PRESIDENT KATONIVERE’S ADDRESS AT THE CELEBRATION OF 20 YEARS OF UNCAC AND REGIONAL YOUTH SEMINAR

• The British High Commissioner to Fiji, Your Excellency Dr. Brian Jones;
• Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Mr. Henry Puna;
• Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
• Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific, Professor Pal
Ahluwalia;
• The United Nations Resident Representative at Pacific Office in Fiji, Ms. Dawn Del
Rio;
• Students and Youth leaders from across our Blue Pacific;
• Distinguished Guests;
• Ladies and gentlemen.

Miau Sa Bula Re, warm Pacific greetings & a very Good morning to you all!
I am extremely pleased and honoured to be officiating in today’s event as we celebrate 20 years since the adoption of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. I wish to convey my sincerest appreciation to the University of the South Pacific and its student leaders for inviting me to officiate and open such a historic event.

I am immensely proud that this event includes a regional youth seminar that has brought many students and youths who are our future leaders and will in the not too distant future; lead the blue pacific in its journey forward.

Ladies and gentlemen, corruption is an issue of critical concern that hinders sustainable development and threatens peace, security and stability. As you may recall, the leaders of the Pacific have already strengthened calls on this very issue via the Boe Declaration, the Teieniwa Vision and most recently adopted, the 2050 Strategy for Blue Pacific. I am indeed pleased to note that official representatives from our Blue Pacific are also present, with our future leaders at this important event.

The United Nations Convention against Corruption in the 20 years since its adoption provided a guideline and facilitated preventative measures that enabled international cooperation and technical assistance, among various other forms of support to fight corruption, seeing that it is the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument.

Ladies and gentlemen, Fiji has been party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) since 2008 and has progressed well on the path of its implementation. Fiji is also committed to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and we would like to acknowledge the importance of SDG number 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions and its anti-corruption and good governance targets and indicators which is an instrumental guide in our national efforts against corruption.

s mentioned earlier, among other important regional commitments is the Pacific Unity Against Corruption called the ‘Teieniwa Vision’ adopted by Fiji along with 17 other Pacific leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum. By committing to the implementation of the Vision, Fiji has reinforced its anti-corruption commitments and values of anti-corruption.

Ladies and gentlemen, promoting integrity and anti-corruption is essential for our broader good governance efforts and is an instrumental part of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific continent which sets out the region’s approach in working collaboratively to achieve our longterm development vision. In fact, it is one of the Strategic pathways to guide our broad trajectory over the short, medium, and long term. This is why these anti-corruption efforts are very important to advance our regional and national development vision.

Fiji’s commitment to tackling corruption is not an end in itself. The relevant international and regional commitments are very useful platforms for us to reflect broadly upon and work on addressing issues on how to effectively promote transparency, accountability and integrity to ensure the effective use of our national resources to improve development outcomes and afford better lives for the citizens of Fiji.

It is against this backdrop, that the Pacific youth led by the University of the South Pacific Students Association (USPSA), in partnership with the UNDP, and with the generous support from donors such as the Government of the United Kingdom, has been at the forefront of the anti-corruption agenda in the Pacific, creating an unprecedented youth anti-corruption movement in the region.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to note that these youth anti-corruption efforts are focused on enhancing integrity; anti-corruption and the right to information advocacy across the entire Blue Pacific region that have resulted in the adoption of the Pacific Youth Vision of a Corruption-resilient 2050 Blue Pacific.

I have been reliably informed that this Vision, demonstrates a clear demand from Pacific youths for a structured dialogue on good governance and anti-corruption, which should further anchor youth ambitions in key regional strategic documents, including the Teieniwa Vision and the 2050 Pacific Strategy.

Ladies and gentlemen, the most significant aspect of this entire cause is that this youth movement is driven and led by Pacific Youth. This is a positive indication that the youths of the Pacific do not tolerate corruption and demand to sit at the dialogue table and be part of the anti-corruption policy think tank.
As leaders, we have received the message derived from this Youth Vision as a formal representation of the collective voices of youths of the region and we recognise that it is the demonstration of the youth’s power in the region and readiness for policy impact which this movement is already making.

In fact, it is only through such cooperative and collaborative undertakings that corruption can be removed from society. The Pacific youth movement sets an example for the world about regional unity, solidarity and working together to ensure progress against corruption.

Ladies and gentlemen, this event in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of UNCAC is an important reminder for all of us to continue working together with recognition and appreciation of the continued commitment of the youth to integrity and anti-corruption.

We need to make a stand ready to continue supporting this unprecedented youth anti-corruption movement and embrace our youths as part of our ongoing policy dialogue and concrete actions to eradicate corruption as per international, regional, and national commitments including UNCAC which we celebrate today.

With these few words, I officially open the regional youth seminar and congratulate each and every one of you for coming together to celebrate 20 years of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. May God bless us all and continue to bless the Blue Pacific.
Vinaka Vakalevu.