Suva Fiji: A week of robust discussions on furthering transparency and accountability in the Oceania region has concluded in Fiji. The event culminated in a regional roundtable discussion on strengthening further cooperation among key integrity institutions engaged in anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-corruption efforts across the Oceania region.

Coordinated by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji – with thanks to financial support from the Government of the United Kingdom - the event brought together key stakeholders from financial intelligence units, anti-corruption bodies, and regional organisations working within the transparency and accountability sectors.  

The roundtable – chaired by Mandy Liang of Australia’s Financial Intelligence Agency, AUSTRAC – focused on strengthening regional intelligence sharing and knowledge exchange mechanisms to address the complex challenges of financial crime in the Pacific region.  

This strategic gathering provided a unified platform for dialogue and collaboration, focusing on practical solutions to combat cross-border financial crimes while addressing resource constraints faced by Pacific Island Countries. The event had a particular focus on regionalism, with discussions focusing on the need to enhance cooperation and establish more effective channels for intelligence sharing.  

The initiative represents a significant step toward building a more coordinated regional response to financial crime, bringing together expertise from development partners, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, financial intelligence units across the region, and AML representatives from both Australia and New Zealand.  

Rustam Pulatov, Team Leader – Effective Governance with UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, said:

“This roundtable marks an important milestone in the Pacific region's collective effort to combat financial crime and corruption. By fostering stronger partnerships and alignment among stakeholders, the initiative will enhance the effectiveness of anti-money laundering measures and strengthen the region's resilience against financial crimes.”

Mele Mangisi, Executive Director of Tonga's Anti-Corruption Commission, said that with Tonga having only established its key anti-corruption body in 2024, regional collaboration and knowledge sharing was crucial.

“We’re often asking ourselves how do we build integrity? How do we build our systems around our organisation’s core values? We’re slowly getting there, and we greatly appreciated our counterparts as there is a lot of knowledge we will be taking back with us to Tonga to help in building our office,” she said.  

This work is made possible with financial support from the Government of the United Kingdom under UNDP’s Pacific Anti-Corruption Project. The project seeks to strengthen a whole-of-society commitment to addressing corruption through increased support from officials, communities and civil society by strengthening national policy frameworks, institutions, processes and capacities to prevent and address the effects of corruption across multiple sectors.

For more information contact:

Nick Turner | Strategic Communications and Advocacy Specialist, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji | nicholas.turner@undp.org