August 2015
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative supported the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Pathfinder Dialogue II, co-hosted by the governments of the United States and the Philippines on August 26. The dialogue, which took place during the APEC Third Senior Officials Meeting in Cebu City, the Philippines, strengthens the fight against corruption and illicit trade by promoting partnerships in sustainable security.
The dialogue brought together more than 100 practitioners and experts from APEC economies, as well as other countries in Asia and the Pacific, to identify challenges and determine next steps for combating corruption related to human and wildlife trafficking and illegal fishing and logging. David M. Luna, senior director for national security and diplomacy from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), gave opening remarks at the event. ABA ROLI Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor Peter Ritchie chaired plenary sessions on Threat Convergence and Regional Cooperation and Practical Applications for Dismantling Transnational Criminal Networks. Participants discussed corruption vulnerabilities and risks, effective countermeasures and priorities for future collaboration. You can read INL’s media note about the event here and view keynote remarks here.
You can also learn more about the Pathfinder Dialogue II, or about the first Pathfinder Dialogue—which was held in Bangkok in September 2013.
To learn more about our Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor program, contact the ABA Rule of Law Initiative at rol@americanbar.org.