Welcome to the United Nations
In April 1996, the United Nations General Assembly, at its resumed 50th session, adopted resolution 50/225 on Public Administration and Development. The resolution confirmed the importance of reinforcing public administration for development and emphasized the need for cooperation among United Nations departments and agencies in supporting capacity-building in the broad areas of governance, public administration and finance. In paragraph 9, the resolution encouraged, where appropriate, decentralization of public institutions and services. In 1997 and 1998, the subsequent Meetings of Experts on the United Nations Programme in Public Administration and Finance accorded great importance to decentralization which, in the experts view, must go in tandem with new approaches exemplifying adaptability, participation, flexibility and responsiveness.