| In
Corrupt UN of Guterres UNESCO As End of
Azoulay Mandate Nears, Dreams of Extension
By Matthew
Russell Lee &
sources,
Exclusive
UN
GATE, July 5
– UNESCO,
like the whole
UN system
under Antonio
Guterres is
falling apart
in corruption
and fraud.
Inner
City Press has
been reporting
on serious
malfeasance by
the French
Audrey Azoulay
administration
at UNESCO in
Paris, almost
as bad as
Antonio
Guterres'
corruption in
and of the UN
in New York. A
fish rots from
the head.
UNESCO
has been a
no-man's-land
for some time
now. And as
the end of the
administration
headed by
Audrey Azoulay
approaches, in
a desperate
attempt to
maintain some
direction and
respect for
her disastrous
tenure, the
usual Azoulay
familiars -
Japan, Djibuti
and Haiti -
are beginning
to push the
idea of a
two-year
extension of
Azoulay's term
as DG. On what
basis?
Only
they know.
UNESCO's
Constitution
makes no
provision for
such an
extension. But
one thing is
certain: if
such a debate
takes place,
it will be
proof of the
anti-democratic
atmosphere
that has
reigned at
UNESCO for
some years
now. All
other agency
heads,
including
Antonio
Guterres,
could then ask
for a similar
favor. The
latter would
be the end of
the UN.
This
shows the
absurdity and
parallel world
in which some
ambassadors
and senior
UNESCO
officials
operate with a
sense of total
impunity, even
for the
craziest
political
bargains and
negotiations.
Because the
very act of
suggesting it
brings
advantages to
countries that
play to
Azoulay's
tune.
Moreover,
there's also
the
explanation of
Azoulay's
appointment of
the wife of
the legal
advisor and
director of
legal affairs,
Santiago
Villalpando,
once more
against all
normal
practice.
This is
clearly an
abuse of
power, since
after coercing
DG Azoulay and
giving his
full support
to her
political
shenanigans,
Santiago
Villalpando
obtained, in
exchange for
his legal
favors, that
his wife be
appointed to
UNESCO. Inner
City Press has
confirmed that
the decision
to appoint
Marina
Silberman, the
wife of the
director of
UNESCO's legal
office, to the
UN agency has
been duly
taken. She has
been appointed
to a P5 post
in the
Financial
Management
Branch (BFM).
By
way of thanks,
Santiago will
certainly find
a gateway for
the idea
promoted by
Japan,
Djibouti and
Haiti. Unless
other member
states,
including
Egypt, which
has a
candidate in
the running
for the 2025
elections,
decide
otherwise and
scupper the
idea while
it's still
only a rumor.
But beware of
rumors at
UNESCO. Most
of the time,
they turn out
to be naked
truths.
The
appointment of
Marina
Silberman, the
wife of the
director of
UNESCO's legal
office is
another major
conflict of
interest - a
reward for
impunity in
violating the
rules - that
deserves the
full attention
of member
states. From
an ethical
point of view,
it is akin to
Azoulay's lack
of concern for
any standard
norms and
regulations,
as in the case
she covered up
for the French
pervert in the
Ministry of
Culture under
her tenure,
who
intoxicated
women to watch
them urinate
in front of
him.
The
staff
associations
(AIPU and STU)
keep voicing
their concern
of those
alarming
practices
resurfacing in
the total
absence of
respect for
rules and
regulations.
On another
notice, the
Japanese-organized
farewell party
for the now
well-known
director of
cabinet
Nicolas
Kassianides
took place
today. After
all the
revelations of
wrongdoing, DG
Azoulay
finally got
rid of him.
Even
when Inner
City Press
announced his
departure
following
official
complaints
from several
member states,
this
information
was vehemently
denied, with
UNESCO
refuting any
such
departure.
Unless it
became public
knowledge that
he would be
leaving the
Agency without
further ado,
which sets a
precedent. No
DG has ever
lost his/her
director of
cabinet just
two years
before the end
of his/her
mandate. So,
this decision
was taken for
a reason, and
there's no
shortage of
reasons.
Is
it because of
the undue
promotion of
his mistress,
Lily Neyestani
in the
Education
sector (more
about this
promotion here
In Guterres'
Corrupt UN
Murky UNESCO
Job Moves
Under Azoulay
), who is now
officially
living with
him and no
questions
whatsoever
about this
transgression
of the rules
and procedures
in her favor?
Could be.
The
list of
Kassianides'
misdeeds is
very long,
from the
mishandling of
certain
sensitive
political
dossiers,
including an
upcoming
meeting on
culture
preservation
in Saudi
Arabia that
Azoulay aims
to sabotage,
to the
Agency's
mismanagement
over the past
five years,
which has
given free
rein to abuse
of power and
corruption.
He's
also the one
who let the
IOS become a
service for
destroying
people and
careers
instead of
protecting the
rule of law
within the
Agency. It is
also
Kassianides
who set the
example by
allowing young
women to
obtain cushy
positions at
UNESCO solely
by physically
pleasing their
respective
bosses. He
also protected
and
safeguarded
the
unacceptable
situation in
which senior
managers such
as Ottone
Ramirez, ADG
for Culture,
and Gabriela
Ramos, ADG for
Social
Sciences, are
able to
exercise
totalitarian
control over
staff,
including
through the
use of
intimidation
and harassment
that force
staff members
into fear and
obedience.
With
all this
exposure,
greater
progress could
have been made
despite the
criminal
complicity of
the member
states. Their
insane
political
stance is
actually a
green light to
DG Azoulay for
her to keep up
with those
practices and
to even scale
them up in the
remaining last
two years. The
member states
are therefore
entirely
responsible
for the
unopposed
collapse of
UNESCO. We
will have more
on that. Watch
this site.
***
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