Fourth Regional Seminar on Good Governance for Southeast Asian Countries
UNAFEI's annual Regional Seminar on "Good Governance" for Southeast Asian Countries, known as the GG Seminar, aims to promote the rule of law and good governance in the region, assist the participating countries with human resource development, and enhance mutual understanding and co-operation.
The Fourth GG Seminar was co-hosted by UNAFEI and the Department of Justice of the Republic of the Philippines in Manila, the Philippines, from 7 to 9 December 2010. Participants included 22 criminal justice practitioners from eight countries: the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. In addition to these representatives, three experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Federal Ministry of Justice of Germany and the US Department of Justice were also invited. The Honourable Mr. Francisco F. Baraan III, Undersecretary, DOJ of the Philippines, and His Excellency Makoto Katsura, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines, also attended the opening ceremony.
The main theme of this Seminar was "Securing Protection and Co-operation of Witnesses and Whistle-blowers". Mr. Haruhiko Ukawa, Deputy Director, UNAFEI, delivered the introductory remarks, which were followed by presentations and discussions. The experts from the UNODC, Germany and the US delivered detailed presentations on advanced approaches in their respective legal frameworks and the accumulated experiences and achievements in each country or region. Based on the knowledge the experts provided through their presentations, the participants held substantial discussions under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Claro A. Arellano, Prosecutor General, DOJ of the Philippines, and Mr. Ukawa. On the last day of the Seminar, recommendations resulting from the discussions were unanimously adopted.
Many participants gave very positive feedback on the contents of the Seminar, remarking for instance, that "We shared new knowledge and international experiences, and the information acquired through the Seminar can be effectively utilized for the development of the criminal justice system in our respective countries."
The report of the Fourth Regional Seminar on Good Governance for Southeast Asian Countries
- Click here
to read the introductory remarks made by Mr. Ukawa, Deputy Director, UNAFEI. - Click here to read the recommendations adopted at the Seminar.
