‘Unidentified contribution’: UNEP asks foreign ministry to clarify issue

ISLAMABAD:

After Climate Change Division (CCD) officials failed to clarify why a deposit was made in the amount United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) bank account, the agency has approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify the issue.

In 2014, the CCD made two deposits, $3,123.03 and $2,000, in Pakistan’s account with the UNEP, but failed to mention the reason for the transfer.

The UNEP first approached the CCD for clarification, but officials there failed to respond to the request for over nine months, after which the agency approached the Foreign Ministry for clarification on the transaction.

Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has instructed foreign ministry officials to approach the CCD to explain what happened, otherwise UNEP will treat the “unidentified contribution” as a voluntary contribution from Pakistan, rather than a mandatory one.

“There has been an inordinate delay from the CCD in clarifying the issue, which also has potential financial implications,” the foreign ministry said in a reminder sent to the division.

According to sources, UNEP has sent more than 10 reminders to CCD. Pakistan makes financial contributions to the UN under more than 16 international conventions.

“The international cooperation wing of the CCD is responsible for all such issues and Aziz has expressed his dismay over the irresponsible attitude of officials there,” a CCD official said on the condition of anonymity.

“If they don’t know about their own contributions, how will they bring foreign project funding,” the official said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2015.