With Bans son-in-law leaving UNOPS, now said in line to lobby UN for IFRC [May 19 2011]

By Matthew Russell Lee

When the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moons son in law Siddharth Chatterjee in 2009 was given the top Middle East job for the UN Office of Project Services in Copenhagen, issues of nepotism were raised by the Press and angrily denied by Bans spokesmen at the UN.

In March of this year when Inner City Press asked about Chatterjee leaving UNOPS, where sources described him as ineffective and called “the furniture,” the UN first tried not to answer, then said

“Chatterjee left his position as UNOPS Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East in July 2010 and, after taking accumulated annual leave, went on special leave without pay until 31 May, of this year, 2011. The end of the special leave without pay coincides with the end of his period of secondment to UNOPS from UNICEF.”

Some thought that this leave from the UN system meant an end to nepotism, an end to Chatterjee trading off his connection to the top man in the UN system.

Now, multiple sources tell Chatterjee is lining up to be given the job of “chief diplomatic officer” for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, overseeing a “New York Delegation to the UN” based at 420 Lexington Avenue.

That is, IFCR is reportedly hiring Ban Ki-moons son in law to lobby (or engage in “diplomacy” with)... Ban Ki-moon. - Inner City Press