Report and Summary | Public Institutions

The Committee of Experts on Public Administration held its eighth session at the United Nations in New York from 30 March to 3 April 2009. Its theme was “The human factor in capacity-building and development”.

Subtopics

Major recommendations/conclusions

Human resources management regime

Member States need to strengthen the institutional and human capacities of public services to enable them to provide more and better services to meet the national development objectives and the internationally agreed development agenda, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Secretariat needs to put more emphasis on capacity-building for effective human resources management and development.

Accountability, transparency and citizen trust in government

Member States need to review governance and public administration institutional arrangements, structures, systems, and practices to make them more conducive to civic engagement, transparency and accountability as key components of trust, which is critical for achieving the MDGs.

Because accountability is crucial for government performance, Member States need to strengthen the cognitive and participatory capacities of their citizens; the professional and advisory capacities of intermediary organizations; and the learning and analytical capacities of governments and public managers.

The Secretariat should support the deepening of understanding and the transfer of knowledge to enhance the importance of institutions and human resources capacity-building, while working to underline the importance of civil society and citizen participation.

Serving the information age

Given the potential power of information and communications technology in improving the delivery of public services and the creation of knowledge, Member States need to anchor capacity-building in the public service via, inter alia, the application of appropriate information and communications technology (ICT).

Both donors and multinational information technology companies should increase their financial support to developing countries in order to build their ICT capacities.

The Secretariat should increase the provision of online training using UNPAN as an efficient and cost-effective tool of human resources capacity-building.

Leadership and learning

Member States need to:

strengthen the capacities of management development institutes and universities so as to empower them to sustain capacity-building in public service for current and future generations;
pay particular attention to the development of the capacities of human resources managers in public service to ensure that competent public administration professionals are available to provide the needed advice to governments in matters related to public service and administration;
pay special attention to the importance of innovative approaches to learning practices, including executive coaching and mentoring.

The UN should recognize and promote the regional centres of excellence that can offer medium to long-term training and promote cooperation among governments of given regions. Such activities can help in building hard technical skills and human capacities while promoting partnerships among public administration bodies.

Annual Ministerial Review Theme

Major recommendations/Conclusions

Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to global public health

Member states should:

raise awareness in all sectors and at all levels of government about their respective responsibilities and opportunities to promote, restore and maintain public health and to provide health delivery services;
develop an integrated health policy, which is coordinated with all other policies that have direct or indirect impact on public health and health services;
adopt participatory and citizen-centered approaches to developing national health policies, including via the adequate use of information and communications technology tools;
promote reforms of health institutions; establish a strategy based on primary care, universal access and equity in health care;
cooperate with each other and with global institutions on a regular basis in order to avoid possible risks posed by a global threat as a result of new global pandemic and illnesses, the control of which is beyond the national borders of countries;
promote long-term funding, including public-private partnerships where appropriate, for research and development, and ensure that the health sector does not suffer from budgetary retrenchments during economic crisis;
involve civil society organizations to enhance awareness on health issues among different stakeholders, including public service providers.

8th Session Report and Summary

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