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UNDP Ambassador
Ronaldo in Prostitution Scandal, As UN Watches the News
Byline: Matthew
Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS,
May
6 -- They talk about "One UN," but when scandal hits, it's every
agency for itself. This was made clear this week when UNICEF
loudly disavowed
any connection with Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo, embroiled in a
transvestite prostitute scandal. Ronaldo was quoted that the scandal
"will
not interfere with my
position as UNICEF ambassador, nothing will be an obstacle to
that."
UNICEF immediately issued a statement denying that Ronaldo is its
ambassador or
that he "has any other tie to the agency." But Ronaldo is a UNDP
Ambassador -- few so far have
followed up on this. As of May 6 at 10:30 a.m. UN Headquarters
time, in Google News "Rolando
UNICEF" resulted in 57 hits, while "Ronaldo
UNDP" garnered only 14. This may change.
Inner City Press asked UNDP's new spokesman Stephane
Dujarric to confirm and generally comment. On Tuesday morning he
replied,
"Yes, Ronaldo is a UN Goodwill Ambassador. We are following this matter
very closely as it is being investigated by the Brazilian authorities.
UNDP
expects all of its Goodwill Ambassadors abide by the highest standard
of
conduct and not to embarrass the organization."
Of course it is embarrassing when an
endorser or public face of an organization surfaces on the tabloids'
front
pages. But when the organization at issue is part of The Organization,
the UN,
the questions that should be raised and answered include what due
diligence was
done before aligning with the individual. In this case of UNDP,
specific
questions will include who did the due diligence, what risks were
identified,
what are viewed as outweighing the risks, and who made the decisions --
Kemal
Dervis? Ad Melkert? Both have appeared with UNDP's Ambassadors, often
beaming.
What type of review is being conducted of UNDP's other, or remaining,
Ambassadors? "Following closely" and "expecting highest standards" may
not be enough in this case.
UNDP "closely watching" Ronaldo, focus to
expand
Wider questions are raised by the
UN's creeping embrace of celebrities of all stripe. Upcoming this week
is an
appearance by "Uptown Girl" Christie Brinkley, in connection with
something called UN-Learning Intolerance. (Yes, the double meaning has
been
noticed.) Reportedly, attempts were made to get a Brinkley artist
friend into
the associated group show at the last moment. There was, as Inner City
Press
reported,
an
award given to cell phone throwing model Naomi Campbell May 2 at the
UN, which
was reported at least in photo captions as an award BY the UN. For reporting
on this, a
lawyer's letter (or call) has been received. An organizer of the
ostensibly
environmental event involving Naomi Campbell told Inner City Press on
Monday
night that they just want to raise the profile of their issue. But at
what
cost?
* * *
These reports are
usually also available through Google
News and on Lexis-Nexis.
Click
here for a Reuters
AlertNet piece by this correspondent
about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click
here
for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National
Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an
undefined trust fund. Video
Analysis here
Feedback: Editorial
[at] innercitypress.com
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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
2006-08 Inner City Press, Inc. To request
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