Suva, Fiji – Recognising the key role of anti-corruption in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Pacific media and civil society advocates are working with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji and UNDP Global Anti-Corruption team to identify and address corruption risks as well as entry points through the SDGs for media and Civil Society Organizations to promote anti-corruption efforts. Anti-Corruption is a key enabler to accelerate achievement of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and SDGs.

Through today’s webinar, UNDP aims to sensitize the Pacific media and civil society on the linkages between corruption and sustainable development, notably through SDG 16 which calls for stronger action on anti-corruption, transparency and accountability. Fighting corruption requires whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach where meaningful engagement of media and CSOs is critical to achieve tangible results.

“The 2030 Agenda was a major breakthrough for the anti-corruption movement as it makes an explicit link between corruption, peace, just and inclusive societies through SDG Goal 16. Advancement of the SDG 16 targets related to promoting transparency, accountability, integrity and anti-corruption is necessary to achieve and sustain all SDGs,” said Pacific Regional UNDP Anti-Corruption Adviser, Sonja Stefanovska-Trajanoska.  

The workshop includes presentations from UNDP’s Global Anti-Corruption team, represented by Anga Timilsina, Global Programme Advisor on Anti-corruption and Aida Arutyunova, Program Manager - Global Anti-Corruption Project, Anti-corruption for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies (ACPIS), UNDP.

“Empowering the media and civil society for engagement in national SDGs reporting and monitoring is an important objective so that national level information builds on grass-roots information provided by civil society and citizens to build forward better -- inclusive and resilient and sustainable societies in the Pacific,” said Mr. Timilsina.

“There is a clear nexus between development and corruption particularly in sectors such as health, education, infrastructure and public procurement, as experiences during COVID-19 have highlighted,” said Ms. Arutyunova.

UNDP presents this webinar through the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, supported by the New Zealand Government.  

For more information, or media interviews please contact:

Setaita Tavanabola, Communications Associate, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, E: setaita.tavanabola@undp.org; tel: +679 3227 523