UN-PRAC Newsletter January - June 2020

UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project

June 2020 Newsletter

Tonga joins the UNCAC family

Tonga has acceded to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), becoming the 14th and final Pacific Island country to do so and the 187th State party to UNCAC. Minister for Trade and Economic Development, Samiu Vaipulu (above) made the announcement during the Pacific Regional Leaders Conference on Anti-Corruption held in Kiribati on 5-6 February.

“UN-PRAC has worked with Tonga since 2013 and it is very fitting that the Government chose this major regional gathering to announce their accession,” said Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser-Pacific for the United Na-

tions Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Annika Wythes.

UNCAC is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. It covers four thematic areas including preventive measures, criminalization and law enforcement, international cooperation and asset recovery.

The Effective Governance Team Leader for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji, Revai Makanje Aalbaek, said: “Tonga’s accession is a great example of how Government, Parliament, civil society, media and the private sector can work together over many years with UN-PRAC to advance transparency and accountability.”

Minister Vaipulu with Tonga and UN-PRAC officials holding UNCAC; (right) Leaders and officials at the Kiribati Conference (See page 3)

June 2020 Newsletter

UN-PRAC issues COVID-19 Pacific advisory note Adopting comprehensive auditing, oversight, accountability and reporting mechanisms to monitor the disbursement process is one of the key processes to prevent corruption in the Pacific during COVID-19, according to a new advisory note from the UN-PRAC Project.

The advisory note “COVID-19 and Corruption in the Pacific” also addresses updating public procurement systems to handle all disasters, collaborating with the private sector to promote business integrity, along with providing clear, objective and transparent criteria for the qualification of beneficiaries and recipients of COVID-19 funds.

Oceania Chair of the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) and Member of Parliament for the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Lord Fusitu’a. “The UNPRAC Advisory Note also provides advice on legislation updates and reporting language.”

With this advisory note, UN-PRAC is aiming to help countries in the Pacific respond comprehensively, equitably and inclusively to the COVID-19 crisis in ways to ensure progress in achieving the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) and with SDG 16 as a key enabler and entry point to deliver on Agenda 2030.

The full UN-PRAC Advisory Note is available at: https://www.pacific.undp.org/content/pacific/en/ home/library/eg/covid19-and-corruption-in-thepacific.html

“Ensuring timely access to accurate and up-to-date information through open, clear communication and outreach channels between the public and government is one of the key recommendations of the UNPRAC Advisory Note on Covid-19 and Corruption. The Right to Information Unit (L-R) June Naviti, Harold Obed and Franky Vale have been doing just that to get them through the pandemic and TC Harold.”

"Grounded on integrity, governments and all development stakeholders must bring themselves to account for their actions and commitment, necessary in ensuring the safety and security of our Pacific communities from this pandemic." Tahere Talaina Siisiialafaia -Pacific Youth Council Chairperson.

“The Advisory Note is important to supporting our livelihoods bringing together a trail of commitment, partnership, transparency & accountability preventing corruption” — Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hilda Lomani.

"The UNPRAC Project COVID-19 Advisory Note for the Pacific includes anticorruption advice for the media" — PACNEWS Editor in Chief, Makereta Komai.

Palau Times reporter Telbakes Yano uses the Advisory Note on corruption to proof for local #COVID19 efforts.

June 2020 Newsletter

Teieniwa Vision adopted by Leaders Pacific Leaders and representatives adopted a ground-breaking Teieniwa Vision during the region’s first ever Leaders’ Pacific Regional Anti -Corruption Conference, hosted by HE Te Beretitenti Taneti Maamau on the 4-5 February.

Eleven Pacific Island Forum country Leaders and representatives endorsed commitments that build on their national engagement with UNCAC and the SDGs. The Teieniwa Vision recognized the importance of strong leadership and building political will in order to address corruption.

“We have called on all Pacific Leaders to champion integrity, advocating for and implementing best anticorruption practices through commitment to criminalization of corruption and prompt, impartial investigation and prosecution,” said HE Te Beretitenti.

The President indicated that the Vision could provide guidance as Pacific countries look to enhancing regional frameworks to tackle corruption and a unified position in preparation for the United Nations special session of the General Assembly against corruption 2021 (UNGASS21).

The UN-PRAC Project co-ordinated research and discussion papers for the plenary meeting as well as the following Leaders’ Retreat on 5 February, which adopted the Teieniwa Vision.

The Conference, supported by Australia and New Zealand, had been convened after President Maamau first proposed a regional Leaders’ commitment to anti-corruption during the Conference of States Parties to UNCAC in 2017 and during the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meetings in 2018 and 2019.

The Prime Ministers of the Cook Islands and Samoa were among leaders who travelled to Kiribati, along with senior Ministers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and senior anti-corruption officials. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Commonwealth Secretariat were also represented.

UN-PRAC in cooperation with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also supported two journalists from the Pacific AntiCorruption Journalists Network (PACJN) to cover the Conference and share their reports with a Pacific media pool through the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).

