Financial Crime World

Asset Recovery Strategies Take Center Stage in Guinea as Papua New Guinea Updates United Nations on Progress

Papua New Guinea has made significant contributions to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Implementation Review Group (IRG) Working Group on Asset Recovery in Vienna, Austria. The country’s delegation, led by Dr. Eric Kwa, Secretary of the Department for Justice and Attorney General, emphasized its commitment to combating corruption and strengthening asset recovery strategies.

Prioritizing Strategic Interventions

The Papua New Guinea delegation highlighted its efforts to:

  • Prioritize strategic interventions to address gaps in preventative measures
  • Mobilize resources to strengthen legislative frameworks
  • Enhance international cooperation and partnerships with key institutions and development partners

Notable Progress Made

Papua New Guinea has made significant progress in establishing a fully functioning Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) with:

  • Preventative powers
  • Investigative powers
  • Prosecution powers

Ratification of the United Nations Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)

Dr. Kwa informed delegates that Papua New Guinea has recently endorsed the ratification of UNTOC.

Strengthening Integrity Mechanisms

The delegation received briefings on:

  • The Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative
  • The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities
  • A civil society representative, Mr. Peter Aitsi, Chairman, Transparency International Papua New Guinea, presented on a panel on Technical Assistance on International Cooperation and Asset Recovery.

Technical Assistance and Support

The delegation was supported by the PNG Anti-Corruption Project, funded by the European Union. The project identified a clear pathway forward to apply significant learnings from the conference and study visits to strengthen integrity mechanisms in Papua New Guinea.

Key Takeaways

  • Papua New Guinea has made notable progress in combating corruption
  • Strengthening asset recovery strategies is a key priority for the country
  • International cooperation and partnerships are crucial for addressing corruption and building an integrity system.