We’re two webinars into our Pacific Anti-Corruption Series—and the talanoa have been inspiring and full of ideas for creating a more transparent and accountable future. They are very popular with 80-90 attendees at each.
- In our first session, Anti-Corruption and Financial Integrity in the Pacific (Watch it here), we explored the importance of financial integrity and regional collaboration in fighting corruption across the Pacific. Avaneesh Ramaan (International Consultant specialising in AML, Anti-Corruption & Governance) facilitated this webinar, and the speakers were an Frost, Head, Financial Intelligence Unit, New Zealand, Kalisi Tohifolau, Director of Investigation, Anti-Corruption Commission of Tonga, and Adair Fincher, Director, Financial Intelligence Unit, Republic of Palau.
- Our second session, Civil Society Action and Accountability (Watch it here), highlighted the powerful role of civil society in holding systems to account and driving positive change in the Pacific.The facilitator for this session was Jose Sousa-Santos, Associate Professor of Practice & Head of Pacific Regional Security Hub, University of Canterbury. Speakers were Tevita Tupou, Trade and Customs Advisor, UN Trade & Development (UNCAD), Aubrey Belford, Editor, Australia & Pacific Region, Organised Crime & Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Virginia Comolli, Head of Pacific Programme, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
The session was a great success, with active participation in the Q&A session, and challenges from Tevita and Aubrey about how to counter organised crime in the Pacific context..
Beneficial Ownership 101 - 11 June
The third session in our Pacific Anti-Corruption webinar series is coming up on 11 June. In this session we will focus on Beneficial Ownership 101 – Strengthening Transparency & Accountability in the Pacific.
The facilitator is Emily Manuel, Regional Manager Asia Pacific Open Ownership. The speakers are Florica Dragomir, AML& Anti-Corruption Specialist, UNDP Pacific Office, and Deffnie Thompson, Journalist & Youth Advocate, Vanuatu.
This session will attempt to break down a complex issue into plain bits. What is beneficial ownership and why does it matter for the Pacific? Learn how secretive company ownership structures fuel corruption—and what tools exist to make ownership more transparent and accountable.
Free to attend – all welcome across the Pacific and beyond.
Let’s come together to build stronger systems, amplify Pacific solutions, and ensure our future is rooted in transparency, justice, and community.
Pacific Voices
We will be continuing to bring Pacific voice to the forefront with additional webinar series, highlighting community-led action, lived experience, and local leadership in the fight for integrity across our region.
Corruption thrives where transparency is lacking, but across the Pacific, changemakers are standing up to ensure our systems reflect fairness, accountability, and the values of our communities.
These webinars provide space for open conversation, learning, and collective action. Whether you're working in government, civil society, finance, journalism, or youth advocacy, we will offer practical tools, shared knowledge, and cross-island connection. The sessions are rooted in Pacific ways of engaging—with time for talanoa, real-world examples, and a focus on collaboration and community.
This free, online series and two more series to follow (on environmental governance, and on women in leadership across the Pacific) are designed to bring Pacific voices to the forefront—highlighting community-led action, lived experience, and local leadership in the fight for integrity across our region.
Pacific Environmental Governance Series
The Pacific Environmental Governance Series kicks off on 25 June. This series of four talanoa (discussions) will amplify Pacific voices on the environmental challenges we all face, and the solutions we can create together.
Women in leadership across the Pacific
We will be presenting a series on Women in leadership across the Pacific later on this year. Stay tuned!
Let’s keep the momentum going and work together for greater transparency and sustainability in the Pacific.
