UNDP and Australia team up to boost corruption fight in Asia-Pacific

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Government are launching "Anti-Corruption for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies" or ACPIS, a new 4-year partnership to strengthen national anti-corruption efforts in the Asia-Pacific region.

An Inception Meeting on 24-25 November 2016 in Bangkok will bring together different stakeholders from Asia-Pacific and present to them the ACPIS project and its priorities. The meeting will be a venue to understand the priorities of stakeholders, and reach consensus on the roadmap for collaboration, partnerships, and implementation plans for the next four years.

Funding support and technical assistance for ACPIS comes from Australia, through its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is providing a total budget of A$6.55 million from 2016 to 2020.

ACPIS is a partnership with UNDP, with close collaboration by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and UNDP Pacific Center, which is based in Fiji.

The project directly supports Goal 16 of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 16 seeks to "promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels."

ACPIS focuses on three objectives:

(1) Putting in place anti-corruption solutions in the health, education, water, infrastructure, and other relevant service delivery sectors by minimizing corruption risks through corruption risk assessments and strengthening social accountability;

(2) Strengthening country capacities to implement the United Nation’s Convention Against Corruption, particularly focusing on mainstreaming anti-corruption measures in national development processes and strengthening the capacity of anti-corruption agencies in preventing corruption; and,

(3) Promoting advocacy and knowledge to support national anti-corruption efforts, including providing knowledge on topical issues, such as a better understanding of the link between violent extremism and corruption.

For more information about ACPIS, please contact:

Elodie Beth (Ms). Regional Advisor, Governance and Peacebuilding, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub. elodie.beth@undp.org

Anga R. Timilsina (Mr). Programme Manager, UNDP’s Global Anti-corruption Initiative,
Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. anga.timilsina@undp.org