Monday 21 November 2022
Asset recovery and corruption investigations efforts in PNG have received a boost from the European Union-funded Project on Preventing and Countering Corruption in Papua New Guinea, implemented jointly by the United Nations Office on Drugs (UNODC) and Crime and the United Nations Development Programme.
The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary’s National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate (NFACD) recently collaborated with UNODC to increase its capacity through mentoring, training and other assistance.
UNODC and NFACD worked together to identify good practices for investigation planning of corruption cases and asset recovery, as well as to explore options on how these practices can be applied in the PNG context.
“Under the EU-PNG Partnership for Good Governance, the European Union allocated approximately 100 million Kina for actions aiming at promoting good governance and the respect of the rule of law.
The European Union stands by the PNG Government to progress core reforms to strengthen law and order, including support to police who enforce anticorruption laws,” said Mr. Hans Lambrecht, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to PNG.
“UNODC is a proud partner to the RPNGC. The work of the experienced investigators of the NFACD is central to the PNG Government’s vision to strengthen law and order and to combat corruption,” said Mr Graeme Gunn, the UNODC PNG Officer-in-Charge and Anti-Corruption Adviser.
“Criminal investigations and prosecutions are powerful tools against corrupt conduct” said Mr Pare Kuiap, incoming Director Prosecutions RPNGC.
UNODC is assisting RPNGC, the interim Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), and the Office of the Public Prosecutor to enhance anti-corruption and anti-money laundering law enforcement and asset recovery.
These agencies are stronger when they work together and will provide critical support to the operational success of the ICAC when it begins investigations once the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners are appointed.
UNODC works to counter drugs, crime, terrorism and corruption. It mobilizes and promotes regional and transnational cooperation to confront these threats.
Specific efforts are made to target the world’s most vulnerable regions, where the convergence of these issues threatens regional and global security.
UNODC works directly with Governments, international organizations, and civil society in undertaking three key actions: field-based technical cooperation projects to enhance the capacity of its Member States; research and analytical work to increase knowledge and understanding of drugs and crime issues; and normative work to assist Member States in the ratification and implementation of the relevant international treaties and the development of domestic legislation on drugs, crime, terrorism and corruption.
More at www.unodc.org or follow at @UNODC.