So, Kofi was not amused to find out that his son, Kojo, was receiving “Oil for Food for Dictators for Terror” money up until early this year…
Secretary-General Kofi Annan (search) said he was unaware his son received $30,000 a year for over five years from a Swiss-based company under investigation in connection with suspected corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq.
The disclosure of the payments was the latest embarrassment for Annan and the United Nations related to the program to help Iraqis cope with U.N. sanctions imposed after Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
But on Friday, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said Kojo Annan’s lawyer had informed the independent panel appointed by the secretary-general to investigate allegations of corruption in the oil-for-food program that the younger Annan continued to receive monthly payments through February 2004.
Annan has said his son joined Cotecna at the age of 22 as a trainee in Geneva, before he became secretary-general.
“He is an independent business man. He is a grown man, and I don’t get involved with his activities and he doesn’t get involved in mine,” the U.N. chief said.
Asked whether he was disappointed and angry with his son for taking the money and not disclosing it, Annan replied: “Naturally I was very disappointed and surprised, yes.”
