Annan's Axe Hangs Over Rising Star of Un Accused of Harassing Staff

Kofi Annan intends to fire the UN's most senior election official over allegations of staff harassment and management failures, according to reports.

Unnamed UN officials told Reuters and the Associated Press that the official, Carina Perelli, would be ousted by the secretary general this week. Ms Perelli, a 48-year old Uruguayan, had been a rising star in the UN and was widely praised for helping organise elections in some of the world's most dangerous places, including Iraq and Afghanistan. She was singled out for her efforts in Iraq by the United States president, George Bush.

The UN is struggling to restore its credibility after a series of scandals recently, including the allegations of corruption in the oil-for-food programme designed to alleviate suffering in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The UN formally accused Ms Perelli in August of harassing her staff. The allegation came after a four-month investigation into claims she ran an office that tolerated abusive and sexually offensive behaviour. Staff had alleged that the sexual innuendo was part of the "fabric" of her electoral assistance division, a management review said at the time.

Ms Perelli had no comment to make yesterday to AP. Robert Sullivan, a UN spokesman, also declined to comment.

She would be able to appeal against a dismissal to the UN's joint disciplinary committee and then to an administrative tribunal. Ms Perelli was cleared in the report of separate allegations that she had misused UN funds for travel.

One senior official told Reuters: "A lot of people in the unit were thinking of leaving because of the atmosphere she had created."

A UN summit recently authorised the setting up of an independent ethics office in response to this and other scandals.