Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl was replaced earlier on Wednesday until a review of “management-related matters” at the agency was completed, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said in a statement.
Krahenbuhl then informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he was resigning, effective immediately, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.
“At this time, it is vital that member states and other partners remain committed to UNRWA and the services it provides,” Dujarric said.
UNRWA aids more than 5 million registered refugees in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, as well as in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Asharq Al-Awsat learned from diplomats that the UN chief’s Chef de Cabinet Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti held an extended meeting on Tuesday evening in which a large number of representatives of the donor countries of UNRWA were briefed on the preliminary results of investigations conducted on mismanagement.
A diplomat described the meeting as "very good," explaining that "it was found that there was no financial corruption or misuse of funds, despite the “administrative behavioral shortcomings of Krahenbuhl.”
Preliminary findings “exclude fraud or misappropriation of operational funds” by Krahenbuhl, a UN spokesman said separately. “There are, however, managerial issues that need to be addressed.”
UNRWA said he had stepped aside until the completion of the process and the UN secretary general, António Guterres, had appointed Christian Saunders as the officer in charge for the interim period.
Over the last few months, UNRWA has initiated an internal review of its governance, management and accountability functions, so as to ensure it practices the highest standards of professionalism, transparency and efficiency.
The agency was confronted with its most severe funding crisis in 2018 after the United States, traditionally the largest donor, suddenly cut its funding before it completely stopped its support.
