UNDP

Corruption costs the global economy approximately US$2.6 trillion, or 5 percent of global GDP, each year. Corruption, together with tax evasion and illicit financial flows, costs developing countries approximately US$1.26 trillion each year.[*]

The outreach enabled citizens to raise their concerns and express their opinions on governance issues including public finance, laws and parliamentary procedures.

The restoration project has been made possible through a Vt2million fund from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supporting climate change and environment.

SHEFA Provincial Government Planner, Jim Tabi, said Eton was one of the communities identified with affected water system that required improvement to ensure health of the people.

During a virtual press conference, Wignaraja said the country has been making bold decisions lately.

“The fact that Vanuatu was one of the smallest LDC states. And yet it had the boldest and courage to say we are graduating and it did,” she said.

“And much larger LDCs are looking at that Vanuatu’s demonstration.”

Vanuatu graduated from LDC (least developed countries) status on 4 December, 2020.

This is part of ongoing efforts to accelerate towards malaria elimination in Vanuatu and enhance coverage of life-saving health services across the country.

 The UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji met virtually with representatives of the Vanuatu Government Wednesday to pursue “a new normal” partnership.

 The inaugural meeting focused on the reviewing progress of UNDP’s development agenda in Vanuatu. This was acknowledged by both teams as vital for maintaining the excellent partnership and ensuring business as usual in a changing world.

The discussions were around collaborating on the Vanuatu Electoral Environment Project (VEEP).

MSG Secretariat Programme Manager for Political & Security Affairs, Ilan Kiloe, welcomed Anne-Sofie Gerhard, Chief Technical Adviser & Project Manager of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s VEEP, on behalf of the Acting Director General, George Hoa’au.

Mr Kiloe said the MSG Secretariat would be happy to support the work of UNDP in Vanuatu and provide assistance towards enhancing electoral systems in Vanuatu.

The funding assistance of NZD$5 million(US$3.4 million) will boost the current electoral project implemented by UNDP into phase two of the Vanuatu Electoral Environment Project (VEEP-II) which will begin in January 2021.

This has been confirmed by a report put together by the United Nations Development Programme, titled as the ‘Economic Impacts of Natural Hazards on Vulnerable Populations in Vanuatu’.

The report also stated that tropical cyclones with associated storm surges and flooding are the principal hazard affecting Vanuatu, but the country is also exposed to earthquakes and tsunamis, volcanoes and droughts.

The report was launched Wednesday under the new ‘Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era- Pacific Insurance and Climate Adaptation’ Programme.

The initiative is jointly developed and will be implemented by the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the United Nations University Institute for Environment Society and the United Nations Development Programme.

“New Zealand, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is pleased to support this initiative as it fully aligns with New Zealand’s “climate action” agenda as well as its focus on disaster risk reduction in the Pacific to address vulnerabilities of low-income populations,” Curr said.