Who We Are

1950

The Public Administration Unit was established under the Technical Assistance Administration (TAA) to implement the UN Programme in Public Administration.

1951

The Unit was transformed into Public Administration Division and was transferred to the Bureau of Technical Assistance Operation (BTAO) under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

1959

In early 1959, The Public Administration Division became the Office of Public Administration headed by an Under-Secretary who reports directly to the Secretary-General. Later in 1959, the Public Administration Division reverted to its former status of a “Division” and became a substantive unit of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs headed by a Director.

1960

The Public Administration Division combined functional and geographic principles. Until 1960, the work of the Public Administration Division was divided generally on a geographical basis, and each officer was assigned to handle work related to a principal region of the world in which technical assistance operations were being carried out.

1962

The Division established three functional sections – Personnel Administration and Training Section, Organization and Methods Section and Local Government Section as well as a unit for Office of Project Execution (OPEX).

1965

The Division was reorganized as a Public Administration Branch, and placed under the Bureau of Technical Assistance Operations.

1966

The Section for Development Administration was established under the Public Administration Branch.

1967

The Public Administration Branch was designated as the Public Administration Division reporting to the Commissioner for Technical Cooperation.

1974

The Public Administration Division was renamed the Division of Public Administration and Finance and placed under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

1978

The Division of Public Administration and Finance was transferred with effect from 1 July 1978, from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs to the newly-established Department of Technical Cooperation for Development (DTCD) and was renamed Development Administration Division. The Division comprises: (1) Public Administration Systems and Training Branch; (2) Public Financial and Enterprise Management Branch, and (3) Population Branch.

1992

The Development Administration Division and the Centre on Transnational Corporations were merged into the Transnational Corporations and Management Division (TCMD) within the newly created Department of Economic and Social Development (DESD).

1993

The General Assembly established the Department for Development Support and Management Services (DDSMS) with the mandate to provide technical advice and support in the field of public management and governance. DDSMS comprised two substantive divisions, one of which was the Division of Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM).

1996

The Division of Public Administration and Development Management was renamed “Division for Governance, Public Administration and Finance” (DGPAF).

1997

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs was established consolidating the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis and the Department for Development Support and Management Services in which the Division for Governance, Public Administration and Finance (DGPAF) belonged.

1998

The Division for Governance and Public Administration and Finance (DGPAF) was renamed Division of Public Economics and Public Administration (DPEPA). As a result of the reorganization in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Public Policy Analysis and Development Branch, formerly Microeconomic Analysis Branch of the Microeconomic and Social Analysis Division joined DPEPA. The new branch will focus on socio-economic Governance as well as on specific analysis and formulation of public policies.

2002

The Division of Public Economics and Public Administration (DPEPA) was renamed Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM). The Division comprises three Branches, namely: Public Administration Capacity Branch (PACB), e-Government Branch (eGB), and Development Management Branch (DMB).

2018

The Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) was renamed Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG). The Division comprises three Branches and two Units, namely: Public Service Innovation Branch (PSIB), Digital Government Branch (DGB), Institutions for Sustainable Development Goals Branch (ISDGB ), Programme Management and Capacity Development Unit (PMCDU) and Committee of Experts on Public Administration Secretariat (CEPAS).

Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government

Our Mission

Our Mandates

History of DPIDG