UN experts condemn FAO over Gaza official contract

Nineteen independent United Nations human rights experts have condemned the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization for not renewing the contract of Benjamin Davis. The senior official documented acute food insecurity in Gaza before his departure on September 30. Experts warned this decision threatens the independence and credibility of the entire UN system.

The experts challenged Director-General Qu Dongyu regarding his treatment of Davis and recent remarks about staff engagement in human rights work. They stressed that human rights principles are foundational to the FAO mandate rather than peripheral. Punishing staff for documenting man-made famine fosters an atmosphere of fear among personnel worldwide.

Qu had dismissed such advocacy as political maneuvering during a high-level event at headquarters in Rome. He stated the agency would not tolerate “human rights games” within its operations. Davis rejected accusations of breaching neutrality, maintaining that evaluating hunger is central to the mission. His team had published a comprehensive assessment in May 2025.

Davis confirmed Israel submitted two formal complaints regarding his team’s work on the crisis. An Israeli diplomat even photographed him during a silent vigil in October 2025. The experts urged member states to hold agency leadership accountable for these actions. They demanded explicit human rights commitments be placed at the center of the 2027 selection process.