In Mali As Three More UN Peacekeepers Injured, Koenders Out, Louis Michel to Come?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 25, video here -- Near Kidal in northern Mali three more UN peacekeepers from Senegal have been injured in an attack. With the UN mission in Mali MINUSMA under fire, Bert Koenders is leaving as UN envoy to Mali to become Dutch foreign minister.

  When Inner City Press first asked, the UN wouldn't confirm Koenders' departure; later they had no choice. What does it say, to leave MINUSMA at this time?

  And what does this UN quote, or paraphrase by Reuters with no fewer than two reporters, one writer and one editor: "David Gressly, deputy chief of the U.N. mission, which is known as MINUSMA, called on armed groups in talks with Mali's government to warn U.N. troops of any impending attack if they could."  If they could?

  The UN Security Council has issued a series of press statements on previous, deadly attacks. Will it this? With the Council speed up the selection process for Koenders' replacement?

  Inner City Press' Sahelian sources produced another European name as successor, saying "il est probable" -- the Belgian Louis Michel. Previously Michel excused himself for not even knowing the anti Internet privacy amendments submitted in his name because, he said, he was traveling in Mali. We'll have more on this.

  The new Free UN Coalition for Access would propose that the UN Secretariat seek commitments from prospective Special Representatives of the Secretary General to stay in their positions for some minimum period of time, and to not drop out when something slightly better comes along.

  Back on October 8 when UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous briefed the Security Council by video from Mali, he supported the government in Bamako's insistence on "no federalism." Then, the UN did not distribute his speech, even as it distributed what Mali said.

  Mali's foreign minister Diop said the Security Council should set up a rapid intervention force, and raised the specter of Islamic State or ISIS in northern Mali. When Diop has been at the UN, he has held stakeouts and taken Press questions. Not so Ladsous, video compilation here, UK coverage here.

  As to Ladsous, there is a history, including a recent one. When Ladsous arrived at the General Assembly stakeout on September 27 to try to do his question and answer on Mali early as he did on South Sudan, without the Press present, it didn't work. Video here., Vine here and embedded below. Ladsous blocked Inner City Press' camera with a file folder then walked away, summoning friendly media with him and canceling the public stakeout.

  On September 29, Inner City Press for the Free UN Coalition for Accessasked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about it, if the UN of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon thinks it appropriate for an Under Secretary General to engage in censorship. Dujarric said he hadn't seen the video.

 It's here, and the Q&A with Dujarric is here. UN transcript:

Inner City Press: I had a couple DKPO questions. But this one is more fundamental. I wanted to know what the position of UN is on an Under-Secretary-General basically blocking a camera that’s filming from an entirely legal stakeout position which seems to be within the definition of kinda censorship. Why didn’t Mr. Ladsous in fact hold the stakeout on Mali on Saturday?

Spokesman Dujarric: I can look into it. I think there was a couple of scheduling issues. I can look into it.

Inner City Press: On tape he came up and put a file folder in front of a camera to stop it from filming.

Spokesman Duujarric: I’ll look into it. I’m not aware of the incident.

   Dujarric said there were "a couple of scheduling issues." But at least two wire services reported Ladsous' privatized spin without noting the censorship that took place right in front of them. If they censor this, what else is missing in their reports?

  In English Ladsous spun, "UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told reporters later on Saturday that with the presence of French forces greatly reduced in the region, UN peacekeeping forces have to take a more dynamic stance and go in search of the attackers. 'We can't be sitting ducks,' he said."

  In French Ladsous spun, "'Je crois que c'est incontestable: les terroristes et les jihadistes, et sans doute aussi les trafiquants, ont repris du poil de la bête,' dans le nord du Mali, a déclaré Hervé Ladsous à des journalistes, jugeant 'intolérables' les attaques perpétrées contre les Casques bleus."

  Why couldn't he say this at the UNTV stakeout and take questions? What does it say about those who went to Ladsous' privatized spin-zone, which he began here, with Reuters, Voice of America and AFP? Old video here.

   As Ladsous stood at the stakeout, Inner City Press filmed as it did on September 26 when Ladsous refused to answer basic Press questions about his missions in Central African Republic and Golan. 

  Ladsous demanded, What are you going to do with this? He and a staffer tried to block the filming with file folders. Then he got UN Media Accreditation to ask Inner City Press to put down the camera and stop filming. But this is the stakeout. The Free UN Coalition for Access defends the rights to cover the UN. (The old UN Correspondents Association has partnered with Ladsous, first along with Agence France Presse and then further.)

