On 1 May, a long-awaited and significant milestone took place in Suva: the launch of Transparency International Fiji’s logo, website, and strategic plan. The event featured guest speakers including Dr Salome Taufa, Director of Governance & Engagement at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (her speech is well worth a read), along with Alejandro Salas, a global Transparency International leader, and Setaita Takiveikata, Chair of the TI Fiji Board.
TI Fiji is now firmly on the path to full chapter status within the global TI movement. The recent appointment of Ms Paulina Rauca as Executive Director marks a major step forward. Since coming on board, Ms Rauca, together with her Board, staff, and volunteers, has moved quickly to deliver the organisation’s strategic plan and new branding. They’ve hit the ground running.
The Suva launch followed a gathering of Pacific chapter Executive Directors. We were also joined by representatives from the TI Secretariat in Berlin and from one of the programme’s key funders, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT). MFAT has supported TI’s civil society anti-corruption work in Fiji since 2020, and the progress across the six Pacific chapters—including New Zealand and Australia—has been impressive.
Across the region, chapters are delivering civic education and integrity programmes in schools, monitoring elections, analysing government systems, and running legal advice centres. TI New Zealand and TI Australia contribute through research and the development of tools to support Pacific colleagues, while regional staff help coordinate efforts and strengthen advocacy. It’s a diverse and energetic programme, engaging youth, businesses, and civil society. Collaboration is central—no one tackles corruption alone.
At the forum, speakers pushed back on the familiar claim that corruption is somehow endemic in the Pacific, as if it’s beyond change. While corruption remains a constant risk—alongside environmental and economic challenges—Pacific communities also have strong traditions that support integrity and accountability. Local leadership is shaped by values such as service to the common good, talanoa (open dialogue), oral history, reciprocity, and shared responsibility for resources and labour.
The 2021 Pacific Corruption Barometer reinforces this. It shows that most Pacific people believe ordinary citizens can make a difference in tackling corruption, and that they want their governments to listen.
The Corruption Barometer, a global Transparency International research tool, surveys everyday people about their experiences and perceptions of corruption. We were pleased to hear from TI Secretariat experts that the next Pacific-wide survey is planned for the second half of 2026, with results expected in mid to late 2027. TINZ has begun fundraising to ensure New Zealand is included, and we’re hopeful that will come together.
Looking ahead, TI Fiji’s Executive Director, Ms Rauca, will visit New Zealand in mid-May. TINZ is arranging a series of introductory meetings with New Zealand agencies working in areas such as financial system integrity, public sector support, development, and media.
