Head of UN patent agency to quit post-controversy
The head of the UN patent agency is to leave his post a year early, officials said on Thursday.
By Agencies |
GENEVA: The head of the UN patent agency is to leave his post a year early, officials said on Thursday.
Kamil Idris, who was due to step down from his post as director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 2009, had faced pressure to resign after using an apparently false birth date to get jobs and win promotions.
Developed countries failed last month in their bid for a public debate on an internal report that said had claimed his year of birth as 1945 when he applied to join the agency, then changed it to 1954 last year.
The row led the United States and other Western countries to block approval of the agency's budget for the 2008-2009 period, hampering its efforts to expand its work in developing countries.
Idris, a Sudanese national, announced his departure yesterday in an internal memo to staff, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Its authenticity was confirmed by WIPO officials.
In the memo Idris states that he has "decided to advance the process for nominating and appointing a Director General" and urges member states to consider approving the new budget.
No reason for his early departure, likely to be in the fall of 2008, is given, and WIPO officials were unable to provide an immediate explanation.
Kamil Idris, who was due to step down from his post as director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 2009, had faced pressure to resign after using an apparently false birth date to get jobs and win promotions.
Developed countries failed last month in their bid for a public debate on an internal report that said had claimed his year of birth as 1945 when he applied to join the agency, then changed it to 1954 last year.
The row led the United States and other Western countries to block approval of the agency's budget for the 2008-2009 period, hampering its efforts to expand its work in developing countries.
Idris, a Sudanese national, announced his departure yesterday in an internal memo to staff, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Its authenticity was confirmed by WIPO officials.
In the memo Idris states that he has "decided to advance the process for nominating and appointing a Director General" and urges member states to consider approving the new budget.
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No reason for his early departure, likely to be in the fall of 2008, is given, and WIPO officials were unable to provide an immediate explanation.
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