card Blanche to nepotism, mismanagement and lack of accountability for four more years. Macron, you got it so wrong! You missed your chance to review narcissist and toothless Volker Turk. This vote was not about US, Israel or China. It was about human rights and about the credibility of someone know to lead a cleptocracy: Volker Turk. UN needs strong oversight by member states. EU (and others) failed big time. Shame on you. Your vote equals appeasement, nepotism, cronyism and selectivity. Make no mistake: is the worst High Commissioner ever. Do not judge him by your politics, measure by his achievements for the last four years: that’s zero. Stop cronyism in UN! Amb Waltz, the ball is on your court." Fat chance.  So far, nothing from Mike Waltz, previously seen skydiving in France then on a lone Sunday show on CBS, unannounced - self-booked? Now he has blithely signed the UN Charter. Meanwhile both Big Tony and Amina junketed on April 15 to the IMF which Inner City Press is accredited to cover, and at which it asked questions - but not of Tony, as UNCTAD denied Inner City Press to its "side event." The UN is dying, or being killed off. There's a new NextSG candidate, Maria Fernanda Espinosa. Two days ago she and her sponsor Antigua and Barbuda were sent a questionnaire about about this. So far, nothing. Watch this site. Inner City Press re-applied to re-enter the UN on June 19, 2025 - no answer at all from Melissa Fleming, Tel Mekel, Stephane Dujarric for six months, then a denial with no reason at all given. Today's UN is corrupt. *** 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 SDNY Press Room 500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2025 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com