At UNDP, Investigators By Invitation Only, To Scrutinize Complainants, Make Sure the Fix Is In

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 -- It is far too rare for the UN to consent to investigation, if only by itself. And even in these cases, transparency is lack, self-exoneration is the goal.

            Last week it was reported that the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services was investigating irregularities in the scandal-plague UN Development Program. UNDP's problems, while becoming visible in North Korea, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Uganda and elsewhere, begin in its headquarters in New York. So even while the UN Board of Auditors admits it was barred from North Korea to conduct the most basic on-site assessment, the OIOS inquiry in New York seemed promising.

   False hope, apparently. In response to questions Inner City Press asked on July 12 and 13, about OIOS' jurisdiction, the following came in on Monday:

I have the following information for you, concerning your questions about OIOS and UNDP

"The Office for Internal Oversight Services does not have a specific mandate to investigate UNDP, but it has the ability, under a memorandum of agreement with UNDP, to undertake services for UNDP at its request. In this particular case, OIOS is trying to obtain information from a complainant to see whether the complainant's reasons for not reporting information to UNDP are justified. Until OIOS receives that information and can determine whether the complainant's reasons are valid, it is not proceeding to deal with the particulars of the case."

            Most troubling in this answer is that even this rare investigation is only taking place at UNDP's request. As described, it is not an investigation of UNDP, but rather of a complainant against UNDP, to make the complainant "justif[y]" why information was not reported to UNDP senior management, which has shown a willingness to retaliate.

            While the OIOS answer leaves it murky, it appears that even if the "case" or complaint is valid, OIOS will not act on it as long as it can find something not "justified" in the behavior of the complainant. This is classic UN, and getting worse all the time. This is why a perception has grown that only an independent or at least outside assessment of UNDP will have credibility.

Music at the UN -- at UNDP, the cover-up and mutual self-protection is nearly symphonic

        At a press conference on Monday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said

"regarding the UNDP’s activities in North Korea, the report of the auditors was released, and the first phase of investigation has been completed. Now, I requested ACABQ [Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions] and the Board of Auditors to continue their investigation into this issue, because, while we have found that there were not much funds misused, but there were certainly irregularities found in their activities, in their operations. I have also requested the Board of Auditors to proceed to Pyongyang so that they can have first-hand investigations there. And I am also discussing this matter with the UNDP -- Mr. Kemal Dervis, the Administrator; and also the Associate Administrator, Mr. Ad Melkert; and other important Executive Board members -- to find out what would be the best and most effective ways to look into this matter further, if and when the people are not fully satisfied with the result of the Board of Auditors investigation."

            The set-up, sources say, will involvement ACABQ conditioning the second round on the receipt of visas from the Kim Jong-il government, which will not come. Many found Ban Ki-moon reference to Ad Melkert surprising, given the antipathy toward Melkert not only from the U.S. Mission, but increasingly from developing world countries in the G77, who in order to defend development are calling on Melkert to go.  That Dervis is ultimately responsible, the buck stopping at the top, is obvious. But not, apparently, to Ban Ki-moon. As one observer put it, perhaps if the scandal were in another country...

* * *

Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about the National Reconciliation Congress, in preparation of which UNDP stood in alone in refusing to answer basic questions about its spending in Somalia, on police and military forces.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Search WWW Search innercitypress.com

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service.

            Copyright 2006-07 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com -