Sudanese employees at the UN accuse senior officials of conspiring against them
December 30, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Several Sudanese employees at the United Nations mission in Khartoum accused senior officials of conspiring against them by refusing to pay half of their salaries in US dollars since last October.
They disclosed that the UNFCU stopped paying their salaries in dollars since October, saying the bank told them the that move was a result of the sanctions imposed by the United States on Sudan.
The employees said that after pressing the UNFCU for more information, they realized that the move had nothing to do with the US sanctions; underscoring the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) had taken the measure in collaboration with some senior UN officials.
They noted that they protested several times at the UN headquarters in Khartoum against the measure.
The UN mission’s monthly transfers to Sudan are estimated at $500,000.
The employees say that paying half of their salaries in dollar helps to offset fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Sudanese pound.
They also noted the UN pays salaries of its local staff in South Sudan and Kenya in dollar which helps support the economy in both countries, saying the mission denied Sudan this inherent right for unknown reasons.
Tensions between the Sudanese government and the United Nations have recently escalated following a crisis between the two sides on investigating mass rape claims in a village in North Darfur state.
Last Week, the Sudanese authorities asked the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Ali al-Za’atari to leave the country within a week. This came less than 24 hours after similar move against the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) country director Yvonne Helle.
(ST)