專員隨筆
Commissioner Online

Young ICAC officer to take part in UN Junior Professional Officer Programme

Five young public officers to take up various positions at UN agencies.

The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) and the Hong Kong SAR Government earlier announced at a launch ceremony that the Central Government of PRC had recommended the first batch of young public officers to the United Nations (UN) Junior Professional Programme (JPO).

According to information from the UN, there are currently about 280 young people from around the world taking part in the programme. The programme is not open for application and only limited vacancies are available for nomination from 27 donor countries. The fact that an ICAC officer is among the five young people recommended reflects the ICAC's anti-graft work and effort in fostering an integrity culture is recognised by both our country and the international community. For this, I feel honoured and pleased. I am also thankful for the opportunity which the Central Government has given us.

When I was a child, Hong Kong was described in my textbook as a small city in the southern part of China. It was in the 60s and 70s when Hong Kong's economy was still lagged behind and information technology was yet to flourish. At that time most people could only read about the world beyond Hong Kong. Nowadays many Hong Kong people can afford to travel frequently. But when it comes to working at world-class organisations, chances are still very limited. Hence being able to work in the UN against a backdrop of the ever changing international and political environment is certainly beneficial to both our colleague and the ICAC.

Public officers in Hong Kong can only participate in the UN programme upon recommendation by the Central Government. As they are representing our country, they are required to undergo a very stringent assessment process. ICAC officer Wilson Lai Wai-nam was nominated for the UN programme and recruited by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC, which is also the secretariat which promotes the United Nations Convention against Corruption) after going through a multi-tier selection process. Any officer being considered for nomination must meet certain basic requirements. For example, he/she must be aged below 32 and at a rank not lower than Commission Against Corruption Officer (Middle). Directorate officers of the relevant department will then assess the candidate based on his/her capability, conduct and potentials. With my endorsement, the nominated candidate will attend an assessment interview by the OCMFA. Finally, the candidate is required to attend a video interview with the related UN agency in order to become a member of the JPO Programme.

The ICAC has been combatting corruption and promoting integrity in Hong Kong for more than 45 years. Staunch public support aside, we also enjoy a fine reputation in the international community. Over the years, senior ICAC officials and I had been invited to many places for official visits and to attend international conferences, where we always took the opportunity to share Hong Kong's time-tested holistic anti-corruption strategy and experience. In addition, many overseas anti-graft agencies also came to us for first-hand knowledge about our work and requested our assistance in conducting capacity training programmes. Being able to participate in the UN programme is going to take our international liaison in anti-graft work to a new level.

In the coming two years, we hope Wilson will serve as an ICAC ambassador by bringing Hong Kong's anti-corruption experience a step further to the international community. We also look forward to his sharing of any insights he gained from his posting at the UN, so that other colleagues will learn more about the latest development of international anti-corruption work and keep abreast of the times in formulating work strategies.

Upon recommendation by the Central Government, young public officers joining the UN programme will be able to demonstrate their expertise in the international arena. I believe other young ICAC officers will also feel encouraged. Moreover, it is a major breakthrough for both the HKSAR and the ICAC. I hope in future there will be more similar opportunities for other colleagues of different age groups and ranks. I am sure all ICAC officers will earnestly equip themselves and continue to contribute to the anti-corruption cause in their own capacity, whether locally or overseas.