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| FSM Secretary of Justice April Dawn Skilling |
This week in Panama City, over 1,500
participants from 139 countries have come together to discuss progress made in
the fight against corruption. Secretary
of Justice April Dawn M. Skilling is attending this fifth session of the
Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption on
behalf of the FSM. She is there together with 9 other Pacific Island Countries
(Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) representing the Pacific. This is the
highest representation ever from the Pacific at an international
anti-corruption forum.
The impact of corruption is
undeniable – be it on sustainable development, rule of law, the environment,
natural resources and much more. Corruption is also not simply a crime, but
also the fuel of other criminal activities such as organized crime and human
trafficking. This is why the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) claimed, "Corruption is the thief of economic and
social development; stealing the opportunities of ordinary people to progress
and to prosper.”
The UNODC is the guardian of the UN
Convention against Corruption to which the FSM is a State party together with
170 other countries. One of the opportunities to being a State party is an
inter-governmental peer review process. This process will allow the FSM to take
stock of its successes and challenges in the fight against corruption, in
particular as a Small Island State. The FSM is currently undergoing this review
process and its reviewers are from the Republic of Korea and Mongolia, scheduled
to go to the FSM in March/April 2014 to complete an in-country visit for the
review process.
More than 65 countries, represented
by Ministers of Justice, Attorney Generals, Anti-Corruption Commissioners, and
more addressed the Conference. While addressing the conference on behalf of the
FSM, Secretary Skilling echoed the concerns of the Pacific, highlighting the
unique nature of Small Islands and the importance of involving national, state,
and traditional leaders in fighting corruption.
“As a developing nation, still largely dependent on donor assistance, we
understand that anti-corruption measures will take on a more important role in
support of the primary development goals of our nation in agriculture, clean
energy, tourism, and fisheries,” stated Secretary Skilling, and “we welcome this
opportunity to improve, learn, and implement the best practices of
anti-corruption measures from not only our Pacific Island neighbours, but from
those in this Assembly who have paved the way before us.”
The
fight against corruption is for future generations – everyone can do their part,
including the youth in standing up and saying “no” to corruption!
For more information, call the Department at 320-2644 or email fsmpio@mail.fm
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