Posted on 03/22/2005 7:52:44 PM PST by mardler
Kojo Annan, son of Kofi Annan, United Nations secretary-general, received at least $300,000 from Cotecna, a Swiss inspection company awarded a contract ultimately worth about $60m under the Iraqi oil-for-food contract.
The amount was almost double the sum previously disclosed, but payments were arranged in ways that obscured where the money came from or whom it went to.
The discovery, in a joint investigation by Il Sole 24 Ore, the Italian business daily, and the Financial Times, comes as the independent UN inquiry led by Paul Volcker into possible abuses within the oil-for-food programme prepares to publish a new report on this matter.
Its findings, expected next Tuesday, will address allegations that Kojo's family connections may have helped Cotecna obtain the UN contract.
Kojo Annan worked for Cotecna in Nigeria until December 1997. He was later retained first as a consultant and then on an unusual non-compete contract. Cotecna categorically denies any impropriety.
It insists his work had nothing to do with the UN contract and that it never took advantage of Kojo's access to the secretary-general.
But the FT/Il Sole investigation reveals that senior executives from Cotecna met Kofi Annan on various occasions once at his UN office.
A UN spokesman said the meetings had nothing to do with a contract awarded under the oil-for-food programme. Kojo Annan declined to comment.
In November Kofi Annan said he was very disappointed and surprised after it emerged that Kojo had received monthly non-compete payments from Cotecna four years after the relationship was believed to have ended.
Get the UN out of the US
Get the US out of the UN
Welcome Larry Klayman!
On a side/personal note, I wish I had $300k to invest... even in todays market.
It's time for Coffee Banana and his son Latte to Go !!! Although they're a good reminder of the class at the UN .
roflol!
Are you trying to imply that it's not just a coincidence that Koffi's son made $$$$$ on this relief program? MAN are you cynical! Next you'll be telling me Koffi announced those "sweeping changes" as a distraction from this story! :P
time for another trip to the wh and a group hug.
I'm sorry, I couldnt take someone named "Kojo" seriously. Sounds like a dog's name. Or an ape.
You know what's pathetic? The US would actually be better off with Clinton as Secretary-General than any of the other conceivable candidates. Even ol' Billy-Jeff isn't as venial, corrupt, anti-American and anti-Semitic as the typical UN bureaucrat. For instance, yeah, sure, Bill raped a grown woman or two in his day, but at least he didn't rape any 9-year-old boys. Half a loaf is better than none, right?
bttt
Another way Clinton is better is that he takes money from folks right out in the open not behind our backs. He can have Marc Rich get an international pardon and pay for a Clinton statue at the UN.
Yes - I'm certain that I could turn it into $100k in no time at all.
Good for you. I hope you are successful. Go get'em!
No.
Why isn't this HEADLINE NEWS ????
yea yea, I know why ..dont tell me....
Ping.
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