Ruud Lubbers Resigns as UN Refugee Agency Chief Amid Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Ruud Lubbers, the former Dutch prime minister, has resigned as head of the United Nations refugee agency in response to allegations of sexual harassment, which he denies. The move comes amidst a bitter dispute with Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, over how to handle the claims. Lubbers had initially vowed to stay on, but changed his mind after a confidential investigation was leaked to the press, revealing a pattern of harassment.

Key Takeaways:

• Ruud Lubbers resigned as head of the UN refugee agency on July 10, 2002, citing a bitter dispute with Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, over allegations of sexual harassment.
• The controversy dates back to 2001, when Annan decided not to take action against Lubbers, but issued a strong warning about his conduct.
• A confidential investigation conducted by the UN's internal watchdog service concluded that Lubbers had engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and abuse of authority.
• Lubbers resigned on July 10, 2002, citing media pressure and the alleged mismanagement of the oil-for-food program in Iraq.
• Ron Redmond, spokesman for the refugee agency, praised Lubbers' four-year tenure as "brilliant," but expressed sadness at the resignation.

Statistics:

• 2001: The year when allegations of sexual harassment against Ruud Lubbers first surfaced.
• 4 years: The length of time Ruud Lubbers served as head of the UN refugee agency.
• July 2002: The month and year when Ruud Lubbers resigned as head of the UN refugee agency.
• 3 days: The time frame between the publication of the confidential investigation and Lubbers' resignation.

Sources:

• "UN high commissioner quits amid sex claim," _The Independent_.
• Gregory L. Vistica, "The UN's special investigators: Can Washington count on them?", _Foreign Affairs_, November/December 2002, p. 37.