Juan Gasparini, Carole Vann/Human Rights Tribune - At the heart of the United Nations there exist tacit customs for regulating procedures among diplomats. One of them holds that several high level posts should not be simultaneously offered to the same person. And with reason, for this non-written law is on the point of being transgressed with the nomination of Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi as the head of the Human Rights Council.

The Nigerian, who would succed Doru Romulus Costea of Romania, is also President of the General Assembly of WIPO. The organization, which consists of 184 member states and manages an annual budget of 600 million dollars, is tainted by an obscure scandal that has entertained the media in recent months.

At the end of May, headlines announced the arrival of the Geneva police at the UN. DNA tests were taken from ten high officials including Francis Gurry of Australia who had just been elected by a narrow vote as the future head of WIPO. Gurry had filed a complaint against an unknown person in October 2007 for defamation, according to which he claimed he had received anonymous letters accusing him of accepting bribes. The letters also denounced one of his colleagues for laundering money. Finally Francis Gurry was accused, again anonymously, of sexually harassing a former secretary. DNA tests were exspected to identifiy the author of the letters

The results of the tests are still unknown. Nevertheless, a magistrate has been appointed to investigate. Meanwhile, the matter continues to be mired in complications.

The Brazilian press accuses Francis Gurry of having offered a high level post to a Brazilian diplomat (the implication being to buy his mission’s silence). The diplomat notified the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Celso Amorim, during a visit to Geneva last weekend.

At the same time, a diplomatic source has revealed that Graça Arana, Gurry’s Brazilian rival for the presidency at WIPO, had received threats. Many of the ten persons who submitted to the DNA tests had demanded that current WIPO chief, Kamil Idris, launch an independent investigation to know how and why their names were given to the police.

According to the same source, Brazil is going to demand that the nomination of Francis Gurry be reviewed. Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi must therefore call a vote in WIPO’s General Assembly in September. That same month, the first session of the Human Rights Council opens over which he is due to preside as the new president. Will the Nigerian manage to boldly confront the two challenges ?

See background article in French