Port Vila (Vanuatu), 20 February 2024 - Tackling corruption is a whole-of-society undertaking. Done right, it should involve actors from parliament, anti-corruption bodies, and supreme audit institutions. Representatives from these three spheres from across the Pacific gathered in Port Vila, Vanuatu, last week to strengthen their role in the fight against corruption in this part of the world, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
“Corruption is a complex phenomenon, cross cutting different sectors of society and posing a serious threat to countries’ economic development,” said Marie Pegie Cauchois, UNODC Pacific Officer in Charge and Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser.
The importance of interagency collaboration, as well as of national and regional alliances formed by relevant authorities along with parliamentary anti-corruption committees, was highlighted during the three-day dialogue. Participants received technical assistance from UNODC and the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), who co-organized the event.
“We need action and collaboration,” said Tina Browne, Leader of the Opposition and Member of the Public Accounts Committee in the Cook Islands, who participated in the dialogue. “International and regional collaboration and support is critical in strengthening the Cook Islands’ anti-corruption measures.”
The dialogue focused on how each partner’s individual strengths could be combined to achieve a larger national and regional impact against corruption, in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), of which UNODC is a custodian, and in line with GOPAC’s role in assisting parliamentarians in working together to combat corruption, strengthen good governance, and uphold the rule of law.
“Under the umbrella of UNCAC and the Pacific anti-corruption roadmap – the Teieniwa Vision – the relevance of cooperation has generated comprehensive efforts in recent years at the international level to identify the appropriate mechanisms and measures that can help countries and authorities to more effectively counter corruption together,” Cauchois said.
The Teieniwa Vision is a regional roadmap developed in 2020 to unite Pacific Island nations against corruption. It stresses that integrity-building must be embraced as a whole-of-society issue, while respecting the separate mandates of each anti-corruption body.
Triangle of Integrity
In the Pacific, parliamentarians, supreme audit institutions and anti-corruption bodies have formed the Triangle of Integrity, a partnership built to boost oversight of corruption capture and prevention in the region.
“The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption welcomes the partnership with UNODC to examine the Triangle of Integrity relationships from an evidence-based perspective, with genuine consultations between parliamentarians, auditors-general, ombudsmen and integrity agencies,” said Uhilamoelangi Fasi, Chair of the Tonga Parliament Standing Committee on Anti-Corruption and GOPAC Tonga.
“GOPAC recognizes the potential for perceptions of conflict of interest as the different Pacific national frameworks give different oversight and implementation roles to the Triangle of Integrity partners. Genuine discussion and respect for the rule of law helps parliaments, governments and agencies work with their independent integrity agencies,” Fasi added.
During the dialogue, participants also addressed how the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted the need for greater transparency, accountability, and integrity in the use and allocation of public funds. UNODC supports countries in strengthening their capacity to apply these approaches in practice.
The Anti-Corruption Committee in the Cook Islands has received assistance from UNODC to develop its National Anti-Corruption Strategy. “In this environment, the need to ensure financial management integrity and to strengthen the links between relevant institutions in the States parties has become of paramount importance,” Cauchois said.
“COVID-19 has had serious impact on the Cook Island’s economy. As a result, there is limited space for growth in public administration including additional resources dedicated to national anti-corruption efforts. We need more commitment to adopt the Strategy, supported when possible by collaborating partners,” Browne said.
The role of education, civil society, and the media was also recognized as critical in combating corruption. “Professional education campaigns can bring a cultural shift so as the community understands what corruption is and that habitual serious offenders will be dealt with,” said Margaret Quirk, Chair of GOPAC Australia. “We need to ensure the public have enough trust to know that, if they report corrupt conduct to an integrity agency, it will be taken seriously and acted upon.”
More information:
The Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) is the official association of supreme audit institutions in the Pacific region. PASAI recognizes the need to develop partnerships with its work to achieve stronger national development through better governance.
In its 2023 Accountability and Transparency Report, PASAI highlights the crucial role of supreme audit institutions as public oversight institutions responsible for helping the Parliament or Senate – and, ultimately, the public – in holding governments accountable for their stewardship of public resources.
UNODC is producing a Pacific companion guide titled ‘Enhancing Integrity System Collaboration in the Pacific Region’ that builds on its extensive work through the Abu Dhabi Declaration Programme to promote the role of supreme audit institutions in tackling corruption and enhance their collaboration with anti-corruption bodies.
Click here to learn more about UNODC’s work in the Pacific Islands.
Click here to learn more about UNODC’s anti-corruption efforts in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
