UNODC CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING
INTER-REGIONAL ADVISER’S RESIGNATION
(Reissued as received.)
VIENNA, 3 November (UN Information Service) –- Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was on official travel to New York when a staff member, Samuel González-Ruiz, an inter-regional adviser, submitted a letter of resignation, alluding to irregularities regarding the issuing of contracts, petty corruption and abuses of administrative discretion.� Because of the situation, Mr. González-Ruiz concluded he could not carry on with his duties beyond 31 December 2003.
The UNODC is taking these allegations very seriously.� The matters that led to Mr. González-Ruiz’s resignation are being carefully examined by the Executive Director, assisted by the UNODC’s senior managers.� “The severity of the allegations brought to my attention”, Mr. Costa stated, “deserves a most thorough examination.� They were made public without prior consultations with me, or without me having been alerted beforehand.� In order to guarantee an independent assessment, I have requested the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to investigate the claims on a priority basis.� The results will be made public as soon as they are available and administrative or disciplinary actions will be taken as necessary”.
The OIOS, the United Nations independent Inspector-General’s Office, has already started its investigation.
During the last year, the UNODC went through major management reforms aimed at increasing transparency, governance and efficiency of its operations.� “There is irony in the situation.� The UNODC is proud of its reforms and of its work, including the recently agreed upon Convention against Corruption that we brokered.� We owe it to governments, staff and the public at large to demonstrate in deeds that we tackle corruption everywhere, starting from the Office itself.� If the allegations are corroborated with evidence of wrongdoing, we shall proceed with the necessary severity.� I am however convinced that, because of the reforms we have introduced, major evidence of misbehaviour is unlikely”, Mr. Costa added.
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