Volker: No Evidence Annan Knew

The long-awaited report investigating the UN’s Oil for Food scandal has exhonerated Kofi Annan.

Annan Didn’t Improperly Influence Cotecna Awards, Report Says

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan didn’t improperly influence the bidding or selection process for contracts awarded to Cotecna Inspection SA, a Swiss company hired in 1998 to monitor humanitarian goods for Iraq, a report said.

The report by former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker said that, while procurement rules weren’t followed in the awarding of UN contracts to Cotecna, Annan didn’t know the company was seeking the work during his son’s employment by the company. “There is no evidence that the selection of Cotecna in 1998 was subject to any affirmative or improper influence of the secretary-general in the bidding or selection process,” the report said. It said Cotecna was awarded $66 million in contracts to inspect goods coming into Iraq because it was the lowest bidder.

Hell of a coincidence, though.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Hal says:

    You mean like Cheney and Haliburton?

  2. James Joyner says:

    What, Cheney’s daughters were siphoning off millions of dollars out of Halliburton’s contracts when he was president?! First I’ve heard of it.

  3. Hal says:

    Ah, the literalist. It’s so cute!

  4. mike says:

    The cheney/halliburton thing is getting a bit old. Anyone who has worked w/ Brown and Root in Kosovo or Bosnia knows they provide great results. in a situation as difficult as Iraq, the last thing you need is to try out a new and inexperienced contractor. THe B&R guys know what it takes to get things done and how to work w/ the military. I am a huge critic of the whole war but not about giving the contract to Halliburton/KBR w/o the usual bidding process.

  5. Jack Tanner says:

    ‘Kofi Annan didn’t improperly influence the bidding or selection process for contracts awarded to Cotecna Inspection SA’

    No, he correctly influenced the award.

  6. Just Me says:

    I smell a cover up on this one.

  7. Sgt Fluffy says:

    I wonder how much it cost Kofi for Volker to exhonnerate him?