Speeches

MOU SIGNING EVENT Between FICAC & ACC Tonga

Posted by Media Team 05 February 2025

Good morning to you all.

First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office Fiji under the UK Government funded Pacific Anti-Corruption Project for allowing us this morning to come in between your Regional Conference on the Transparency of Beneficial Ownership in the Pacific to have our MOU signing event.

For the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption, today is an auspicious day as it marks another important milestone for the Commission, as this signing demonstrates the start of a progressive partnership and collaboration between our two agencies and our two countries.

In 2024, the Commission had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vanuatu Office of the Public Prosecutor (OPP). And in the same year, the Commission had its second MOU signing with the Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC). I am confident to say that our third MOU signing today will surely not be the last.

I believe that the fight against corruption in our region has provided a great platform for our coming together in order that we build and strengthen our anti-corruption network for the prevention and fight against corruption in our Blue Pacific.

This agreement signed today will allow for our mutual and collaborative understanding in terms of sharing common knowledge and continuous capacity building between our two agencies in the fight against corruption.

Our MOU expresses the understanding and common interests of our two agencies to advance the anti-corruption vision of the Pacific, in line with international and regional commitments, including the Teieniwa Pacific Unity Against Corruption Vision. As such, the sharing of our experiences and challenges will be opportunities for our improvement and strengthening our united fight against corruption.

Apart from the MOU signing, we have just completed our two-day study tour, whereby the representatives from the Anti-Corruption Commission of Tonga; the Papua New Guinea Independent Commission Against Corruption; the Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption; and the Public Service Commission of Samoa have benefitted from knowledge sharing on prevention, investigation and prosecution. I must thank the respective agencies, in the expression of interest to participate in the study tour. Yet again, I must thank the UNDP Pacific Office under the UK Government funded Pacific Anti-Corruption Project for organising such important peer-to-peer study tour for our knowledge and information sharing.

Last but not the least, I also thank the Anti-Corruption Commissioner of the Kingdom of Tonga for taking strong proactive steps in showing great interests to enter into an MOU with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption. This strongly demonstrates your vision in the advancement and strengthening of anti-corruption not only at a national level, but regionally as well.

Thank you.