– We must get all the facts on the table. But it is clear that it is completely unacceptable that such a thing can happen. This is what State Secretary Bjørg Sandkjær (Sp) says to news. A week ago, news wrote about what happened when Grete Faremo went on the day as top leader of the UN organization UNOPS. Over NOK 400 million may be lost, according to the UN itself. In Denmark, the Danish Økokrim has started an investigation into the case. news has tried to get an interview with Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap). We have not received that. State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bjørg Sandkjær (Sp) says nevertheless that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes the matter very seriously. – We think it is serious when it comes to light that money has not been used properly in the UN system, says Sandkjær. Continuing support – Finland and the US are withholding support pending improvements in the organisation. Norway does not. Why not? – We wait until we know more. But there is no direct Norwegian support for the project in question here, and we have no reason to suspect errors in the projects Norway supports, says Sandkjær. In 2021, Norway gave NOK 155 million to UNOPS. It is the UN organization UNOPS that is now in the spotlight due to a possible financial loss of over NOK 400 million. In May of this year, Grete Faremo resigned as head of UNOPS following a revelation in The New York Times. UNOPS headquarters in Copenhagen. Photo: UNOPS Thinks the control is good In news’s case, it appears that Faremo received several warnings about possible rule violations and money laundering along the way. – Is there good enough protection for whistleblowers in the UN? – We hear stories of revenge and reprisals. So the answer is no, it’s not good enough. We bring this up in all the UN boards we sit on, says Sandkjær. – Is there good enough control of aid money in the UN? – The control of Norwegian aid money in the UN is very good. We check and prioritize carefully before payment, and it is carefully checked by those who receive the money at the UN, where Norway also sits on many boards. – Still, NOK 400 million can be lost? – Yes, it is serious. We have to make sure that the UN works as it should, and have become extra observant of that after this case. Internal supervision routines must be improved, and we follow up extra in other UN bodies to ensure that this cannot happen there. Sandkjær emphasizes that all facts must be on the table. An internal UN investigation into the matter was completed in May. No one has been able to see it, neither member states nor the media. Two external investigations are to be completed in November. – Is there enough openness and transparency in the UN? – We think we should see the report and have asked for it. We are always keen to gain insight and we bring it up in the boards we sit on. – How do you decide which Norwegian politicians are nominated for top jobs in the UN system? – From the Norwegian side, we want to have more Norwegians in the UN system. – Can it get more difficult now? – Norway still has a good reputation in the UN. Part of the money that may be lost was supposed to go to building houses in Kenya. Here, Faremo signs together with the then Prime Minister of Kenya. Photo: UNOPS Bulletin Fears waste Foreign policy spokesman in the Frp, Christian Tybring-Gjedde believes Norway is “typically gullible”. He wants to stop Norway’s transfers to the UN agency UNOPS. – Here, there has been misuse of money in one way or another, and Norway continues to pocket money. Norway is so gullible, until the opposite is proven, says Tybring-Gjedde to news. – This is potentially very serious, says Tybring-Gjedde. He thinks it is strange that Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) is not clearer. – It is possible that this is only the tip of the iceberg. I fear that there is a lot of money in the UN system being wasted, says Tybring-Gjedde. Christian Tybring-Gjedde Photo: Ole Berg-rusten / NTB Need more money Representative for the United Nations Development Office in Norway (UNDP) Harald Thørud says they have very detailed routines to avoid money ending up astray. – In our system, everything is thoroughly regulated. I can’t buy anything without a notice, we don’t have credit cards, and our contracts are for one year at a time. Our control mechanisms are good enough, says Thørud. At the same time, he is concerned that the entire UN system is not punished for what has happened. Because the need for emergency aid and assistance is great, he says. – We hope this investigation by UNOPS is not seen as representative of the entire UN system or that there will be some kind of collective punishment that will go beyond aid and humanitarian aid, says Thørud to news. Earlier this year, the government proposed to cut core support to the UN. The core support is the money used to run the organisations. It is used among other things for auditing and to protect whistleblowers, says Thørud. – It ensures transparency and good processes, and provides security. At the same time, it is the core support we use when there is suddenly, for example, a flood crisis in Pakistan. After much debate, the cut in core support was reversed. On 6 October, the government presents a revised national budget. Grete Faremo has not wanted to be interviewed. Among other things, she writes in an SMS to news that she did not know the whole story, but that it happened on her watch, and that she therefore resigned.
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Unacceptable – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
