| Overview : Corruption is a global phenomenon. The link between corruption and poverty is well documented, with clear evidence that corruption undermines development and sustains poverty, inhibits economic growth, drives political instability, enables the unsustainable use of natural resources, impacts the delivery of services and undermines good governance and the rule of law.
In this light, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in October 2003 to create a comprehensive international legal framework for combating corruption. As of 2 April 2014, the Convention had been ratified by 1711 States, including the European Union. In the Pacific, there are 10 States parties to the Convention (Papua New Guinea in 2007, Fiji in 2008, Palau in 2009, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Marshall Islands in 2011, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru in 2012, and Kiribati in 2013).
The UNDP Pacific Centre, in partnership with UNODC, jointly administers the Australian Government funded (4 year, US$4.3m) UN-PRAC Project, which supports 14 Pacific Island Countries to address corruption. This joint Project draws on the strengths and comparative advantages of both UNODC and UNDP. As the Secretariat to the Conference of the States Parties to UNCAC, UNODC has a formal responsibility of supporting States to ratify and implement UNCAC, including the provision of technical assistance. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP has extensive experience in working with national counterparts across the Pacific and globally, to advance sustainable development and good governance, including anti-corruption reform. UNDP also plays a significant co-ordination role for the UN’s activities in the field of development.
The joint UNDP-UNODC Project aims to help Pacific Island Countries fight corruption by supporting: i) ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC); ii) UNCAC implementation through the strengthening of policies, laws, measures and institutional frameworks; and iii) engagement in the UNCAC processes, including the Implementation Review Mechanism. The Project draws on the strong global partnership and comparative advantages of both organizations in the fight against corruption. |
