A SORDID TALE OF UNMEE CORRUPTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASMARA 000494

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO ER
SUBJECT: A SORDID TALE OF UNMEE CORRUPTION

ASMARA 00000494 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: CDA Melinda C. Tabler-Stone for Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (C) Summary: A well-placed UNMEE contact recounted a long
and twisted tale of personal empire building and corruption
during UNMEE's presence in Eritrea. High-ranking UNMEE
officials enhanced their careers at the expense of the
mission and personally profited from their positions. The
contact requested a USG inquiry into his allegations. End
Summary.

TOO CLOSE TO THE GOE?
--------------


2. (C) An UNMEE contact told Emboff in a long-winded and
one-sided conversation about two highly placed UNMEE
personnel manipulating the mission for their own personal
benefit. The contact said UNMEE Acting Special
Representative (SR) Azouz Ennifar maintained close personal
relationships with unnamed Government of Ethiopia (GOE) MFA
officials dealing directly with UNMEE matters. Ennifar
allegedly used these relationships to persuade the GOE to
block at least two high-level UNMEE SR appointments (a Swede
and a Namibian) until he was appointed Acting SR. The
contact surmised Ennifar colluded with the GOE by trading
their career advancement assistance for enhanced GOE inside
access to the highest level of UNMEE operations.

BUILD-UP ADDIS, TEAR DOWN ASMARA
--------------


3. (C) After his appointment, Ennifar worked during UNMEE
Deputy Special Representative Lebohang Moleko's absences from
Eritrea to remove all of UNMEE's Asmara-based political and
policy portfolios to Addis, and reduce Asmara to anQaQministrative QoQt. The contact believed Ennifar was
motivated by personal reasons, since he wanted his family to
reside in Addis rather than Asmara. By making Asmara a
satellite office of Addis, Ennifar attempted to avoid an
Asmara posting.

THE GSE/UNMEE RELATIONSHIP DETERIORATES
--------------


4. (C) The contact said the UNMEE/GSE relationship
deteriorated in 2007 during an Ennifar visit to Asmara.
Ennifar supposedly installed secure communication equipment
in his room at the Intercontinental Hotel without Eritrean
government approval. When the equipment was discovered,
Eritrean security officers confronted Ennifar, and a shouting
match ensued in the hotel's lobby. The contact believes the
subsequent deterioration of UNMEE/GSE relations was not a
coincidence.

DARFUR - ENNIFAR'S NEXT ASSIGNMENT
--------------


5. (U) On September 15, the African Union (AU) Commission
Chair and United Nations Secretary General announced
Ennifar's appointment as Deputy Joint AU-UN Mediator for
Darfur.

ORGANIZED THEFT OF UNMEE PROPERTY
--------------


6. (C) The contact also said UNMEE's Asmara Administrative
Officer, Maurice Critchley, used his office to pursue
personal financial gain. Critchley always connived with
Ennifar in Moleko's absence to remove Asmara's political
portfolios to Addis. After removing the political
portfolios, Critchley would preside as the primary UNMEE
officer in Asmara, allowing him more latitude to pursue his
personal agenda. According to the contact, Critchley
initiated over twenty administrative actions against
political personnel to drive them out Asmara, and
micromanaged operations to hide his illegal activities.


7. (C) UNMEE officials also allegedly engaged in shady
dealings while acquiring a building in Addis. UNMEE security
personnel approved three buildings for security reasons, but
UNMEE managagement approved instead a building the c(n(act
describ#d#as "obviously less secure to the untrained eye."
The contact believes the building owner paid a kickback or
other unauthorized payment to the UNMEE administrative
officer.


ASMARA 00000494 002.2 OF 002



8. (C) A different UNMEE contact (contact 2) informed Emboff
that theft and pilfering of UNMEE's equipment is a serious
problem. In one case, thieves stole 200 tires from a locked
storage container on a guarded UNMEE compound. Contact 2
said the theft was an inside job, given the level of security
on both the container and the compound. When asked whether
Critchley was involved in either this or other cases of
theft, contact 2 said, "There is no appearance that he's
doing anything about the thefts," implying Critchley's
involvement.


9. (C) Comment: The contact has historically provided good
information to Emboffs, but in this case he may have a
personal axe to grind. Critchley initiated administrative
actions against the contact, attempted to permanently move
his position to Addis, and even attempted to eliminate his
position. Given the seriousness of the allegations and his
good history of dealing with Emboffs, the contact's story
deserves consideration. End Comment.
TABLERSTONE