Annan Opens New Probe Into Former Official

By Nick Wadhams
June 17, 2005
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/17/AR2005061700913.html
UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations launched a new investigation Friday into allegations that the former head of the U.N. internal watchdog showed favoritism in recruiting and promoting employees.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan made the decision after an outside review found there was enough evidence to go ahead with a new investigation into Dileep Nair, a Singaporean who retired in April.
Last year, U.N. officials concluded Nair wasn't guilty of favoritism and trading jobs for personal favors. But the United Nations Staff Union submitted new claims.
Because Nair no longer works for the United Nations, there is no way to punish him if the investigation concludes he did something wrong.
But U.N. associate spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the inquiry will help the world body learn lessons about hiring practices and bring closure to those who filed complaints.
It will be a chance for Mr. Nair to clear his name or not, which is I think something of key importance to him, as it should be, Dujarric said.
The charges caused particular controversy at the United Nations because the Office of Internal Oversight Services, which Nair led, is responsible for upholding the integrity of the world body.
Annan appointed Jerome Ackerman, the former president of the U.N. administrative tribunal, to conduct the new inquiry. Ackerman, who also conducted the outside review, was given 30-45 days to complete it.
The Staff Union's executive body adopted a resolution on April 15, 2004 accusing Nair of misconduct and improperly appointing and promoting staff and alleging corrupt practices in his office. It asked for an independent investigation.
After a review of the allegations, the undersecretary-general for management found in mid-November that no U.N. rules were violated in the appointment and promotion of U.N. staff and said the union didn't present credible information on the other claims.
The union expressed outrage when its leaders were told by senior U.N. officials at a meeting on Dec. 1 that no formal investigation of the alleged violations was ever conducted. The union was asked to provide additional information on the specific violations, which was the basis of the decision to conduct the Ackerman investigation.
Nair was also implicated by the committee investigating allegations of misconduct in the world body's defunct oil-for-food program in Iraq.
An investigation led by former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker said Nair paid an employee with money from the $64 billion program although the staffer's work was not directly involved in the plan.
Nair denied he did anything wrong in that case as well.
In April, Annan wrote a letter to Nair saying serious questions remain about those claims. The letter was added to Nair's permanent file as a record of official disappointment.
© 2005 The Associated Press