   Ladsous and one of his "publicity" staffers tried to block the filming with file folders. Video here. Finally Ladsous walked away with his team including the Reuters correspondent who has himself engaged in censorship, telling Google to remove from Search his "for the record" complaint to UN Media Accreditation, claiming it is copyrighted. It is a strange position from a media that claims exclusive leaks. 

   After Ladsous stormed off, two of his staffers returned to say that the stakeout still might happen. But at 2:42 pm, an hour and forty-two minutes after it was supposed to happen, the UN said it was canceled - but not why.

   Before UN Peacekeeping held its September 26 meeting about the Central African Republic, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about Uganda deciding not to send its troops as peacekeepers to the MINUSCA mission, under Herve Ladsous.

Dujarric said he would try to get an answer, but none was sent six hours later. So when Herve Ladsous, the fourth French chief of UN Peacekeeping in a row, came to the General Assembly stakeout past 6 pm on September 26, Inner City Press several times put the question to him: What about the Ugandans? Video here.

  Ladsous made his opening statement only in French, then ignored the Press question in English about Uganda pulling out of his peacekeeping mission, at the same time that the Philippines is pulling out of Ladsous' mission in the Golan Heights after he ordered their troops to surrender to the Al Nursa Front extremist group, which still has their UN Peacekeeping vehicles, weapons and uniforms.

Instead, Ladsous pointed at Agence France Presse, which previously on Ladsous' behalf filed complaints against Inner City Press, including through UNCA, now the UN's Censorship Alliance. 

  The first time was when Inner City Press reported that Ladsous was by no means the first choice to replace Alain Le Roy atop peacekeeping, but was deposited into the job after the UN decided that the first choice, Jerome Bonnafont, was too flashy. So they got Ladsous.

Ladsous on September 26 proceeded to brag about new countries coming into UN Peacekeeping, singling out Sweden. Inner City Press once again asked, what about Uganda pulling out of the CAR mission, and added, what about the Filipinos pulling out of his mission in the Golan? Video here.

Ladsous as has become his practice - compilation here, UK coverage here - refused to answer and walked away with two of his aides. They looked back over their shoulders as they went up in the elevator.

How can a UN official get (over) paid but answer no critical questions? How can an official under whose watch the Darfur mission has covered up attacks on civilians, and who has ordered at least two countries' peacekeepers to surrender to terrorists, keep his job? 

  The questioning is spreading and one would think would come to a head in the upcoming review of peacekeeping, which Inner City Press has heard and reported will be headed by Louise Arbour. The new Free UN Coalition for Access asserts that UN Under Secretaries General should answer media questions, and there should be accounability. We'll see.

   

In Sahel, EU Projects Postponed, Piper Says, Prodi Plan Slow, Now in Bamako As Well As Dakar

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 16 -- When Robert Piper, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, held a press conference on October 16 during the vote in the General Assembly between Spain and Turkey for a Security Council seat, Inner City Press asked him a question about the European Union.
 
  The European Commissioner in charge of the budget has said "some projects in the Sahel region of Africa, the Horn of Africa and Haiti have been postponed." (Piper identified the speaker as Kristalina Georgieva, incoming Vice President for budget and possibly one day UN Secretary General, but it appears to have been Jacek Dominik.)

  Piper said yes, project were postponed, but will not be canceled. Inner City Press asked him about the UN Sahal Strategy begun under Romano Prodi, and as Chad has complained not based in the five targeted countries but rather in Dakar.

  Piper said a sub-office with the African Union is being opened in Bamako; he admitted the progress has been slow but says he chairs the "resiliency" pillar of the Sahel strategy. We'll see.

  Back on June 11, 2013 Piper, then only recently tapped to coordinate humanitarian issues on the Sahel, told Inner City Press he had gotten involved in the long delayed Sahel strategy report that Romano Prodi was put in charge of back in October.

  He said while there is a humanitarian component, Prodi was focused on big picture infrastructure projects. Would that be solar? Uranium like in Niger? Whatever it is, has taken taken too long. And meanwhile Prodi charged the UN $1,200 to travel between Bologna and Rome.

