Audit finds UN deficiencies linked to alleged bribery case

Failure to check out partners put body’s ‘integrity’ at risk

UNITED NATIONS // An internal audit has found important deficiencies and lapses in the UN’s involvement with two foundations and several non-governmental organisations linked to an alleged bribery case involving former general assembly president John Ashe.

The audit by the office of internal oversight services said that the body’s failure to check out certain NGOs before dealing with them put the United Nations’ “integrity, independence and impartiality” at risk.

The office gave the UN secretariat a “partially satisfactory” overall result in complying with UN policies and procedures, saying “important – but not critical or pervasive – deficiencies exist”. Mr Ashe – a former UN ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda who served in the largely ceremonial post of president of the 193-nation assembly from September 2013 to September 2014 – was accused by US federal au- thorities of turning the position into a “platform for profit” by accepting more than US$1 million (Dh3.67m) in bribes.

His arrest in October put a spotlight on the money the UN and its key players accept from outside entities and how donations and partners are vetted. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ordered the audit days later.

The office of internal oversight services gave several examples of the UN’s failure to check out foundations and organisations that exposed the world body to the risk it could be involved with organisations whose interests conflicted with the UN’s.

It said the United Nations Office for Partnerships accepted a $ 60,000 contribution from the Global Sustainability Foundation, whose leader Sheri Yan was an adviser to Mr Ashe during his presidency and is accused in the alleged scheme, without performing any due diligence check. There was no evidence of checks before projects were undertaken with the International Organisation for South- South Cooperation whose president, Francis Lorenzo, a deputy UN ambassador from the Domini- can Republic, who has also been charged in the alleged bribery scheme.

It recommended that the secretary-general take “appropriate corrective action” against the staff members. The auditors made a series of other recommendations including urging the secretary- general to ensure that all UN bodies checked out NGOs, businesses, foundations and other civil society organisations before they were engaged as UN partners.