The Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE) successfully concluded its Third Annual Fraud Awareness Week in November 2025. The initiative reaffirmed RSCE’s commitment to integrity, transparency, and accountability across United Nations operations.

Held under the theme “Responding to the Global Fraud Landscape and Strengthening Accountability,” the campaign built on the achievements of the past two years. It also expanded beyond RSCE to include other entities within the UN Entebbe Campus, reflecting the collective responsibility required to fight fraud.

The week began on Monday, 17 November with a virtual kickoff led by external speaker Ms. Lloydette Bai Marrow, a Solicitor Advocate from the United Kingdom with over 15 years of experience in economic crime, investigations, and compliance. She explored why employees often remain silent when faced with misconduct and shared strategies to encourage ethical reporting, through a substantive session that incorporated staff dialogue and was designed to empower them to raise concerns without fear of retaliation.

On Monday, 24 November, a keynote address on the global fraud landscape and accountability set the tone for a high-level panel discussion. The panel was conducted by staff members from different entities on the UN Entebbe Campus. The staff-to-staff engagement created space for an open and relatable discussion. Panelists shared personal experiences and scenarios that demonstrated how fraud can quietly emerge in overlooked anomalies and grey areas, reminding participants that fraud is not an abstract concept but a real risk in everyday operations.

The panel further highlighted the double-edged sword effect of technology and data analytics: while these tools expand fraud detection capabilities, they simultaneously create new vulnerabilities.

The insightful session also featured an interactive role play simulating fraud scenarios relevant to RSCE operations, such as health insurance claims. Staff practiced identifying red flags and applied lessons learned in a safe environment, followed by an open forum of questions and answers.

Reflecting on the campaign, Mr. Paulin Djomo, Director RSCE, said: “Fraud Awareness Week has become more than an annual event. It is a movement that reminds us that accountability is everyone’s responsibility. By standing together, we strengthen the trust and efficiency of our operations.”

For Ms. Elise Metougue, Chief, Legal Audit Response and Risk Management Unit, who spearheaded the initiative, the week was a milestone: “When we started this journey three years ago, our goal was to build a culture where integrity is second nature. Seeing staff engage, colleagues openly discuss difficult scenarios, ask bold questions, and relate fraud risks to their day-to-day work is deeply encouraging.” she noted.

The campaign achieved its objectives of enhancing awareness of emerging fraud trends, promoting ethical reporting, and empowering staff to act with integrity. By the end of the week, participants expressed greater confidence in existing reporting mechanisms and reaffirmed their commitment to transparency.

Fraud Awareness Week 2025 not only strengthened RSCE’s culture of accountability but also inspired collective action across Entebbe-based entities. With lessons learned and recommendations captured, the initiative left behind a renewed determination to stop fraud before it starts.

The event closed with a call-to-action encouraging staff to remain alert, speak up early, and continue learning. The energy from the session demonstrated a powerful truth: when staff engage honestly, share experiences, and embrace evolving tools responsibly, the entire organization becomes stronger.