  Despite this waste, Piper's pitch was to raise funds. Inner City Press asked him, if Cameroon is at 130% of the amount requested for food security, and Niger at only 12%, couldn't the UN shift the month? Video here, from Minute 20:33.

No, was the answer, the appeals are country specific. Piper said that "the money comes in earmarked for particular appeals in almost 100% of the cases... We naturally try to influence the donors to countries falling off the map, and sectors being neglected. But the money comes with a country's name attached and even a sector."

  One might wonder: why? If Piper is the humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel, why don't they do an appeal for the region, and not country by country? Watch this site.

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On UN's Sahel Office, Chad's Ambassador Mahamat Zene Cherif Tell Inner City Press It Should Be *In* the Sahel, But Money Talks

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 27 -- When Chad's Permanent Representative to the UN Mahamat Zene Cherif came to the Security Council stakeout on August 27 about the Council's just-adopted Presidential Statement on the Sahel, Inner City Press asked him about changes from his first draft.

   Specifically, hadn't his draft proposed that the operations of the UN's Sahel envoy not been in Dakar but rather one of the Group of 5 Sahel countries? Hadn't the draft proposed that the envoy be upgraded to Under Secretary General, given the mandate to interface with heads of state?

   Mahamat Zene Cherif to his credit acknowledged these changes, saying that keeping the operation in Senegal -- provisionally, he called it -- was a purely financial decision. 

  Inner City Press notes that while there are often complaints against trying to address political issues in the UN's Fifth (Budget) Committee, in this case the P3 donor countries used the Security Council to impose budget discipline.

   From the Security Council stakeout Inner City Press went to the August 27 UN noon briefing and asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Stephane Dujarric why Ban only proposed the Sahel envoy as an Assistant Secretary General based in Dakar. "Because," was essentially the answer on the first; on location, Dujarric said it made sense. UNOWA is based in Dakar.

    Mahamat Zene Cherif also spoke in the Security Council on August 27 with the African Union's view of the Council's Darfur resolution. He is more candid than many and should do more stakeouts. Back on March 7 Inner City Press asked him about those who have had to flee Central African Republic into Chad. Shouldn't they be able to return to CAR?Video here and embedded below

Mahamat Zene Cherif said while Chad will not force anyone back, they should be able to return. He said that eighty percent of the Muslims have been chased out of the CAR.

How can elections be held this way, he asked.

Inner City Press asked if perhaps those displaced could vote even while in Chad. Mahamat Zene Cherif said the UN could check the feasibility, but that Chad would hope the displaced could return to CAR.

  The day before, Inner City Press tried to ask French Ambassador Gerard Araud about a statement or report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay that the French Sangaris force first disarming the ex-Seleka had left Muslim community vulnerable to attack by Christian anti-Balaka militias.

  Araud refused to take the question while at the microphone, then from the wings insisted there is no Navi Pillay report. Click here for that.

  What forces allowed 80% of the Muslims in CAR to be chased out? And what responsibility do they bear? Watch this site.

   

Egypt Says al-Sisi Spoke Today with Romano Prodi as "UN Envoy" - But Prodi Was Out of that Post by May 1

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 -- Today the Egyptian government's information service reported that "President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has received a phone call from Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Sahel region Romano Prodi. They discussed the latest regional developments, specially the situation in Libya and the Horn of African, said Presidency Spokesman Ihab Badawy."

   But there's a problem -- Prodi was replaced as UN envoy on the Sahel back on May 1, by Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, who briefed the UN Security Council in that capacity on June 19.

  So in what capacity did Prodi call Sisi? Inner City Press is inquiring - watch this site.

  Also, how or why did the Kuwait News Service, among others, "report" on July 16, 2014 that Prodi is the UN's enovy on the Sahel?

  Back on June 26, 2013, Inner City Press reported how it took Romano Prodi more than eight months to complete the Sahel report he presented to the UN Security Council on Wednesday. 

   During that time, Inner City Press received complaints from within the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions that Prodi was charging $1200 for travel between Bologna and Rome. 

   Diplomats complained about his ideas for a fund, and about the UNOWA operations in Dakar, Senegal.

After Prodi's low key presentation and consultations, June's Security Council president Mark Lyall Grant came to the stakeout, saying among other things that Morocco will prepare a Presidential Statement on the topic.

Inner City Press asked why the report took so long, if Prodi will has a role, and what the role of UNOWA would be in the strategy.

