Participants from 12 member countries of USP engaged in discussions with a focus on the importance of integrity and stronger youth action on anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability in governance in public and private sectors.
According to a statement from UNDP, around 5000 youths, professionals and anti-corruption practitioners converged to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day (9 December) with the 2021 theme, “Your right, your role: Say no to Corruption”, and renew their commitment to advancing anti-corruption, transparency and accountability to achieve progress on the sustainable development agenda in the Pacific.
The Pacific Youth Summit was organised on December 7 connecting USP campuses across the region.
The Summit was hosted by the USP Students’ Association (USPSA) in partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) under the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project funded by the New Zealand government.
Vice-Chancellor and USP president Prof Pal Ahluwalia opened the Pacific Youth Summit online from Brisbane, Australia.
“The university welcomes the timeliness of this event, a reflection of the strong commitment by resilient youth leaders to fulfil the 2030 Agenda, specifically Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 in support of building a peaceful, just, and inclusive societies through the promotion of good governance,” Prof Ahluwalia said.
“It is pleasing to note that our youths have seized the opportunity to also commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day, which falls on December 9, through means of such an educational platform to strengthen intergenerational and regional conversations around integrity amongst youths.
“As you have rightly themed for today, youths play a significant role in driving sustainable development here in the Pacific. You are the hope of our future generation and what you do today will act as a catalyst for our future generations.”
UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Resident Representative Levan Bouadze said: “I am pleased that our youth integrity movement has now spread across the entire Pacific. By opting for integrity, around 5000 young leaders in the Pacific have sent a clear message that they are committed to investing in a sustainable future for themselves. A future with flourishing businesses, and job opportunities for young people. A future that they should be able to create and decide on as resilient, strong, corruption-free young leaders.”
The USP member States include Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
