WHO DG uses his office to advance personal political interest: Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, January 13, 2022 (FBC) –WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom (PhD) uses his office to advance his personal political interest, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia.

He has not lived up to the integrity and professional expectations required from his office and position. He spread harmful misinformation and compromised WHO’s reputation, independence and credibility

He has been interfering in the internal affairs of Ethiopia, including Ethiopia’s relations with the State of Eritrea as well as continues as an active member and supporter of TPLF that is proscribed as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian parliament.

Read the full statement of the Ministery of Foreign Affairs below:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia presents its complements to the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) and hereby sends this communication in relation to the moral, legal and professional standing of the seating Director General of WHO. Mr. Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus (PhD).

Ethiopia had the great honor of nominating Dr. Tedros for the highest office in the global health body. We also remain grateful for the community of nations that elected and all professionals in WHO that granted Ethiopia’s candidate their professional backing.

Unfortunately, Dr. Tedros has not lived up to the integrity and professional expectations required from his office and position. He has been interfering in the internal affairs of Ethiopia, including Ethiopia’s relations with the State of Eritrea. He continues as an active member and supporter of TPLF that is proscribed as a terrorist group by the Ethiopian parliament.

He uses his office to advance his personal political interest at the expense of the interest of a UN member state. We had remained tolerant in the face of this violation, with the hope that the Director General would cease his misconduct but to no avail. In his media engagements Dr. Tedors provides encouragement to TPLF. He celebrates what is presumed to be a military success of TPLF.

He provides consolations to members of the group. He is also engaged in a selective outrage where he discriminately addresses the humanitarian concerns in Ethiopia.

Through his acts, he spread harmful misinformation and compromised WHO’s reputation, independence and credibility. This is evident from the social media postings of Dr. Tedros that openly endorse the terror perpetrated by TPLF against the Ethiopian people.

Abusing his position as the Director General of WHO, Dr. Tedros assigns stall in WHO’s country office in Ethiopia with a task of executing the plot to inflate the emergency level in Ethiopia to warrant “humanitarian intervention”.

This staff assigned for this very purpose reported statistics on number of people needing emergency assistance as 32 million while the actual number was 1.8 million. This misrepresentation of facts is used to misinform the UN Security Council.

This staff was assigned to Ethiopia for a limited period and had directly reported to Dr. Tedros and operates outside of the regular working methods of the organization, including the WHO country Office. This transgression went beyond WHO and included staff of the UN Country Office that received directions and reported to Dr. Tedros on matters outside of the mandate of WHO. In a manner that denigrates the integrity of the UN system and the work of other offices.

Dr. Tedros uses his platform to mobilize the UN community against Ethiopia. He receives instructions according to the internal division of labor within TPLF. He also reports to the so called “Office of External Affairs of TPLF” and he provides technical and financial support to the activities of the branch in Europe.

Among his diplomatic support to TPLF includes, using his networks as DG of WHO to present and defend the conducts of TPLF and accuse and tarnish the name of Ethiopia. Among several others, Dr Tedros violated rule 5.7 of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of WHO on conflict of interest; Rule 5.8 on relations with governments and political activity; Rule 5.9 on relations with non-state actors; Rule 5.15.4 on use of information, publications and media: emails and social media.

Ethiopia regrets these developments that require it to file an official objection on the standing of a senior UN official who occupies office by its own nomination. However, we see no option than bringing this matter to the Executive Board for the requisite measure to rectify the mishaps and ensure WHO’s organizational integrity.

The Government of Ethiopia is in the process of instituting the applicable legal proceeding against Dr. Tedros to ensure his accountability. In this regard, we urge you to commission investigation on the Director General to identify the full extent of his misconduct and violation of his professional and legal responsibility as provided under the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service, staff rules and regulations of WHO and Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of WHO and inform us the measure taken in this regard.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of e Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia avails this opportunity to renew to the Executive Board of the World Health Organization the assurances of its highest consideration.