NEW YORK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Nineteen independent UN experts criticized the leadership of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) over its decision not to renew the contract of a senior official who publicly opposed the starvation of people in the Gaza Strip. They warned that restricting employees over their involvement in human rights issues fosters a climate of fear within the organization and discourages staff from documenting serious violations of international law.
The criticism follows the departure of former FAO official Benjamin Davis on September 30, after a decision not to renew his contract, in a case that has raised questions about the limits of neutrality within UN institutions and the extent of protection afforded to employees who address violations related to wars.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu had justified the decision not to renew Davis’s contract by questioning his ability to comply with the rules of the international civil service. He later declared his opposition to what he described as “playing the human rights game” and spoke of dismissing an employee for “playing political games,” threatening other employees with the same fate.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the experts expressed dismay at Dongyu’s remarks during a high-level event at the organization’s headquarters in Rome, Italy, on September 29. They said the remarks downplayed the importance of human rights in FAO’s work and appeared to link the departure of senior officials from the organization to their involvement in these issues.
They explained that senior management had declined to renew the contract of a division director who had served the United Nations for 26 years, citing an alleged breach of the principle of neutrality in his technical work related to starvation and famine in the Gaza Strip.
The signatories stressed that human rights are not a marginal issue for the organization but lie at the heart of its mandate, emphasizing that FAO staff and management are bound by the values and principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
Warnings against staff intimidation and concealment of violations
The experts warned that treating employees in this manner creates a work environment based on fear and discourages staff from documenting serious violations of international law, potentially undermining the ability of UN institutions to carry out their duties.
They emphasized that the neutrality required of international civil servants does not mean remaining silent in the face of serious violations of international law or the principles underpinning the UN Charter.
They cautioned that silence or inaction under such circumstances could raise doubts about the organization’s independence and reinforce the perception that it is subject to pressure from donor governments.
The experts noted that FAO’s mandate includes protecting people from hunger, which requires documenting the use of starvation as a method of warfare and analyzing its effects in light of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
They cited the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on October 22, 2025, which affirmed Israel’s obligations to ensure the delivery of essential supplies to the population and facilitate UN relief operations.
Davis, who served as director of the Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division, had participated with his team in activities related to starvation in Gaza. These included organizing a seminar on hunger in the Strip in September 2025 and preparing a paper on the right to food.
According to Davis, the paper was later removed from the organization’s website. Staff members also participated in weekly silent vigils in solidarity with victims of starvation. He emphasized that these activities had taken place with management’s approval.
The case has reopened debate over the extent to which UN employees can address violations related to armed conflicts and whether their involvement in human rights issues could expose their professional futures to administrative measures.
Calls for accountability of FAO leadership
The experts called on FAO’s leadership to respect the values of the UN Charter and ensure compliance with the standards of conduct for international civil servants, while protecting employees from any measures that could be interpreted as retaliation or intimidation for carrying out their duties.
They also urged member states to raise the issue within the organization’s governing bodies and hold its leadership accountable for its commitment to human rights principles and for ensuring the independence of UN work.
They stressed the need to place the protection of rights, particularly the rights to life and food, at the center of the organization’s next director-general election, scheduled for 2027.
The experts revealed that they had sent a letter to FAO’s director-general to convey their concerns about the case and its implications for the working environment within the organization.
Among the prominent signatories to the statement were Sofia Monsalve Suárez, Special Rapporteur on the right to food; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories; Andrea Bolaños Vargas, Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development; and Leopoldo Maldonado Gutiérrez, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression.
