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U.N. Panel’s Call for Transparency Highlights Limits of Oversight U.N. Panel’s Call for Transparency Highlights Limits of Oversight
(about 2 hours later)
UNITED NATIONS — Five months after a former president of the United Nations General Assembly was accused of accepting bribes to buy items like hand-tailored suits and Rolex watches, a task force appointed by the United Nations secretary general recommended greater transparency in the way money is raised and spent by that office. UNITED NATIONS — Five months after a former president of the United Nations General Assembly was accused of accepting bribes to buy items like hand-tailored suits and Rolex watches, a task force appointed by the United Nations secretary general recommended greater transparency in the way money is raised and spent by that office.
But the report, made public on Tuesday, only signaled the limitations of oversight. It recommended that each president of the General Assembly, elected annually by the 193 member states of the United Nations, make financial disclosures at the beginning and end of his or her term. It also recommended that the presidents make their travel and other expenses public. But the report, made public on Tuesday, only signaled the limitations of oversight. It recommended that each president of the General Assembly, elected annually by the 193 member states, make financial disclosures at the beginning and end of his or her term. It also recommended that the presidents make their travel and other expenses public.
The president of the General Assembly is not a United Nations employee, does not report to the secretary general, has a $326,000 annual budget and is free to raise money from outside sources, including private companies, creating what the secretary general’s report called “significant loopholes and blind spots.”The president of the General Assembly is not a United Nations employee, does not report to the secretary general, has a $326,000 annual budget and is free to raise money from outside sources, including private companies, creating what the secretary general’s report called “significant loopholes and blind spots.”
Those loopholes resulted in a wide-ranging graft scheme that led to accusations against John W. Ashe, a diplomat from Antigua and Barbuda who presided over the General Assembly from September 2013 to September 2014. Mr. Ashe was indicted by the United States attorney’s office in Manhattan on charges of accepting payments from Ng Lap Seng, a Chinese businessman with real estate interests in Macau.Those loopholes resulted in a wide-ranging graft scheme that led to accusations against John W. Ashe, a diplomat from Antigua and Barbuda who presided over the General Assembly from September 2013 to September 2014. Mr. Ashe was indicted by the United States attorney’s office in Manhattan on charges of accepting payments from Ng Lap Seng, a Chinese businessman with real estate interests in Macau.
According to the complaint filed by prosecutors in October, Mr. Ashe took payments from Mr. Ng and used “his official position to obtain for Ng potentially lucrative investments in Antigua.”According to the complaint filed by prosecutors in October, Mr. Ashe took payments from Mr. Ng and used “his official position to obtain for Ng potentially lucrative investments in Antigua.”
Mr. Ashe is accused of using the money on a lavish shopping spree that included hand-tailored suits for $59,000, two Rolex watches for $54,000 and a $40,000 lease on a new BMW X5 sport utility vehicle. Mr. Ashe denies wrongdoing. Mr. Ashe is accused of using the money on a lavish shopping spree that included hand-tailored suits for $59,000, two Rolex watches for $54,000 and a $40,000 lease on a new BMW. Mr. Ashe denies wrongdoing.
In the wake of the federal charges, the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, also ordered an audit of two organizations implicated in the indictment. Those audits have not been made public.In the wake of the federal charges, the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, also ordered an audit of two organizations implicated in the indictment. Those audits have not been made public.
Earlier this month, Francis Lorenzo, a suspended deputy United Nations ambassador from the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with United States officials.Earlier this month, Francis Lorenzo, a suspended deputy United Nations ambassador from the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with United States officials.
The current president of the General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, a Danish diplomat, said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that most of the funding for the presidency came from “a few member states” and not the main United Nations budget, suggesting that the reliance on outside funding might be part of the problem.The current president of the General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, a Danish diplomat, said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that most of the funding for the presidency came from “a few member states” and not the main United Nations budget, suggesting that the reliance on outside funding might be part of the problem.
“That balance may need to be looked at,” Mr. Lykketoft said in a statement. He has promised to reveal how much money his office receives from outside sources, including private donors, and how it is used. “That balance may need to be looked at,” Mr. Lykketoft said in a statement.