UNODC cartoon campaign / Rule of Law / Facebook democracy threat

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UNODC pilot tests values education cartoon among primary schoolers in Mexico.  Following the recent unveiling of UNODC's cartoon campaign, The Zorbs, the first Latin America pilot testing was held at the Colegio Romera primary school in Mexico City to bring in the perspective and experiences of young students, as well as primary level teachers, from this part of the world.
UNODC & The Doha Declaration: https://www.unodc.org/dohadeclaration/en/news/2018/01/e4j-advances-value-based-and-skills-education-for-primary-students-in-mexico.html
See also: UNODC develops new animated series to help promote primary-level ethics education. http://www.unodc.org/dohadeclaration/en/news/2017/11/unodc-develops-new-animated-series-to-help-promote-primary-level-ethics-education.html

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Rule of Law Index 2017–2018.  Featuring primary data, the WJP Rule of Law Index measures countries’ rule of law performance across eight factors: Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice, and Criminal Justice.
World Justice Project: https://worldjusticeproject.org/our-work/wjp-rule-law-index/wjp-rule-law-index-2017%E2%80%932018

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Facebook admits social media threat to democracy.  "We're as determined as ever to fight the negative influences and ensure that our platform is unquestionably a source for democratic good," said Katie Harbath, Facebook's head of global politics and government outreach, in an accompanying statement.
Channel News Asia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/technology/facebook-admits-social-media-threat-to-democracy-9886118

Sri Lanka corruption court / Philippines anti-graft chief / Promise and peril

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Sri Lanka Government takes steps to set up a special high court for bribery and corruption cases.  The cabinet has already given its approval to amend the Judicature Act No 2 of 1978 in order to establish a three-member high court dedicated to hear bribery, corruption, and highly complex financial crimes speedily.

Colombo Page: http://www.colombopage.com/archive_18A/Jan31_1517382823CH.php

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Anti-graft chief defies Philippine President Duterte's suspension order.  The Philippines' top anti-corruption prosecutor defied an order by President Rodrigo Duterte to suspend her deputy on suspicion of leaking his bank records, accusing the Filipino leader of breaching the Constitution with the demand.

The Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/01/31/asia-pacific/anti-graft-chief-defies-philippine-president-dutertes-suspension-order/

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Promise and Peril: Blockchain, Bitcoin and the Fight Against Corruption (commentary).  "The risks of cryptocurrencies enabling illicit financial flows cannot be overlooked."

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/blockchain_bitcoin_and_the_fight_against_corruption

Extractives online course / Myanmar digital forum / Philippines education transparency

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NRGI/WB/UN/Columbia online course on extractives launches.  The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) relaunches its online course on Natural Resources for Sustainable Development: The Fundamentals of Oil, Gas, and Mining Governance with new and revised content on 5 February 2018, including video transcripts in Spanish, French and Russian, and a fully Arabic version at http://bit.ly/resource-course-arabic.

To know more or apply, please visit https://resourcegovernance.org/natural-resources-sustainable-development-fundamentals-oil-gas-and-mining-governance

Thank you to Katarina L. Kuai, Senior Program Officer, Natural Resource Governance Institute, for sharing this information.

AP-INTACT shares this information strictly as a service to members. To apply or know more, visit the relevant link in the message. Please do not send your query or application to AP-INTACT. AP-INTACT is not responsible for the accuracy of the posted information, including links to web pages, and is not involved in any way in the selection practices and decisions of the sponsoring organisation.

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Second Myanmar Digital Rights Forum Widens the Digital Rights Community.  On 18 January, over 130 participants attended the second digital rights forum in Yangon hosted and co-organised by Phandeeyar Myanmar Innovation Lab together with Myanmar ICT for Development Organization, Engage-Media, Free Expression Myanmar, and Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB), with support from the Government of Sweden.

MCRB: http://www.myanmar-responsiblebusiness.org/news/digital-rights-forum-2018.html

Thank you to MCRB for sharing this information.

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Philippine education agency reiterates use of open school data to combat corruption.  The Department of Education said that among its strategies to show better transparency were the publication of a school report card (which discloses school funding, student enrollment, and pupil-teacher ratios) and the creation of a transparency board in schools in strategic areas.

Ma. Cristina Arayata, Philippine News Agency/Philippine Canadian Inquirer: http://www.canadianinquirer.net/2018/01/31/deped-reiterates-use-of-open-school-data-to-combat-corruption/

UNODC eNews / UNDP news centre / OGP news

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eNews UNODC.  The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) publishes this update of the latest UNODC and international drugs and crime news.

Click here to read Issue No. 104, 1 February 2018: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/enewsunodc/2018/February/unodc-enews---1-february-2018.html

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UNDP Asia-Pacific news centre.  The latest news on the work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.

Visit UNDP's online News Centre here: http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/presscenter.html

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Open Government Partnership in the news.  A weekly round-up of Open Government Partnership (OGP) media coverage around the world.

Read the Week of 22 January 2018 edition: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/about/news-and-events/ogp-news-week-of-january-22-2018

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (3 Feb 2018): Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga

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These updates are provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Anti-Corruption Project for Southeast Asia, and the joint UNODC - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, with support of the Australian Government.

If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser's address bar instead.

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FIJI:

Customs recognition.  "Customs can contribute to the increased security of the business environment by focusing on activities that promote an enabling, safe, and fair and sustainable environment including by streamlining procedures, tackling corruption, enhancing integrity, and facilitating the movement of people, goods and craft."

