UN recalls staff for criticizing the TPLF terrorist group

 

Maureen Achieng, Chief of Mission to Ethiopia and Representative to the African Union and UNECA [Picture: UNECA Social Media]

Addis Ababa, Ocotber 12, 2021 — International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nation’s agency on migration, has put its Chief of Mission to Ethiopia and Representative to the African Union and UNECA, Maureen Achieng, on administrative leave, quoting "unauthorized interviews" in which she criticized the UN higher-ups who she said were sympathetic to the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front (TPLF), a group that ruled Ethiopia viciously for three decades and recently labeled a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian parliament.

In a leaked audio interview with pro-Ethiopia writer Jeff Pearce, Maureen Achieng expressed her anguish and disdain towards the TPLF terrorist group which she called “vicious”. In the recording, she also said the TPLF had installed its agents within the UN.

Dr Kwesi Sansculotte-Greenidge, the UNDP Country Manager for Ethiopia, was one of the UN officials criticized for his strong attachment with the TPLF in the leaked audio interview. Dr. Kwesi happens to be one of the seven UN officials declared persona non grata by the Ethiopian government for their role in assisting the TPLF terrorist group.

In the audio recordings, Achieng also criticizes the UN head office for considering its own Addis Ababa office as “pro-federal government” and thus sidelining them to directly engage with its Tigray office.

This complication comes amid Ethiopia’s decision to declare persona non grata on seven UN officials and expel them for reasons of diverting humanitarian assistance to the TPLF, violating agreed-upon security arrangements, transferring communication equipment to the TPLF, continued reticence in demanding the return of more than 400 trucks commandeered by the TPLF for military mobilization, spreading misinformation & politicization of humanitarian assistance.

On Monday Antonio Vitorino, director general of IOM, wrote a letter distancing the agency from Achieng's comments.

"The opinions attributed in the audio recordings to the staff member do not correspond to IOM's principles and values and should not in any way be considered as expressing IOM's positions," said the director general in the letter.

Prior to her current posting, Achieng served as Head of the International Partnerships Division at IOM HQs in Geneva and as IOM Chief of Mission to Haiti, having served in IOM country offices in Senegal, Kosovo and Kenya. Ms. Achieng started her career with IOM in Haiti in January 1995 upon completing her studies (Master of Social Sciences Degree in Dev’t Administration, Birmingham University, UK). Ms. Achieng is a native of Kenya.