Lyall Grant replied, as transcribed by the UK Mission to the UN:

Lyall Grant: It was explained that there have been very close cooperation between UNDP and DPA in producing this report that, Mr Prodi himself said that, his job was to inject some new thinking, present the report, ensure that implementation began, but then fade away. He was not looking to sustain his role in the longer term. His role was not completed yet, but once the train, I think the expression he used was, once the train had left the station on implementation then he was not looking to do his role, continue his role, and that the next stage would be taken forward by perhaps operating out of the UNOWA office in Dakar. Now there was a recognition that the mandate of UNOWA of course goes much wider than the Sahel countries, but that UNOWA mandate was also on the Security Council’s agenda later this year and there might be some adjustment of that to take account of this fact.

  The “train leaving the station” image brought to mind Prodi's travel and cost: seems he doesn't take the train. Another Council member told Inner City Press it was that Prodi said he wanted to see the train start moving. Would that be the gravy train? Watch this site.

  

On Protesters Shot by Mali Army in Kidal, France's Araud Urges Probe, Hasn't Read of Ouattara Hit Men in UN Liberia Sanctions Report

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 3 -- With France taking over presidency of the UN Security Council for December, its Ambassador Gerard Araud took questions from the press on Tuesday.

   Inner City Press asked him about the Malian Army shooting protesters in Kidal, and about the UN's report of agents of Cote d'Ivoire president and French ally Alassane Ouattara going into Ghana to try to kill or kidnap supporters of former president Laurent Gbagbo.

  On these Cote d'Ivoire aspects of the UN Liberia Sanctions report, Araud replied that he hasn't read the report. In two days, Liberia Sanctions are on the Security Council's agenda.

  On the shooting of protesters in Kidal, on which the UN has confined itself to a press release from the MINUSMA mission which even Reuters deemed unclear, Araud provided a bit more information. He acknowledged that two female demonstrators were left in critical condition.

  Araud alluded to the larger issues of the Tuaregs, saying that some in Bamako and the south view them as accomplices to or complicit with ("complice") the Islamist takeover of the north. 

 But if a solution would be more equitable distribution of resources and more impartiality by the UN, the UN mission siding with the Malian Army as they shoot protesters is hardly condusive to this.

  Araud said the protesters were throwing rocks. But is that a sufficient reason for an army, one the UN and France are providing support to, to open fire? Araud said this requires a Malian judicial and administrative investigation, and also one by MINUSMA. Given UN Peacekeeping's recent history of sitting on or burying reports, it is difficult to have confidence in this.

  Earlier on Tuesday, Araud had been scheduled to speak about Syria at the Security Council stakeout. That got canceled; Araud had to brief non-Council member states.

   Inner City Press on behalf of the new Free UN Coalition for Access thanked Araud (he kept it newsy so we will) and hoped that he will do as many question and answer stakeouts as last month's presidency, China -- nine. 

  In one of Araud's previous presidencies -- he'd said he thought his one fifteen months ago would be his last -- he did a mere three question and answer stakeouts. That might have been related in part to which month it was. December as he said will be busy. Watch this site.

Footnotes: Araud initially made light of a question about the Central African Republic rebels Seleka and the diamond trade, alluding to former French president Valerie Giscard d'Estaing and, it seemed, to the French luxury goods to then "Emperor" Bokasa. Araud returned to the question by reading from the pending resolution, noting the suspension of CAR from the diamond trade Kimberly Process.

  A question on French firm Areva and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Araud flatly refused, saying it is not on the Security Council's agenda (true) and is "not a threat to international peace and security" (less certain). 

  Inner City Press might ask: what then about Areva and its lobbying against paying taxes in Niger, which at least through the Sahel IS on the Security Council's agenda? Should be an interesting month - we'll have (much) more. Watch this site.

   

As France's FM Fabius Announces UNSC Schedule Even Before Bilaterals, What of Somalia PM Voted Out, & Journalists Murdered There?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 2 -- As France takes over presidency of the UN Security Council for December, before it has even held the traditional bilateral consultations with the other 14 members of the Council later today, foreign minister Laurent Fabius has already made public announcements about the program of work not yet agreed to.

  Fabius said France has four priorities, set forth below. But he has also announced the date and topic of debate not yet agreed to. No other Security Council presidency, including by the four other Permanent members, has done this.

