Empowering Small Islands Developing States to fight corruption
Anti-corruption
efforts and aid approaches need to be better targeted to support Small Island
Developing States (SIDS) to achieve more effective and sustainable long-term
change. This was a key message from the side event on “Sustainable
anti-corruption reform in SIDS” on the opening day of the Third United Nations
Conference on SIDS in Apia Samoa.
The corrosive
effects of corruption on economic growth and human development are
indisputable, with the impacts felt greater in developing countries where
governance systems are weak and financial resources are limited. For SIDS
to reduce corruption, they require a tailored approach which reflects their
unique development context.
The
anti-corruption themed side-event at the Third UN Conference on SIDS was led by
the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and shared experiences from SIDS
countries of Micronesia, Jamaica, and São Tomé and Príncipe, including key challenges
and lessons of anti-corruption reform in their countries.
“SIDS face unique
circumstances and anti-corruption efforts along with development assistance
approaches need to better reflect country specific context if they are to be
effective. Through the side event, we were able to showcase some of these
challenges and launch a much needed dialogue among SIDS and development
partners, on a more targeted approach to tackle corruption longer-term,” said
Tony Prescott, the Anti-Corruption Specialist at UNDP Pacific Centre.
As a result, UNDP
and UNODC will facilitate a dedicated event, to be held in 2015, to empower
SIDS to establish a set of principles to guide sustainable anti-corruption
reform for SIDS. It is expected that this event will focus on issues such as
the affordability and sustainability of anti-corruption reform, the capacity
constraints of SIDS in implementing anti-corruption approaches, the viability
of specific anti-corruption tools and techniques, strengthening accountability
and transparency, as well as better aligning aid approaches to fight corruption
in SIDS.
The UN Convention
against Corruption (UNCAC) is the globally accepted framework agreed to by 171
States parties, including 30 of 39 SIDS. Ten Pacific Island countries have
already signed up to UNCAC, with only four countries – Niue, Samoa, Tonga and
Tuvalu – yet to accede to the Convention. In the Pacific, UNDP and UNODC are
implementing a joint four-year project to support 14 Pacific Island countries
to: i) accede to UNCAC; ii) implement the Convention through strengthening
anti-corruption policies, laws, measures and institutional frameworks; and iii)
engage in the formal processes of the Convention, including the Convention’s
implementation review mechanism.
Contact
Information
Tony Prescott,
Anti-corruption Specialist, UNDP Pacific Centre, email:tony.prescott@undp.org; tel: +679 3300399;
Sheryl Ho,
Knowledge Communications Analyst, email: Sheryl.ho@undp.org; +679 3227504