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Former FAO Director Launches Appeal Over Dismissal Tied to Gaza-Famine Advocacy
By Drooid · · How we work
Dismissal and Appeal
Benjamin Davis, a 62-year-old Spanish-American director at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), was notified that his employment would end on September 30 at the request of FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu. Davis filed an appeal against the termination, asserting that the action was retaliation for his public advocacy on the famine situation in Gaza. He described the dismissal as “a terrible injustice” and warned that other staff could face similar reprisals for participating in moments of silence for Gaza’s hunger victims.
Context of Gaza-Related Staff Activism
The dispute emerged amid broader staff activism over the war in Gaza. Hundreds of FAO employees have taken part in weekly moments of silence to mark the suffering of Gaza’s population, following an international hunger-monitoring system’s determination that famine existed in the enclave in August 2025. Davis, who led the Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division and authored a May 2025 report on food availability in the Palestinian territory, said his dismissal was linked to this activism.
Official Positions
The organization has not responded to requests for comment on Davis’s allegations or the specific grounds for his dismissal. Qu Dongyu, speaking at an FAO conference, defended the decision, stating that the agency would not tolerate staff “playing the political game” or allowing human-rights advocacy to interfere with official duties. Under UN rules, staff may express political opinions provided they do not adversely affect their official responsibilities or UN interests.
Implications for UN Staff Impartiality
The case highlights tension between UN employees’ right to raise humanitarian concerns and the agency’s mandate for neutrality. If Davis’s appeal succeeds, it could set a precedent for protecting staff activism on humanitarian crises. Conversely, a ruling upholding the dismissal may reinforce strict interpretations of impartiality, potentially limiting future public advocacy by UN personnel on issues such as famine and human rights.