UNITED NATIONS: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Thursday appointed a new acting deputy head of the U.N. agency for Palestine refugees whose top management is under investigation by the U.N.’s internal watchdog over allegations of abusing their authority. Deputy Commissioner-General Sandra Mitchell of the U.S. resigned in July and denied all allegations in a confidential report by the ethics office of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
The report, obtained Monday by the Associated Press, claims the agency’s top management, including Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl, “have engaged in sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority.”
U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres decided in coordination with Krahenbuhl to appoint Assistant Secretary-General Christian Saunders of the United Kingdom as the agency’s acting deputy commissioner-general “to support UNRWA and ensure operational continuity.”
The U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services is investigating allegations of misconduct in UNRWA, Dujarric said, and “the secretary-general is committed to acting, as appropriate, once he receives the findings and recommendations.”
Several countries have reportedly suspended contributions to UNRWA over the allegations.
Dujarric said Guterres considered UNRWA’s work “essential to Palestinian refugees” and called on U.N. member states and others to continue supporting the agency’s “crucial work.”
Citing information from some 25 current and past UNRWA directors and staff, the ethics report said an “inner circle” comprising Krahenbuhl, his deputy Mitchell, chief of staff Hakam Shahwan and senior adviser Maria Mohammedi had bypassed normal decision-making processes and sidelined field and program directors and other senior staff. Shahwan also left UNRWA in July.
The report alleges that Krahenbuhl, who was appointed to lead UNRWA on March 30, 2014, started a relationship with Mohammedi late that year that “went beyond the professional,” created “a toxic environment,” and caused “frequent embarrassment.”
When directors who have since left raised it with Krahenbuhl, the report said “they felt increasingly isolated or marginalized” and one believed it was key to his contract not being renewed.
The ethics office said Krahenbuhl established the post of senior adviser and followed “an extreme fast-track” to give the job to Mohammedi. She traveled with him on the vast majority of his business travels, using waivers so she could travel business class with him, the report alleged.
The report said some former executive office staff reported that Krahenbuhl was away from UNRWA headquarters in occupied Jerusalem for 28-29 days per month, claiming a daily allowance. It said he told a senior staff member in mid-November that he had made 52 trips up until that time in 2018.
UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai said Thursday that “at present we are dealing with allegations not findings.”
“UNRWA is awaiting the outcome of the investigation and will not hesitate to take firm corrective measures or other management actions as may be required,” she said in an email to AP.
Saunders, the agency’s new acting deputy commissioner-general, began his U.N. career in 1989 with UNRWA in Gaza. Dujarric said he brought over 30 years of experience in humanitarian and international affairs to the job, including in senior management positions. He is currently U.N. assistant secretary-general for supply chain management and previously served as assistant secretary-general for the Office of Central Support Services.
