UNICEF States The Facts

Press release

Hargeysa – June 13, 2009 – Unfounded allegations and charges of corruption have recently appeared in the press which UNICEF wishes to correct with the following facts:

UNICEF contracts transport services to support its live-saving interventions for vulnerable Somaliland children and women. For this reason, in February 2009, the Nairobi-based Support Centre for UNICEF Hargeysa issued institutional contracts to three transport companies after a competitive and transparent bidding process fully in compliance with UNICEF rules and guidelines. 

As guided by UNICEF Regional Office, institutional contracts were introduced to replace previous individual contracts.

The request for expressions of interest was published in Somaliland newspapers and all bid documents were opened, reviewed - and the three companies selected - in Nairobi.

To qualify for consideration, the transport companies produced the following:

• Certificate of registration issued by the Somaliland office of the Attorney General.

• Certificate of Government Tax issued by the Ministry of Finance.

• Memorandum of Association issued by the Ministry of Commerce.

UNICEF has no evidence that any staff member owns, manages or is otherwise associated with any of these three transport companies.

Those who have any proof to the contrary are invited to share this information with UNICEF.

Contracts cannot be cancelled unless the process is proved to have been flawed. We do not have any evidence of this.

Meanwhile, in July 2009, a new process will begin to seek expressions of interest for transport contracts to commence in October. As before, this request for expressions of interest will be published in local newspapers and all qualified companies which meet the minimum criteria are invited to apply.

With regard to the HORNWATCH allegations, these are fully refuted in letters from the Minister of Justice and the Director of the Ministry of Family Affairs and Social Development.

If organizations have allegations against the Hargeysa Office of this international children’s agency, they are invited to send UNICEF precise details of their allegations for investigation and follow-up.

UNICEF cannot respond to allegations which are published in the media without notifying the organization, nor to those who refuse to provide specific and detailed information to substantiate their allegations.

UNICEF Representative a.i. Hannan Sulieman

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