(Alofi, Niue) 10 November 2022 – Niuean young entrepreneurs and senior school students are joining together today to explore the role they can play in strengthening integrity and good governance in local businesses.

Building on the Niue Chamber of Commerce’s vision of “Niue Ke Monuina – A Prosperous Niue”, this workshop, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Samoa Multi-Country Office (MCO) and the Pacific Office in Fiji, through the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, is part of a series of integrity-strengthening efforts in Niue.

“The Niue Chamber of Commerce regularly engages with our entrepreneurs of tomorrow through school-based trainings, so today’s workshop helps them as well as our young people already running their own businesses to clearly engage with good governance practices,” said Sefeti Fatiaki, Niue Chamber of Commerce President. 

Niue youth entrepreneur, Danny Jnr Rollorata, who runs an online business called Limlite, said the training is timely. “This has been very helpful for me. I aim to make a lot of money and own a lot of businesses, and I’m already starting on that path. Taking part in this workshop and learning for the first time about corruption, integrity, best business practices and the value of having a Code of Conduct is very useful as I embark on my entrepreneurial journey.”

UNDP Samoa MCO and UN-PRAC have already worked together with the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry to produce a Business Integrity Toolkit for Young Entrepreneurs, which was developed after consultations with local young entrepreneurs on how to safeguard their businesses and not fall prey to corruption risks. This toolkit formed the basis of the training for Niue young entrepreneurs.

“Corruption hinders entrepreneurship and innovation in society. We are opening an important dialogue in this training, with existing and potential young entrepreneurs in Niue, on how they can do business with integrity. Opting for clear values and strong ethics can only raise the impact of their businesses in the market and bring more investment,” said Christina Mualia, Assistant Resident Representative – Governance, UNDP Samoa MCO.

“This young entrepreneur workshop offers practical guidance on what constitutes corruption in Niue, what laws and institutions are used to prevent and fight corruption, and who you can ask for help, in line with international best practices found in the United Nations Convention against Corruption and Sustainable Development Goal 16,” said regional UNDP Anti-Corruption Adviser, Sonja Stefanovska-Trajanoska.  

UN-PRAC has also undertaken integrity strengthening with young entrepreneurs in Fiji, Palau and Solomon Islands.

The UN-PRAC Project is a joint initiative by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UNDP, supported by the New Zealand Government.  The Samoa MCO works closely with the governments of Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau as well as Non-Government Organizations on development programmes in the areas of Democratic Governance, Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, Environment and Energy, and Gender Mainstreaming.

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About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at www.ws.undp.org or www.undp.org/pacific.

For more information, or media interviews please contact:

Laufaleaina Lesa, Communications Analyst, UNDP Multi Country Office, Samoa |Tel. +685 23670 | E: laufaleaina.lesa@undp.org         

Tomoko Kashiwazaki, Communications and Advocacy - UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji.

E: tomoko.kashiwazaki@undp.org M: (679) 781 5465.

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