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On W. Sahara, ICP Exclusively Publishes Leaked Memo of UN Hotel Fraud, Morocco's Dues
By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, tellingly though his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, issued a non-apology apology to Morocco on March 28, “regretting misunderstandings" regarding the UN's MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.
On April 14 Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about MINURSO documents leaked to it showing fraud in the hotels the UN uses, and is used by, in Western Sahara. UN staff leave their I.D.'s at the hotel, meals never served are charged for and taken out of Morocco's dues to the UN.
Dujarric said if shown the document he would comment. We've put a document online here; all this happens as Ban's Under Secretary General for "Public Information" Cristina Gallach of Spain moves to evict Inner City Press from the UN on April 16 - a Saturday, with the building empty.
Already Gallach's unilateral reduction in Inner City Press' accreditation has resulted in it being banned from two Security Council meetings on Western Sahara. On April 14 it was unable to attend a briefing on Western Sahara held in the Delegates Lounge, to which its pass no longer gives it access.
Dujarric claimed that Inner City Press could be taken there with an "escort" who would not remain, as minder; this has not been Inner City Press' experience. We'll have more on this.
Titre original
MINURSO Report Leaked to ICP on Fraud in Hotels Used in Western Sahara
On W. Sahara, ICP Exclusively Publishes Leaked Memo of UN Hotel Fraud, Morocco's Dues
By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, tellingly though his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, issued a non-apology apology to Morocco on March 28, “regretting misunderstandings" regarding the UN's MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.
On April 14 Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about MINURSO documents leaked to it showing fraud in the hotels the UN uses, and is used by, in Western Sahara. UN staff leave their I.D.'s at the hotel, meals never served are charged for and taken out of Morocco's dues to the UN.
Dujarric said if shown the document he would comment. We've put a document online here; all this happens as Ban's Under Secretary General for "Public Information" Cristina Gallach of Spain moves to evict Inner City Press from the UN on April 16 - a Saturday, with the building empty.
Already Gallach's unilateral reduction in Inner City Press' accreditation has resulted in it being banned from two Security Council meetings on Western Sahara. On April 14 it was unable to attend a briefing on Western Sahara held in the Delegates Lounge, to which its pass no longer gives it access.
Dujarric claimed that Inner City Press could be taken there with an "escort" who would not remain, as minder; this has not been Inner City Press' experience. We'll have more on this.
On W. Sahara, ICP Exclusively Publishes Leaked Memo of UN Hotel Fraud, Morocco's Dues
By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, tellingly though his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, issued a non-apology apology to Morocco on March 28, “regretting misunderstandings" regarding the UN's MINURSO mission in Western Sahara.
On April 14 Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric about MINURSO documents leaked to it showing fraud in the hotels the UN uses, and is used by, in Western Sahara. UN staff leave their I.D.'s at the hotel, meals never served are charged for and taken out of Morocco's dues to the UN.
Dujarric said if shown the document he would comment. We've put a document online here; all this happens as Ban's Under Secretary General for "Public Information" Cristina Gallach of Spain moves to evict Inner City Press from the UN on April 16 - a Saturday, with the building empty.
Already Gallach's unilateral reduction in Inner City Press' accreditation has resulted in it being banned from two Security Council meetings on Western Sahara. On April 14 it was unable to attend a briefing on Western Sahara held in the Delegates Lounge, to which its pass no longer gives it access.
Dujarric claimed that Inner City Press could be taken there with an "escort" who would not remain, as minder; this has not been Inner City Press' experience. We'll have more on this.
UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES
United Nations Mission for the Mission des Nations Unies pour
Referendum in organisation d’un référendum au
Western Sahara)“ MINURSO Sahara occidental
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
Confidential
Reference: CMS/0109/2015
Date: 08 April 2015
To Ms. Kim Bolduc
Special Representative of the Secretary General and.
Head of Mission
From: Michael Mulinge Kitivi .
Chief of Mission Support
Subject: Fact Finding Exercise Regarding Allegations of Misusé
the Local Authorities at Authorized Hotels
A. Preamble
1 As requested, | have initiated a Fact Finding Exercise (hereafter “the FFE")
regarding allegations of misuse of meals provided by the Local Avihorities at authorized
Hotels
2. Due tothe sensitive nature of the issue, only two (2) of my core staff have been
involved Mr. Chris WHITE, Chief Communications and Technology Section (CCITS) and Mr.
Alfred KESCHL, Administrative Officer (AO).
