High-level regional judicial and prosecutorial integrity workshop takes place in the FSM

President Mori welcoming participants to the workshop, Kolonia, Pohnpei

FSMIS (May 26, 2014): A two-day meeting of high-level judicial and prosecutorial officials from around the Pacific is convening in the FSM starting today with facilitation from the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and support from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Government and contribution of the United Nation Development Program (UNDP).

FSM President Manny Mori opened the meeting this morning with a word of welcome to the participants and expression of appreciation for the opportunity provided to his country to host a crucial regional gathering. He thanked the UNODC for staging the critical training and allowing the FSM to play a role in its facilitation.

FSM Chief Justice Martin Yinug joined the President in welcoming the participants and shared his view in support of the training to further enhance judicial integrity in the  region.

Chief Justice Yinug

The workshop -type meeting is meant to enable exchange of views and generate inputs towards an "implementation guide" tool for State parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to be able to "take measures to strengthen integrity and to prevent opportunities for corruption among members of the judiciary".

Attending the workshop are FSM Chief Justice Martin Yinug; Chief Justice of the High Court of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Carl B. Ingram; Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau, Mary Lourdes Materne; Deputy Chief Justice, Papua New Guinea, Gibbs Salika; Crown Prosecutor of the Solomon Islands, Natalie T. Kesaka; Chief Magistrate, Solomon Islands, Rex Faukona; Senior Magistrate, Republic of Kiribati, Abuera Levi Uruaaba; Prosecutor, Republic of Kiribati, Pauline Beaiatu; FSM Secretary of Justice, April Dawn M. Skilling; and a number of assistant attorney generals from FSM, Palau and the Marshall Islands.



UNODC Staff

The UNODC personnel includes Jonathan Agar, Associate Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, Vienna, Austria; Jason Reichelt, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer from Vienna, Austrai; and Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, Pacific, UNODC, Fiji.

The meeting is being held at the Tuna Commission Anex Building in Kolonia, Pohnpei.