Sweden freezes support to UNAIDS until leader removed

Sweden said Wednesday it was freezing its support to UNAIDS until its executive director is removed, after an expert report blasted the agency's leadership for systematically failing to address bullying, abuse and sexual harassment.

The Swedish government has no confidence in Michel Sidibe to lead the organisation, a spokesman for the ministry for international development cooperation told AFP, confirming reports in local media.

"We have no confidence in him. He has to resign now," International Development Cooperation Minister Isabella Lovin told daily Svenska Dagbladet, adding "I've even told him so personally".

An expert report released last week said UNAIDS, founded to coordinate the global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, was "broken" due to "defective leadership" and accused Sidibe of overseeing a work environment that tolerated sexual harassment and abuse.

It said a "cult of personality" surrounding the executive director saw benefits doled out as favours by Sidibe and his cadre of top allies.

It also said Sidibe, a Malian national who has headed the agency for nine years, "accepted no responsibility" for anything that had gone wrong under his watch.

"For... UNAIDS to regain a culture of dignity and respect, a change in leadership has become necessary," the report said.

Lovin said the report showed the organisation suffered from "dysfunctional leadership".

"Sweden is therefore not prepared to make any further payments to UNAIDS until he's gone, and a new leadership with restored confidence is in place."
"That is not acceptable for us," Lovin said, adding: "This should not be up to him."