With support from UNODC and 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 Implementation Review Group and Working Group on Prevention of Corruption, at the United Nations in Vienna.

Mrs. Josephine Pitmur, Deputy Secretary, Department of Justice and Attorney General, told the Working Group on Prevention: “To implement the best possible corruption prevention measures we will be focusing on recommendations around public sector training, K-12 education initiatives and broadening our civil society engagement.”

Effective whistleblower mechanisms, education and other corruption prevention measures have a positive effect on a nation’s development. In Papua New Guinea, where revenue from mining and petroleum are an important part of national income, and increasingly so when government Liquified Natural Gas project loans have been repaid,[1] enhanced transparency and accountability would enable better targeting of resources to community needs for healthcare, education and equitable development.

The delegation also received briefings on the accession process to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and met one-on-one with peers from several criminal investigation, prosecution, asset recovery and anti-money laundering agencies, in particular from Austria and the Philippines. Mr. Jeffrey Murley, Director Governance, Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Cabinet, said: “Learning about the investigation and prosecution strategies, whistleblower protection measures and asset recovery techniques of our international partners helps us strengthen our own approach.”

Papua New Guinea, the only country delegation at the Vienna meetings to include a civil society representative, gave strong support to civil society engagement to ensure better policy development and implementation, a sentiment echoed by other delegations and included in the official record of proceedings. Mr. Yuambari Haihuie, Deputy Director (Partnerships & Policy), Transparency International Papua New Guinea will report to local civil society groups upon his return.

The UN will assist Papua New Guinea under the Anti-Corruption Project to implement the recommendations the government decides to adopt from the delegation’s forthcoming official briefing to agency heads. Implementation of these recommendations will strengthen implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption and other commitments under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2010 - 2030) and the National Anti-Corruption Plan of Action (2020 – 2025).

“The delegation has identified a clear pathway forward to present the significant learnings from this conference and study visits into the mechanisms within PNG that can bring about real change,” said Mr. Graeme Gunn, UNODC Anti-Corruption Adviser, Papua New Guinea who supported the delegation with Dr. Alma Sedlar, UNDP Chief Technical Advisor (Anti-Corruption), Papua New Guinea.