1 Aug 2011

Vanuatu joins international anti-corruption treaty

1:45 pm on 1 August 2011

Vanuatu has become the fourth Pacific Island country to become a party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Vanuatu has joined Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Palau in acceding to the convention which provides a framework for countries to fight corruption.

A spokesman for the the United Nations Development Programme in the Pacific, Knut Ostby, says accession is only a first step and the most important step is implementing the convention.

He says in Vanuatu this means progressing key reforms to ensure accountable, responsive and transparent leadership.

155 parties have now ratified the convention which came into force five and a half years ago.