INTRODUCTORY REMARKS for UNDP Deputy Resident Representative
                                                                              Yemesrach Workie
                                                   THE PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON GOVERNANCE
                             Pacific Youth Spotlighting Anti-Corruption in Climate Change and Gender Equality
                                                       Auckland, New Zealand - 11 and 12 May 2023
 

New Zealand's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Disarmament and Arms Control and Associate Minister for Māori Development Honourable Nanaia Mahuta,
University of the South Pacific Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia,
British Consul General, Auckland, Mr. Stephen Cartwright,
Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Mr. Henry Puna, 
Pacific Youth Advisory Board, Ms. Belyndar Rikimani, 
Excellencies, members of the diplomatic corps,
Distinguished Officials, 
Dear students and young leaders from across the Pacific, 
Colleagues and friends,

Kia Ora and a very Good morning!

On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme, I am delighted to welcome you all to this extra-ordinary event led by our partners at the University of the South Pacific Students’ Association (USPSA) and supported by UNDP as part of our long-standing Pacific anti-corruption work.

The event is extra-ordinary for several reasons.  But I will mention only two in the interest of time:

First, this gathering today represents the most significant success yet for the ground-breaking Pacific-wide youth anti-corruption movement ever since it started less than 18 months ago. Since its inception, this movement has created global waves and demonstrated to the world that Pacific youth is determined to have its voice heard and taken account of by the region’s policy leaders. 

If history is being written now, the genesis of the movement – or at least a very substantial proof of concept – can probably be set as the first Pacific Youth Summit in December 2021, which discussed the importance of integrity and stronger youth action on anti-corruption, transparency and accountability in support of sustainable development.  Since then, the Pacific youth anti-corruption movement has gone from strength to strength.

Alongside a continuing series of activities, including the second Pacific Youth Summit in 2022, a further major achievement was the adoption of the foundational Pacific Youth Vision on a Corruption-resilient 2050 Blue Pacific which was powerfully presented at the 20th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) organized by Transparency International in Washington D.C. in December last year.

Second, I would say that the dialogue and solutions-orientated tone of the movement, which has worked to forge high-level partnerships with influential national, regional and international organizations to work collaboratively on regional policy issues, has been remarkably insightful. 

In particular, the strategic cooperation that has been developed with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) to take the agenda forward anchored on regional inter-governmental organizations and agreements is impressive.
It is worth noting that the movement has significantly extended beyond USP and now embraces other youth organizations and a wide variety of stakeholders from across civil society. 

The movement is inclusive and open to everyone wishing to contribute to the good of this region.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

The explicit focus of the youth movement on good governance and fighting corruption under the overarching aims of sustainable development and supporting the poorest and most vulnerable, has been remarkably mature and forward-looking.

These objectives– align very precisely with UNDP’s mandate and our support to the countries in the Pacific to progress on international commitments such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.  This is why the Pacific Conference on Governance focuses on spotlighting anti -corruption in climate change and gender equality.

It has been established that corruption remains an issue of critical concern across the Pacific region.

Transparency International’s 2021 Global Corruption Barometer, for example, surveyed 6,000 citizens from 10 Pacific Island Countries and found that 32 percent of them reported paying a bribe in the previous year to receive public services; 61 percent believed corruption is a significant problem in government; and 56 percent believed it is getting worse.

What is perhaps less widely recognized, is how gender and corruption are so dangerously entwined.
Corruption affects men and women in different ways. Women – particularly poor women – who are often responsible for family welfare are especially vulnerable to corruption in accessing public services such as healthcare and education, and are less likely to report it. 

Women also face a higher risk of being subjected to physical abuse, sextortion and exploitation at work, which often comes with lower pay and reduced rights.

Corrupt practices, under-representation, and gender imbalances in leadership further disadvantage women at work. 
Overall, gender and corruption are deeply interconnected, and addressing gender inequality is essential to tackling corruption effectively.  

Likewise, the damage corruption causes to climate change responses is less familiar but also critical and urgent.
With many Pacific nations facing an existential threat from rising sea levels, and increasingly suffering extreme weather events and changes in weather patterns, corruption presents one of the most significant dangers to the climate change response. 

Climate finance, often routed outside established channels, is particularly vulnerable, and corruption in mitigation efforts results in weakened environmental regulations, less effective renewable energy programmes, and more.
In fact, according to a 2020 report by U4 anti-corruption resource centre – and I quote:

Corruption in climate finance negatively impacts climate change intervention, undermining mitigation efforts to reduce emissions and decreasing the quality of adaptation infrastructure – in both cases, donors and other funders suffer the loss or misuse of funds.

Regarding adaptation responses, corruption and fraud reduce funds for activities such as ecosystem conservation and developing responsive infrastructures and resilient water supplies, as well as causing biased and ineffective allocation of funding. 

Doubtlessly, corruption is fuelling the climate crisis by depriving countries of revenues desperately needed to act and build resilience.

Therefore, spotlighting climate change in youth policy-impact work is critical.

Youth policy-impact work is also vital to support the objectives and aspirations of Kainaki II Declaration for Urgent Climate Action Now and the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy as well as regional anti-corruption strategic documents such as the Pacific Unity Against Corruption Teieniwa Vision.

UNDP is therefore delighted to see this conference focused on forging this very necessary multi-faceted and analytical dialogue taking place, and wholeheartedly thanks and congratulates our partners at USPSA and everyone else in attendance here today.

The conference represents continuity and consolidation of a vital regional youth movement that is growing in momentum and influence and will ultimately benefit all Pacific citizens.

You, the students and young people of the Pacific, are now driving the policy agenda, and your voices, enthusiasm and energy are essential to building a more prosperous and fairer world.

Finally, it only remains for me to thank the dignitaries who have found the time to join us and reiterate UNDP’s appreciation for the support of the Governments of New Zealand and the United Kingdom, who have generously supported this event as well as other UNDP anti-corruption activities across the Pacific.

Thank you all very much for your attention and I wish everyone a successful, informative and influential event.