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Ex-UNRWA chief says agency 'victim of campaign to undermine it'
[Al Jazeera] The former head of the UN agency for Paleostinian refugees, who resigned amid an ongoing investigation into alleged abuses of authority, has denied wrongdoing saying his agency was the victim of a political campaign designed to undermine it."I have rejected these allegations from the start and will continue to do so," former commissioner-general Pierre Krahenbuhl told Swiss broadcaster RTS. "There is no corruption, fraud or mismanagement of aid." A confidential internal agency ethics report, first reported by Al Jazeera in July, accused Krahenbuhl and his "inner circle" of abuses of authority. The report alleged the inner circle was made up of Deputy Commission-General Sandra Mitchell - who resigned from her post in late July - Chief of Staff Hakam Shahwan - who left the agency in early July - and the senior adviser to the commissioner-general, Maria Mohammedi. It claimed members of the group "engaged in misconduct, nepotism, retaliation ... and other abuses of authority" following the fallout from the United States's decision to cut its contributions to the agency from $360m to $60m for 2018 and then zero in 2019. The US and Israel both accused UNRWA of mismanagement and anti-Israel incitement. 'ABOVE THE POLITICS'
He denied what he called "the unfounded allegation that I entertained a romantic relationship with a staff member". Krahenbuhl said he was "above the politics that have governed this entire process" and was resigning "in the firm belief that this is in the best interest of Palestine refugees, of my family and myself". He added: "A further delay would only benefit those who have so actively engaged in political, financial and personal attacks over the past two years with the declared objective to undermine UNRWA and the integrity of Palestine refugees." Related: Pierre Krahenbuhl: 2019-11-07 U.N. Palestinian Agency Chief Steps Aside After ‘Sexual Misconduct, Nepotism, Corruption’ Allegations Pierre Krahenbuhl: 2019-11-04 Pay deal ends strike by UN Palestinian agency workers in Jordan Pierre Krahenbuhl: 2019-08-02 Amid ethics probe, UN appoints acting UNRWA deputy chief Related: Sandra Mitchell: 2019-08-02 Amid ethics probe, UN appoints acting UNRWA deputy chief Sandra Mitchell: 2010-03-13 Iraqi poll body rejects criticism Related: UNRWA: 2019-11-07 Israel pushes for UNRWA's closure as leader quits amid misconduct probe UNRWA: 2019-11-07 U.N. Palestinian Agency Chief Steps Aside After ‘Sexual Misconduct, Nepotism, Corruption’ Allegations UNRWA: 2019-11-04 Pay deal ends strike by UN Palestinian agency workers in Jordan Posted by: Fred 2019-11-08 |
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