Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), 3 October 2022 - Further opportunities to strengthen the implementation of integrity operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were addressed last week when Mr. Julien Garsany, Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) met with key counterparts under the PNG Anti-Corruption Project in Port Moresby.
The PNG Anti-Corruption Project is implemented by UNODC and the UN Development Programme and is funded by the European Union (EU).
Meetings and workshops were held with Mr Thomas Eluh, Chair of the interim Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), and his team, Commander Steven Francis, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, Mr Raphael Luman, Deputy Public Prosecutor, Office of the Public Prosecutor, Mr Wilson Onea, Acting Director of the Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit, Mr Peter Aitsi MBE, Board Chair of Transparency International PNG, EU PNG officials and other leaders in the fight against corruption in PNG.
It is important for development partners, like UNODC, to consult meaningfully with key anti-corruption agencies and other stakeholders in the country to understand their needs and help advance a whole-of-society endeavour to combat corruption. Mr Garsany’s visit strengthened UNODC collaboration with key anti-corruption law enforcement institutions and civil society in PNG.
“UNODC is ramping up its support to anti-corruption law enforcement and prevention under the EU-funded Project. My meetings allowed our Regional Office to listen to the concerns and needs of our stakeholders and to build on the strong engagement and work done by the UNODC Anti-Corruption Adviser, Mr Graeme Gunn, and his great team,” said Mr. Garsany.
He also added: “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with partners in PNG and to the appointment of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners of the ICAC, as the key next steps in its establishment.”
“Under the EU-PNG Partnership for Good Governance, the European Union allocated approximately 100 million Kina for actions aiming at promoting good governance and the respect of the rule of law. I wish to renew the firm commitment of the European Union to stand by the PNG government and civil society to further progress core reforms, including the establishment and implementation of an effective Right to Information Regime,” said Dr Razvan Silviu Jora, EU Deputy Head of Delegation.
