In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 16 – The race to replace Irina Bokova atop UNESCO, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has moved to the next stage, with nine candidates now in the ring. Voice of America, not even using its own "reporting," named only the Egyptian and French candidates, not even mentioning Qatar the country, or the candidate (sort of) from Lebanon.

  The now announced candidacy of Lebanese expatriate Vera El Khoury Lacoeuilhe, affiliated with St. Lucia and, it's reported, Gilbert Chagoury, the Lebanese-Nigerian businessman whose Clinton ties emerged in emails released by the US State Department.

See also, Inner City Press: In S Sudan, UNESCO-Supported Media Authority Grills & Blocks Journalists, UN Decay

  How is St. Lucia's representative to UNESCO chosen?

  How does Dominica choose to whom to give passports, including for example Macau-based businessman Ng Lap Seng, facing trial for UN bribery, accorded no due diligence by the UN communications chief Cristina Gallach? A phrase that in telling Inner City Press about these processes diplomats keep using is "For Sale." We'll have more on this - and on the future of UNESCO and other UN system agencies. Here's the UNESCO Nine:

Mr Polad BÜLBÜLOGLU, Azerbaijan

Mr PHAM Sanh Chau, Viet Nam

Ms Moushira KHATTAB, Egypt

Mr Hamad bin Abdulaziz AL-KAWARI, Qatar

Mr Qian TANG, China

Mr Juan Alfonso FUENTES SORIA, Guatemala

Mr Saleh AL-HASNAWI, Iraq

Ms Vera EL-KHOURY LACOEUILHE, Lebanon

Ms Audrey AZOULAY, France

  With the UN system facing 50% budget cuts from the US, on January 25 UN Development Program chief Helen Clark confirmed she will leave on April 19. On January 26, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric refused to disclose when Inner City Press asked the process to pick a replacement. We'll have more on this.

  The unwritten process for UNICEF, the UN children's agency. The current Democrat Party appointees, Anthony Lake is  expected to resign and Secretary General Antonio Guterres will ask the US, presumably through Nikki Haley, for three American names. Or maybe just one.

Will it go that way this time? Will Trump accept the decision being made between three names? If France was able to impose the incompetent Herve Ladsous on the UN, and Spain the censor Cristina Gallach, will even the three-name game now stand?

 
On January 27, Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, after he called Inner City Press' questioning on the use of taxpayers' funds "despicable," this, from the UN Transcript:

Inner City Press:  this is on the theme of transition, because I wanted to know, as you may know, Nikki Haley, in written responses to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, talked about working early… in early days on WFP (World Food Programme) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund).  And, although yesterday you’d said that there’s a well-established procedure as to UNFP… UNDP, I wanted to know, what is the procedure for this administration of the UN, in terms of replacing the heads of WFP and UNICEF?  It… are you saying that it’s… it’s open to all countries as… as I guess it’s stated, but it seems… my understanding… [inaudible]

Spokesman Dujarric:  There are stated rules.  And those will be followed.

Inner City Press:  Then why is it that some countries have controlled these posts five and… four and five times in a row?  And, if so…  [inaudible]

Spokesman:  That’s not a question… that’s not a question I’m able to answer.

Inner City Press:  It is a question…

Spokesman:  It’s not a question… I’m not saying it’s not a question.  I’m saying it’s a question I’m not able to answer.

Inner City Press:  Have you seen letters of resignation from Ertharin Cousins or Anthony Lake?

Spokesman:  Not that I’m aware of.  Good day.  Thank you.

  As to UNDP, while Inner City Press first reported the interest of France's Segolene Royal in replacing Clark, and the UK's David Miliband has also been mentioned (but see below).

 On January 26, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric what the process will be, and about (UN) transparency. Video here, from the UN transcript:

Inner City Press: now that Helen Clark has said that she'll be leaving by 19 April, can you describe what the process will be that António Guterres will use to choose a new administrator of UNDP (United Nations Development Program)?  Has he received nominations, for example… [Inner City Press said Miliband and Segelone Royal, the UN did not transcribe.]

Spokesman:  No, we was… he was…  He was informed by Helen Clark of her desire to step down at the end of her… of her term.  There is a well-determined process of consultations between the Secretary-General and the Executive Board of UNDP on finding a successor, and that process will be followed.

Inner City Press:  Yesterday, he met with the French Minister of Development and Francophonie.  I was kind of expecting some kind of a readout.  Did I miss one?  Was one put out?

Spokesman:  No, there was no readout that I know of.

Inner City Press:  And I wanted to ask, I guess, related to that, there are some in the South Korean media asking to know where it's available to find the daily schedules that are put up every day.  Are they just thrown out, or is there some repository of who met with the Secretary-General…?

Spokesman:  Well, I'm glad you're… you've asserted a role as the Spokesman for the South Korean media but they can look on the website, and everything should be archived.

  Where?

 On January 26 Inner City Press asked UK Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft, video here, UK transcript:

Inner City Press: Does the UK support David Miliband to head UNDP?
 
Amb Rycroft: We look forward to working with Helen Clark in her final months in office and with her successor, and no further comment. [end]

  Some UN sources have told Inner City Press this post, "like UNICEF and WFP, may go to an American." We'll see.

  Of the candidates to replace the increasingly discredited Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary General, Clark was the most active on social media.

She also, as Inner City Press exposed, had UNDP go after a UNDP staff who dared tweet criticism of her.

She was once getting a tobacco award but when exposed by Inner City Press, turned it down. There's more to be said but the news of the day is the impending budget cuts.

 And why WAS France minister for development meeting with and lobbying Antonio Guterres on January 25? We'll have more on this.

***

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Search innercitypress.com  Search WWW (censored?)

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2015 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for