New UN-PRAC documents available Information Notes: - Holistic Integrity Frameworks to Address Corruption - Economic and Social Impacts of Corruption in the Pacific - Public Service Excellence to Prevent Corruption - Status of the Right to Information in the Pacific Island Countries - Civil Society Engagement to Address Corruption - Action taken by Pacific Legislatures to Address Corruption Papers: - Holistic Integrity Frameworks to Address Corruption - Status of the Right to Information in the Pacific Island Countries - The Role of Non-State Actors and Citizens in Corruption Prevention in the Pacific Factsheets on UNCAC: - UNCAC (An Overview) - UNCAC Chapter II: Preventative Measures - UNCAC Chapter III: Criminalization and Law Enforcement - UNCAC Chapter IV: International Cooperation - UNCAC Chapter V: Asset Recovery Other publications: - Briefing note: Public Service Excellence to Prevent Corruption - Advisory Note: COVID-19 and Corruption in the Pacific - UN-PRAC’s Submission to the Australian Parliament’s Inquiry into strengthening Australia’s relationships with countries in the Pacific Region - UN-PRAC’s Submission to the Australian Parliament’s Inquiry into Australia activating greater trade and investment with Pacific Island countries Please contact any member of the UN-PRAC team listed on page 5 to get a copy of these documents.

June 2020 Newsletter

Private sector in Kiribati, Palau adopt Code of Conduct Working with the Pacific private sector, UN-PRAC conducted workshops and assisted the Kiribati (in February) and Palau (in March) national Chambers of Commerce and Industry to adopt their own Codes of Conduct.

Palau Chamber of Commerce President Ken Urehara (bottom left picture, fourth from left) said that adopting the Code of Conduct enabled the Chamber to be more robust in its engagement with government to advocate for a level playing field for private businesses.

The Palau Special Prosecutor, April Dawn Cripps, (bottom left, standing) emphasized the key role the private sector has in reporting corruption.

In Kiribati, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry played a key role in the Kiribati Pacific AntiCorruption Leaders’ Conference. Board Member Louisa Teaotai (right) told Leaders that the Chamber was actively involved in the development of the original Kiribati National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2016-2020 and currently sits on the Kiribati National Anti-Corruption Committee.

UN-PRAC evidence to Parliament Inquiries In May and June UN-PRAC appeared in Canberra at the Parliament of Australia for the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade’s Inquiry into Australia Activating Greater Trade and Investment with Pacific Island countries and Inquiry into Strengthening Australia’s Relationships with Countries in the Pacific Region.

UN-PRAC provided evidence-based analysis on its eight years of work in the Pacific, which also shows impact in other sectors such as trade. UN-PRAC supports a whole-of-government approach to preventing and fighting corruption by working with Pacific Governments to help them meet their international obligations under the UNCAC to which all 14 Pacific Island countries that UNPRAC supports have acceded. Prior to Australia’s initial support for UN-PRAC in 2012, only six Pacific Island countries had acceded to UNCAC. DFAT had demonstrated the interest and commitment of Australia to fight corruption in the Pacific through its funding of UN-PRAC , the inquiries were told.

Palau media step up corruption reporting Journalists in Palau worked with UN-PRAC and the Palau Media Council to step up their corruption reporting during a two-day workshop in March.

Assisted by Palau’s integrity agencies, journalists were able to stocktake how they can access all available accountability information and use their investigative reporting to bring more transparency to local media.

UN-PRAC, in partnership with PINA, established the PACJN, and Palau’s media have been active members.

The involvement of national media members in UNPRAC activities in-country is contributing to an increased reporting on corruption in the region.

June 2020 Newsletter

Anti-Corruption Partnership to Skill the Pacific’s Future Workforce A new Pacific anti-corruption partnership in vocational education was launched in Fiji in May, created by the UN-PRAC Project and the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC).

The Anti-Corruption Partnership for Vocational Education and Training will run from May to December 2020 as part of trainings in Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. For the first time, this Partnership brings together competency-based training specialists with governance and development specialists to focus on practical ways to embed critical thinking skills into established accredited training programmes and develop new courses to prepare the Pacific’s future leaders and workforce on how to recognize and address corruption.

UN Convention against Corruption in the Pacific Pacific States parties to UNCAC

Date of ratification/ accession

Cook Islands Federated States of Micronesia

17 October 2011

Fiji Kingdom of Tonga

14 May 2008

Kiribati

27 September 2013

Nauru

12 July 2012

Niue

3 November 2017

Palau Papua New Guinea Republic of the Marshall Islands

24 March 2009

Samoa

18 April 2018

Solomon Islands

6 January 2012

21 March 2012

6 February 2020

16 July 2007 17 November 2011

Tokelau (New Zealand) Tuvalu

4 September 2015

Vanuatu

12 July 2011

APTC, which is supported by the Australian Government and managed by TAFE Queensland, is recognized as a centre of training excellence helping over 1200 Pacific Island citizens each year to gain Australian-standard skills and recognized qualifications for a wide range of vocational careers.

APTC Chief Executive Officer, Soli Middleby said: “Our teams have worked together to embed new learning into APTC’s existing programs as well as develop new anti-corruption courses that can be delivered online as well as through a virtual network of anti-corruption advocates in Fiji, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.”

Photos of students thanks to APTC.

For more information, please contact: Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.org Sonja Stefanovska-Trajanoska, Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNDP, sonja.trajanoska@undp.org Lavenia Rokovucago, Programme Officer, UN-PRAC, lavenia.rokovucago@undp.org Jinsol Park, United Nations Volunteer, UN-PRAC, jinsol.park@undp.org Sarah Power, United Nations Youth Volunteer, UN-PRAC, sarah.power@undp.org Lusiana Veidreyaki, Programme Assistant, UN-PRAC, lusiana.veidreyaki@undp.org

The UN-PRAC Project is a joint four-year initiative of UNDP and UNODC, supported by the Australian Government.