فضيحة سودانية جديدة و محزنة

The WIPO spokesperson flatly countered the speculation about benefiting, stating that there is no age limit for director general. “The rectification will not result in an extension of the director general’s mandate,” which is decided by member states, the spokesperson said.

In addition, “There is no financial gain for Dr. Idris from the fact that he corrected an administrative error - an inversion of the figures in his date of birth from 1945 to 1954,” she said. “All necessary requirements and formalities were met and this has already been corrected by the relevant bodies, namely, the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund and the competent Swiss authorities.”

The spokesperson said that, in fact, the rectification “will result in a considerable financial reduction in the pension of the director general.” She also pointed out that “far from profiting financially from his position as director general of WIPO,” Idris has, since his appointment in 1997, refused to accept the salary to which he is entitled as secretary general of Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), also housed at WIPO