July 2019 Newsletter
Partnership on anti-corruption course under way A new partnership between the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the United Nations in the Pacific, underscores the important role education plays in the fight against corruption and in the promotion of good governance, transparency and accountability. The partnership, launched in April, is established through the design and implementation of a new 200 level anticorruption course which will be delivered under the Faculty of Business and Economics through the School of Government, Development and International Affairs. Implemented through the United Nations Anti-Corruption Project (UNPRAC), a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the new course complements the mandatory “The course will equip students to be Ethics unit currently offered by USP. champions of anti-corruption in their Mr Sanaka Samrasinha, the UN Resi- respective fields,” he said. dent Coordinator (UNRC) to Fiji and Mr Samrasinha also highlighted the nine other Pacific Island Countries, em- strategic importance of USP in supphasized how corruption can hinder porting the Pacific Regional Education development aspirations of countries Framework which promotes a human which negatively increases the impacts rights approach to education and seeks on the most vulnerable. to empower Pacific Islanders fully en-
joy, without barriers, the benefits of education. “UN-PRAC’s partnership with USP will equip students who will be Pacific leaders of tomorrow to be champions of anti-corruption in their respective fields. Youth has been a focus for UN-PRAC and this initiative builds on strong civic education and youth networking activities implemented throughout the years. The USP Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, stressed the value of effective partnerships in preventing and fighting corruption. Corruption, Professor Ahluwalia claimed, is a threat for both the public and private sectors across different countries in the Pacific. It is essential that governments, universities and the private sector work together to eradicate corruption and fraud.
With government agencies in Papua New Guinea (PNG) emphasizing a focus on corruption prevention, UN-PRAC partnered in three diverse workshops during February 2019. The PNG Technical Working Group on AntiCorruption and in consultation with UNPRAC agreed to undertake training on the review mechanism of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), to equip participants with substantive expertise to successfully engage. Participants also gained understanding of the methodology for country reviews and the comprehensive self-assessment checklist, particularly in taking stock of how PNG has implemented UNCAC Chapters II on Preventive measures and V on Asset recovery that are under review. A second workshop reviewed the 2012-2015 Anti-Corruption Action Plan and Formulation of the 2019-2021 Action Plan. This also set the priority areas and actions for the formulation of the 2019-2021 Action Plan in light of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2010-2030, ensuring that the UNCAC requirements and priorities identified through the reviews are considered and that the Plan is oriented towards achieving the SDG 16 anti-corruption targets with an inclusive and participatory process put in place.
Integrating anti-corruption into education Educating the children of PNG now on anti-corruption is paramount to fighting corruption, Interim Independent Commission on Corruption Chair, Mr. Thomas Elur (pictured at left), told educators and participants.
loted the Fiji National Anti-Corruption Curriculum. The event provided for the sharing of ideas and also the creation of platforms for further discussion. Participants agreed that they had to start now and that corruption in PNG was causing devastating effects On 20 February, PNG education pracon the development of the country. titioners, policy makers (including Deputy Secretary Mr. Walipe Wingi, pictured at right) and civil society came together at an education workshop held in Port Moresby, to discuss the integration of integrity into the education curricula. The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) was also present to share how Fiji had pi-
Private Sector works corruption in
to cut risks of infrastructure sector
Solomons University students sign on for integrity During their induction day earlier this year, students, professors, staff and the Vice Chancellor at Solomon Islands National University (SINU) all pledged in writing not to engage in corruption
UN-PRAC welcomes Government funding
An enlarged billboard displaying the pledges has now been erected outside the main library at the Kukum campus of SINU.
Congratulations to the Solomon Islands Government for committing US$653,700 to the first national anti-corruption project in Pacific, announced in early July. UNODC and UNDP are proud of this spin-off of the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project and congratulate all involved. The new four-year project is aimed at addressing corruption and increasing transparency and accountability in government.
During the March-April pre-election period in the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Youth Forum Against Corruption - Solomon Islands (PYFAC-SI) which also includes many students from SINU, undertook a number of activities to promote their PYFAC Election Message about ethical conduct. PYFAC-SI members used social media, radio and live events to spread their message.
UN Convention Against Corruption in the Pacific Pacific States Parties to UNCAC
Date of ratification/ accession
Cook Islands
17 October 2011
Federated States of Micronesia
21 March 2012
Fiji
14 May 2008
Kingdom of Tonga Kiribati
27 September 2013
Nauru
12 July 2012
Niue
3 November 2017
Palau
24 March 2009
Papua New Guinea
16 July 2007
Republic of the Marshall Islands
17 November 2011
Samoa
18 April 2018
Solomon Islands
6 January 2012
Tokelau (New Zealand) Tuvalu
4 September 2015
Vanuatu
12 July 2011
Business women target graft UN-PRAC and the Fiji Women in Business Entrepreneurs Council (WEBC) provided training for women entrepreneurs on anti-corruption initiatives targeting microsmall and medium enterprises (MSMEs). WEBC is one of nine councils under the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation established as a voice for women entrepreneurs in the country. The training, delivered to 52 participants in Lautoka, Nadi (pictured below) and Suva in March, created awareness on UNCAC, SDG 16 and the role of businesses in combating corruption, and explored basic internal corruption prevention and internal control mechanisms for MSMEs. The Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Joel Abraham, and Ms Jiuta Lagilagi, General Manager Operations, presented on the types of unethical business practices and existing reporting mechanisms in Fiji as well as the role of FCCC.
North Pacific training on prosecutions, investigations UN-PRAC undertook a training on financial investigations and prosecutions for 22 North Pacific participants from Palau, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and PNG in Palau during April.
Vanuatu collaborates on ways to strengthen anti-corruption
Pacific women MPs take on integrity focus Integrity was one of the key topics when 30 women Parliamentarians from six Pacific Island Countries gathered in Nadi, Fiji in March.
UN-PRAC contributed to the Pacific Women in Power Forum, organized by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, with knowledge-sharing on economic empowerment, integrity and leadership.
Vanuatu’s Anti-Corruption Committee was active during June 2019 to strengthen the country’s anti-corruption responses with UN-PRAC support in completing the UNCAC review selfassessment checklist. The Anti-Corruption Committee (above) worked on ways to bolster corruption prevention. UN-PRAC and the Ministry of Education also facilitated an education workshop focused on integrating anti -corruption into Vanuatu’s education curricula. (at right)
For more information, please contact: Mihaela Stojkoska, Anti-Corruption Specialist, UNDP, mihaela.stojkoska@undp.org
Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.org Lavenia Rokovucago, Programme Officer, UN-PRAC, lavenia.rokovucago@undp.org Venina Niumataiwalu, Programme Officer, UN-PRAC, venina.niumataiwalu@undp.org Maria Lee, Programme Assistant, UN-PRAC, maria.lee@undp.org Jinsol Park, United Nations Volunteer, UN-PRAC, jinsol.park@undp.org
Pacific executive summaries of the UNCAC review reports can be found under the countryspecific pages at: http:// www.unodc.org/unodc/en/ treaties/CAC/country-profile/ index.html. The UN-PRAC Project is a joint four-year initiative of UNDP and UNODC, supported by the Australian Government.