Canada ‘concerned’ by UN refugee aid agency allegations
Nepotism, sex misconduct among charges
OTTAWA • The Canadian government is “concerned” by allegations of wrongdoing at a controversial United Nations agency that administers humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees, but officials have fallen short of saying whether or not future funding will be suspended.
Serious allegations including sexual misconduct and nepotism have been directed at top officials at the UN’S Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
After international news reports that the UN was investigating its own agency for severe mismanagement, Switzerland and the Netherlands both announced this week they would withhold funding.
Stephen Harper’s Conservative government had cut annual funding to the organization in 2010 because of allegations it had links to Hamas, a nationalist Palestinian group listed as a terrorist organization in Canada. In 2016, citing humanitarian needs, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government reinstated funding to UNRWA. It has committed $110 million since then, including a $50 million contribution in October.
No Canadian funding obligations are “currently pending,” said Barbara Harvey, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs Canada. But she did not indicate whether further commitments would be suspended.
“The government is concerned by the allegations of wrongdoing within UNRWA. The UN’S Office of Internal Oversight Services is currently conducting an investigation into these allegations. Canada expects that the process that the UN and UNRWA are following to investigate and address any wrongdoing is rigorous and fair,” she said in a statement.
“We value accountability and transparency and we will review the outcome of the investigation. Our number one priority is to contribute to meeting the basic education, health and livelihood needs of millions of Palestinian refugees, especially women and children.”
Conservatives say they would cut UNRWA funding anyway. “Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives have long expressed concerns with UNRWA — especially surrounding their ties to Hamas, the anti-semitism harboured by employees, and now these new allegations of misconduct,” said Daniel Schow, a spokesman for Scheer.
“An Andrew Scheer Conservative government will immediately withdraw Canadian funding from UNRWA.”
B’nai Brith Canada, a Jewish-canadian organization long critical of the agency, put out a statement saying, “Canadians would never tolerate this level of mismanagement in a domestic charity or arm of government — so why are we bankrolling it overseas?”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said given there is no new funding on the horizon, Canada should institute a “moratorium” until the conclusion of the investigation and “real change” in the organization.
The U.S. cut its US$360 million contribution to the agency to zero last year citing an “irredeemably flawed operation.”
In December, the UN’S Secretary General was made aware of misconduct concerns within UNRWA, according to Al Jazeera, which first reported on the leaked document Monday.
Agence France-presse, which also obtained it, said the document describes “credible and corroborated” allegations of abuses at the top of the organization, including “sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority, for personal gain, to suppress legitimate dissent, and to otherwise achieve their personal objectives.”
Two officials named in the report have left the UNRWA, according to the AFP, and the agency has said it is co-operating with the investigation. UNRWA did not respond to the Post’s request for comment.
CANADIANS WOULD NEVER TOLERATE THIS LEVEL OF MISMANAGEMENT IN A DOMESTIC CHARITY OR ARM OF GOVERNMENT — SO WHY ARE WE BANKROLLING IT OVERSEAS?