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=432771

High Court Grants FICAC Time.  The Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) was given until 29 January 2018 to respond to a strike out application filed by counsel for former Fiji National University Vice-Chancellor Ganesh Chand, who is charged with one count of abuse of office.

http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/01/23/high-court-grants-ficac-time/

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

Transparency International PNG Celebrates 21 Years.  The Papua New Guinea Chapter of Transparency International began its operations on 29 January 1997.

http://www.emtv.com.pg/transparency-international-png-celebrates-21-years/

World Report 2018 - Papua New Guinea: Events of 2017.  "Individuals in positions of power and government agencies lack accountability and transparency."

https://reliefweb.int/report/papua-new-guinea/world-report-2018-papua-new-guinea-events-2017

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SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Secret Funds Exposed.  An investigation by Island Sun alleges that Taiwan has been providing up to $17 million a year since 2015 to keep the government intact.

http://theislandsun.com.sb/secret-funds-exposed/

Taiwan accused of bankrolling Solomons slush fund.  Taiwan has been named in a local media report about a multi-million dollar slush fund for Solomon Islands' prime ministers.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/349312/taiwan-accused-of-bankrolling-solomons-slush-fund

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SAMOA:

Government moves to stop election corruption.  In tabling the Constitutional amendment, Prime Minister Tuilaepa called on the House Members to weigh reforms because it reflects the government's genuine drive to weed out corruption from electoral processes.

http://sobserver.ws/en/31_01_2018/local/29417/Govt-moves-to-stop-election-corruption.htm

Constitution Amendment Bill 2018 tabled. According to a statement issued by the Government's Press Secretary, the reforms are part of the wholesale approach by Government to completely overhaul the local electoral processes to eliminate corruption and illegal practices.

http://sobserver.ws/en/01_02_2018/local/29465/Constitution-Amendment-Bill-2018-tabled.htm

Passport accused pleads not guilty.  Former Immigration Officer, David Nomereta Uaine, pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court to 32 charges including forgery, corruption, bribery, improper issue of Samoan travel documents, unlawful recording of information from passport database, as well as  false representation. 

http://sobserver.ws/en/30_01_2018/local/29386/Passport-accused-pleads-not-guilty.htm

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TONGA:

People ready to build nation, but corruption has made government dysfunctional, says PM.  Some senior government officials have abused foreign-funded projects, Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva told Kaniva News.

http://kanivatonga.nz/2018/01/people-ready-build-nation-corruption-made-government-dysfunctional-says-pm/

Hotel pay supervisor stole "ghost employees" payroll.  A former administration officer for the Tanoa Hotel, Selemana Fonua was found guilty of false accounting and theft of $21,299 pa'anga by the Tonga Supreme Court.

http://matangitonga.to/2018/01/29/hotel-pay-supervisor-stole-ghost-employees-payroll

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To know more about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project please contact the team members:

Maria Adomeit, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, maria.adomeit@unodc.org

Mihaela Stojkoska, Anti-Corruption Specialist - Pacific, UNDP, mihaela.stojkoska@undp.org

Maria Lee, Peace & Development Administrative Assistant, UNDP/UNODC, maria.lee@undp.org

Secure messaging apps / Corruption link / Cryptocurrency crackdown

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Secure MessagingApps Are Growing Faster in Corrupt Countries (commentary).  "Secure messaging apps [such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal] are growing overall, and growing most in corrupt countries."

Brandon Labelle/Apptopia: https://blog.apptopia.com/secure-msging-growth-corrupt

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Signal and Telegram are growing rapidly in countries with corruption problems.  "There's a distinct link between perceptions of corruption, and the use of privacy-protecting messaging apps."

Matthew Hughes/The Next Web: https://thenextweb.com/apps/2018/01/23/signal-and-telegram-are-growing-rapidly-in-countries-with-corruption-problems/

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How to Crack Down on Cryptocurrencies (commentary).  "By targeting the ability to transfer bitcoins to other currencies – even just to USD and Euros – governments can begin to clamp down on this unregulated currency and undercut efforts to use it for nefarious purposes."

Jetson Leder-Luis/Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2018/01/12/cryptocurrency-and-corruption/

South Korea chaebols / Philippines corruption prober / Vietnam anti-corruption mechanisms

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Why Samsung's Recent Conviction Will Not Rid South Korea of Chaebols (commentary).  "Why is it that South Korea seems to lack the political will not only to dismantle the chaebols, but even to hold Samsung (and other large chaebols) accountable for corrupt activities?"

Janie Ponder/Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2018/01/29/why-samsungs-recent-conviction-will-not-rid-south-korea-of-chaebols/

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Philippines' Duterte sanctions corruption prober after bank records 'leak'.  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte punished an anti-graft prosecutor suspected of leaking his bank records on Monday (Jan 29) after an opposition politician had accused Duterte of corruption.

Channel News Asia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/philippines--duterte-sanctions-corruption-prober-after-bank-records--leak--9906584

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Vietnamese deputy PM says mechanisms needed to prevent corruption.  He underlined the need to improve the efficiency of the fight against organised, economic and high-tech crimes, dangerous gangs, terrorism, human trafficking, money laundering, smuggling, counterfeit products, child abuse and corruption, asking ministries and agencies to deploy measures to deal with criminals who flee abroad. 

 

Vietnam Plus: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/mechanisms-needed-to-prevent-corruption-deputy-pm/125775.vnp