ERADICATING corruption across the region remains critical to securing a peaceful, harmonious, and prosperous Pacific, leaders say as they marked six years of the Teieniwa Vision – Pacific Unity Against Corruption.
Speaking at the 6th Anniversary Celebration Event, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa said the region’s aspirations cannot be realised.
He described the Teieniwa Vision as a milestone in the Pacific’s ongoing journey towards good governance, transparency, and accountability.
Waqa noted that integrity systems across member countries have been strengthened. These improvements have occurred despite geopolitical shifts, climate change, and the impacts of COVID-19.
“This important work reinforces public trust and the credibility of our regional institutions,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to supporting member states through stronger coordination, sustained capacity building, and robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
“As the vision itself affirms, we commit to Pacific unity against corruption, recognising that all our progress and aspirations for a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous Pacific cannot be realised unless we address corruption,” he said.
A statement from Kiribati President Taneti Maamau was read on his behalf by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Pacific Head of Office Marie Pegie Cauchois.
It said the vision — signed on the shores of Kiribati in 2020 — was born out of a shared understanding that corruption threatens the very foundations of Pacific nations and the prosperity of their people.
“Corruption is a rising tide that threatens to erode the formation of our sovereign nations,” the statement read.
Maamau said the Teieniwa Vision has evolved from a high-level aspiration into a living framework of integrity guiding the region’s shared future.
He highlighted strengthened regional cooperation and the development of more robust anti-corruption frameworks.
Maamau also noted the establishment of independent integrity institutions and the strengthening of ombudsman offices across Pacific Island countries.
However, he stressed that the anniversary was not a finish line but an opportunity to renew commitments.
Pacific leaders were urged to ensure that integrity agencies are empowered, independent, and adequately resourced.
They were also encouraged to create safe environments for whistleblowers and to leverage technology to improve transparency in public procurement and financial management.
Maamau said embedding integrity in leadership is a moral imperative to ensure resources intended for schools, health systems, and climate resilience reach Pacific families.
Both leaders emphasised that the Teieniwa Vision stands as an enduring covenant — anchoring the region’s resolve to uphold transparency, accountability, and unity in the Pacific Way.