Thursday 27 June 2024
Secretary of the Department of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Eric Kwa (right) led the Papua New Guinea Delegation to the UN Convention Against Corruption Implementation Review Group in Vienna, Austria on June 17 2024. (photo credit: UNODC).
An official Papua New Guinea delegation responsible for combating corruption has updated the United Nations in Vienna, Austria on the country’s progress along with exchanging best practices with international partners.
With support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Papua New Guinea Anti-Corruption Project, a major project funded by the European Union, Papua New Guinea made strong contributions to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Implementation Review Group (IRG), Working Group on Asset Recovery and Expert meeting to enhance international cooperation, at the United Nations in Vienna last week.
‘Papua New Guinea aims through UNCAC to prioritize its strategic interventions and mobilize resources in addressing gaps within our preventative measures, legislative and policy framework, asset recovery, international cooperation and foster strategic partnership arrangements with key institutions and development partners domestically, regionally in the Asia Pacific region and beyond,’’ said Dr. Eric Kwa, the Secretary of the Department for Justice and Attorney General and PNG delegation leader to the IRG.
Dr Kwa informed delegates from the 190 member States to UNCAC that PNG has established a fully functioning Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) with preventative, investigative and prosecution powers and has recently endorsed the ratification of the United Nations Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).
Addressing corruption and building an integrity system within the country is a strategic priority of the current Papua New Guinea Government,” Dr Kwa said.
He added Papua New Guinea continues to be an active contributor and participant to advancing regional anti-corruption initiatives such as the implementation of Teieniwa Vision under the 21 member states Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS).
The delegation also received briefings on the Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative, the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities, from the coordinator of PNG’s MOU with Open Ownership, investigators and prosecutors from other national integrity agencies, the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna and bilateral meetings with delegations and the UNCAC Secretraiat involved in PNG’s own UNCAC Country Review and its engagement in current Reviews of Samoa and Japan.
Deputy Secretary, Department of Justice & Attorney General, Mrs. Josephine A. Pitmur, presented to delegates on a panel on Technical Assistance on International Cooperation and Asset Recovery.
Papua New Guinea also included a civil society representative in its official delegation – Mr. Peter Aitsi, Chairman, Transparency International Papua New Guinea, who will report to local civil society groups upon his return. Mr. Daniel Baulch, Deputy Commissioner, PNG Independent Commission Against Corruption, was also a member of the official delegation along with Mrs. Roselyn Melua and Mr. Jeffery Murley from the Department of Prime Minister & NEC.
The delegation was supported by the PNG Anti-Corruption Project, funded by the European Union, and identified a clear pathway forward to apply significant learnings from the conference and study visits to strengthen integrity mechanisms in PNG.
About UNODC
UNODC works to counter drugs, crime, terrorism and corruption. It mobilizes and promotes regional and transnational cooperation to confront these threats.
Specific efforts are made to target the world’s most vulnerable regions, where the convergence of these issues threatens regional and global security.
UNODC works directly with Governments, international organizations, and civil society in undertaking three key actions: field-based technical cooperation projects to enhance the capacity of its Member States; research and analytical work to increase knowledge and understanding of drugs and crime issues; and normative work to assist Member States in the ratification and implementation of the relevant international treaties and the development of domestic legislation on drugs, crime, terrorism and corruption.