  On December 18, France says the Security Council "will" have a debate about drug trafficking particularly in West Africa and the Sahel. This comes amid reports from Ghana that French ally Alassane Outtara's government in Ivory Coast has set hit-men to kill or kidnap supporters of former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo. Inner City Press will have more on this.

  Citing the murder of two French journalists in Mali, which the Security Council nearly immediately denounced in a Press Statement, Fabius says that the Security Council on December 13 will debate the protection of journalists. 

  While laudable, Inner City Press and the Free UN Coalition for Access question why the Council has not issued any press statements about the murder of other journalists for example in Somalia.

  In Mogadishu, the parliament has now voted out Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid, with fully 184 of 250 parliamentary voters present against him. What will the French presidency of the Security Council do? Somalia is NOT among France's priorities for the month.

France's priorities, according to Fabius, are former French colony the Central African Republic, and Syria, which France declared Ahmad al Jarba the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

  We will have more on both of these topics as well. But it is noted: Fabius made date-specific announcements about the Security Council's program of work for December even before the French Mission to the UN holds bilateral consultations with the Council's other 14 members. Faux pas? Watch this site.  
  

IMF of Lagarde Has No Comment on US NSA Spying, No Answers on Africa: Sahel, Sudan, or DR Congo

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 7 -- The International Monetary Fund under Christine Lagarde goes soft on the US or at least its spying, and ignores Africa.

At the IMF's bi-weekly embargoed media briefing on Thursday morning, Lagarde's spokesperson Gerry Rice was twice asked if the IMF has received any assurances from the Obama administration it will no longer spy on the IMF and World Bank.

Rice said, twice, that the IMF has no comment at this stage.

Even the UN under Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reached out to the US and received assurances, while not commenting when Inner City Press asked about Ban's talking points being spied on, and the UK case against David Miranda.

  Meanwhile, after in the two hours before the 9:30 am briefing holding two teleconference calls for reporters on Ireland and Cyprus, the IMF briefing focused on these countries, and Greece. 

 Rice limited questions to those "in the room" in Washington, saying at the end that there were online questions about Argentina and Ukraine but those had already been answered.

But at least three Africa questions had been timely -- and repeatedly -- posed to the IMF, by Inner City Press:

In Africa, this week the World Bank and other IFIs toured the Sahel and in Mali the World Bank announced $1.5 billion program. What are the IMF's programs in the Sahel?

In DR Congo, will the M23 rebels' ending of this insurgency impactthe economy and, separately, the chance of a revived IMF program?

On Sudan, please describe the tax exemptions for businesses that IMF's Edward Gemayel has said could be canceled to focus resources on the poor.

What's wrong with the IMF? Watch this site.

   

As Ban Ki-moon & Jim Kim Head to Sahel, Softball Questions Ignore Tuareg, Rape, Dams: UN Censorship Alliance

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 1, updated -- With World Bank president Jim Kim appearing by video from Washington, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday morning announced his and Kim's upcoming trip to the Sahel: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

  Ban's spokesperson Martin Nesirky then chose four questions. The first, in a politicized process that has become more indefensible by the day, went to the UN Correspondents Association. 

 This is a group which, beyond trying to get investigative media thrown out of the UN, in July held a faux "UN briefing" for Saudi-sponsored Syria rebel boss Ahmad al Jarba.

  Two of the three other questions were also given to UNCA Executive Committee members: a softball and one not even about the Sahel. The only non-UNCA question turned out to be about money laundering and corruption.

  Directly on Mali and the UN Peacekeeping mission MINUSMA which Ban bragged about, he should have been asked about the allegations of gang rape against MINUSMA, and its troops leaving their posts in Northern Mali after not being paid.

No one asked if Ban will travel to Gao or Northern Mali, or if the World Bank's money will benefit the Tuaregs. 

  Even on the Great Lakes trip both Ban and Kim bragged of, no one asked about opposition to dam projects, or about why the International Monetary Fund still has not revived the program it suspended with the DRC due to murky mining contracts. This is how this UN is working - or not. Watch this site.

Update: only after Ban left did Nesirky take questions on the trip from members of the Free UN Coalition for Access,@FUNCA_info. To Inner City Press on the rape charges, Nesirky said it is mostly up to the Troop Contributing Country: Chad, which Kim and Ban will also visit. No answer on if they'll go to Gao, or how ensure World Bank funds reach Northern Mali. We'll have more on the trip.