3. As | considered the submission of the “meal invoices” from the authorized Hotels
incomplete and lacking transparency and in an effort to improve oversight, a Note
Verbale (NV) (attached as Annex A) was forwarded to the Moroccan Coordination Office
in Lagyoune [hereafter “ihe Local Authorities (LA)"). Implementation date was fo be 01
October 2014.
4, The LA responded with a return NV No. $17/R/2014 dated 17 November 2014
(attached as Annex 8).
Page 1 of 3.Reference: CMS/0109/2015
Date: 08 April 2015
B. General
4. The LAhas provided Portable Document Format (PDF) copies of their
“discrepancy reporls" (hereafter “the DR") for the months of October 2014 (attached as
Annex C) and July 2014 (attached as Annex D)
5. __inview of the fact that no details are provided on any invoices prior to October
2014, the DR for July 2014 could not be reviewed.
€. Implementation
Initially the following steps have been taken:
(] A Comparison Chart (CC) (attached as Annex E has been created indicating
the following information:
() Ut of MINURSO ID Hs.
(i) Names of individuals concerned.
i) Country of origin regarding the individuals concemed.
(iv) Locations of individuals concemed as per "accommodation work
sheets (AWS)
(vl Alegend stipulating the various abbreviations used on the CC.
(b) S02 Protocol/Welfare provided the AWS files for the month of October 2014,
These AWS files are originally broken down by date, Le. “accommodation 01 OCT
2014” etc. Hence all thirty one (31) files were consolidated into one (1) list (Annex
Fi.
D. Findings
7. Based on the data collected there is a strong indication of possible misuse of meals
provided by the authorized Hotels in Laayoune.
8. According fo the existing data provided by S02 Protocol/Welfare, numerous
individuals who are stationed af TS, sill avail of meals a various authorized Hotels in
Laayoune. Out of sixty two audited (62) military personnel, sixty [60) have been identified
3s having misused meals provided by the authorized Hotels in Laayoune (attached as
‘Annex E
9. This is only possible if both the individual in question as well as hotel staff collude in
ascam to defraud the Organization as well as the LA.
10, Please note that this FEE does not cover MINURSO personnel stationed in
Laayoune. Although not substantiated or proven, there are indications that hotels may
have been requesting MINURSO HQ staff to “leave” there MINURSO IDs behind when.
‘commencing on leave / Compensatory Time Off (CTO) away from Laayoune. Upon
doing s0, the individuals in question receive either cash or free accommodation in Agadir.
To clarity this, the Organization would require investigative assistance from the LA.
Conclusions
11. The possible fraudulent activities of individuals regarding the inappropriate access
to meals at authorized Hotels in Laayoune could be very damaging to the reputation of
‘the Organization as well as MINURSO. The issue is compounded by the fact that meals
provided by the LA is part of the assessed contributions of Morocco towards the:
‘Organization.
Page 2 of 3.Reference: CMS/0107/2015
Date: 08 April 2015,
12. __ Asitis difficult fo tle meal(s) consumption with accommodation(s) and in an effort
to accelerate the initial gathering and verification of information, we focused primarily on
ihe issue of meals.
13. Nevertheless, the problem of fraudulent declaration of room occupation is part of
this scheme os reported by the LA and remains pending for further investigation.
14, Further informal reports to the RSG have ao indicated a problem of selling
military rations at the Team Sites 1o unauthorized individuals,
15. In view of the sensitive nature of this issues and the fact that MINURSO does not
have the investigative resources for such a task, | respectfully suggest this issue be handed,
over to the Office of internal Oversight Services (C108) for their purview.
16. Thank you for your support in this matter.
17. Best regards.
Attachments:
Annex A: Note Verbale, CMS/158/2014, 22 September 2015 (6 pages)
Annex 8: Note Verbale, No. 517/R/2014 dated 17 November 2014 (2 pages}
AnnexC: Local Authorities, Discrepancy Reports, October 2014 (7 pages).
AnnexD: Local Authorities, Discrepancy Repor's, July 2014 (14 pages),
‘AnnexE: Comparison Chat, (7 pages)
AnnexF: Accommodation Work Sheets (11 pages)
‘Annex G: Sahara Line Hotel Laayoune, invoice October 2014 (11 pages),
AnnexH: Oscar Hotel, invoice October 2014 (6 pages).
Annex: Hotel Emilio Moretti, invoice October 2014 [8 pages).
AnnexJ: Hotels Parador ~ Al Massira, invoice October 2014 (16 pages).
AnnexK: Hotel Lakovara, invoice October 2014 (11 pages).
AnnexL: Hotel Nagiir Vile, invoice October 2014 (4 pages).
Page 3 of 3