News & Media

Strengthening Capacities, Mindsets, and Competencies of Public Institutions to Build the Next Generation of Public Servants in the Asia-Pacific Region

UN DESA, through its Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG) with support from its Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), and in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), are organizing a capacity development webinar to launch the Curriculum on Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Asia-Pacific region. The Curriculum, developed by UN DESA, will be launched through regional events in cooperation with the regional commissions, the UN Resident Coordinator system, and relevant partners. The Webinar will be held on 24 January 2022 at 10:00 PM EST. More information is available here.

Policy Coherence in Africa in Response to COVID-19

A Regional Webinar for Africa, organized by UN DESA/DPIDG, Resident Coordinators Offices and the African Peer Review Mechanism, will be held on the theme of Resilience and Recovery from COVID-19 through sound policymaking, with a particular focus on policy coherence. The webinar aims to share knowledge on the strategies and guidance notes on the 11 Principles on Effective Governance for the Implementation of the SDGs. The Webinar is also aimed at increasing understanding on how to utilize the strategies for COVID-19 response measures, link participants through peer-to-peer learning and assist African countries in identifying concrete activities and capacity building initiatives that can be undertaken by the UN. The webinar will be held on 17 January 2022 8AM EST. More information and registration is available here.

United Nations Public Service Awards Ceremony 2021

The United Nations Public Service Awards Ceremony 2021 is being organized by UN DESA/DPIDG and hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates. The winning initiatives from the 2020 and 20201 editions of the UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) programme, which highlights excellence in public service delivery to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will be recognized. The Awards Ceremony is held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates on 13 December 2021 from 9-11 AM (GMT+4), 12:00 (mid night) – 2 AM EST. You can follow it live at UN WebTV. More information is available here.

Strategic Planning and Foresight in Africa in Response to COVID-19

A Regional Webinar for Africa, organized by UN DESA/DPIDG, Resident Coordinators Offices and the African Peer Review Mechanism, will be held on the theme of Resilience and Recovery from COVID-19 through sound policymaking, more in specific on strategic foresight and planning. The webinar aims to share knowledge on the strategies and guidance notes on the 11 Principles on Effective Governance for the Implementation of the SDGs. The Webinar is also aimed at increasing understanding on how to utilize the strategies for COVID-19 response measures, link participants through peer-to-peer learning and assist African countries in identifying concrete activities and capacity building initiatives that can be undertaken by the UN. The webinar will be held on 8 December 8AM EST. More information and registration is available here.

Strengthening Capacities, Mindsets, and Competencies of Public Institutions to build the next generation of public servants in the Arab Region

UN DESA, through its Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG), and in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Western Asia (UN ESCWA) and the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO), are organizing a capacity development webinar to launch the Curriculum on Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (the “Curriculum”) in the Arab region. The Curriculum, developed by UN DESA, will be launched through regional events in cooperation with the regional commissions and relevant partners. ARADO will complement the adaptation of the training material in its 22 member states. UN ESCWA will present its Common Arab Regional Job Competencies Framework for Senior Public Servants within the Context of Agenda 2030 developed by UN ESCWA. More information is here.

Inter-Ministerial Policy Workshop on One-Door-Service Centers in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

UN DESA/DPIDG and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, in collaboration with the Resident Coordinator Office in Lao PDR and UNDP, is organizing on 22 November 2021 a virtual Inter-Ministerial Policy Workshop on One-Door-Service Centers (ODCSs) as a follow-up to the Inter-Ministerial Technical Workshop, which was attended by senior officials from 18 ministries, including the Prime Minister’s Office, and  was held on 28 October 2021. The objective of this Policy Workshop is to provide a platform for deputy ministers to discuss and review the recommendations that emanated from the Inter-Ministerial Technical Workshop. The technical workshop was a follow-up to the peer-to-peer learning international workshop on One-Door-Service Centers (ODCSs), which was held back-to-back with a national workshop on lessons learned and next steps in implementing the One-Door-Service Centers in Lao PDR organized on 4 August 2021 by UN DESA, in cooperation with the RCO and UNDP in Lao. The workshop was attended by officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and by the representatives of MOHA and all 44 One Door Service Centers (ODSCs). The objective was to promote a learning journey of peers that would help improve ODSCs reforms in Lao PDR as well as to understand next steps required. More information is available here.

Regional Symposium on Effective Governance and Digital Transformation for Building Back Better and Accelerating the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The Regional Symposium on Effective Governance and Digital Transformation for Building Back Better and Accelerating the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will be held on 15 - 17 November 2001 (09:00 PM – 00:00 AM, New York GMT-5). The annual Regional Symposium aims to raise awareness of critical public governance issues, examine current and future trends, and provide new approaches and methodologies to support the United Nations Member States in developing their capacities toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Symposium is organised by the UN DESA/DPIDG through its Project Office on Governance (UNPOG) and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of the Government of the Republic of Korea. More information is available here and registration is available here.

Curriculum on Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals 

The Curriculum on Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals launched by UN DESA/DPIDG aims to promote critical understanding of sustainable development issues, enhance governance capacity, and strengthen public servants' awareness of their active role in contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. The Curriculum is a comprehensive set of Training of Trainers Capacity Development Toolkits, which contain ready-to-use and customizable training material on key governance dimensions needed to advance the implementation of the SDGs. The Curriculum provides methodologies and approaches to advance knowledge and assist governments in developing capacities at the individual, organizational, and institutional/societal level, to drive the transformational change needed to implement the 2030 Agenda.  The Curriculum consists of the following Toolkits: Changing Mindsets in Public Institutions to Implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development​;Transparency, Accountability and Ethics in Public Institutions; Institutional Arrangements and Governance Capacities for Policy Coherence; Effective National to Local Public Governance for SDG Implementation; Government Innovation for Social Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups; Risk-informed Governance and Innovative Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience; Innovation and Digital Government for Public Service Delivery; DiGIT4SD: Digital Government Implementation; E-Government for Women’s Empowerment and Integrated Policies and Policy Coherence for the SDGs. The Curriculum can be accessed here

Regional Webinars in Africa - Resilience And Recovery From Covid-19 Through Sound Policymaking

UN DESA/DPIDG, the Resident Coordinators Offices and the African Peer Review Mechanism will hold a series of webinars on how to promote resilience and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa through sound policymaking. The first webinar (16 November 2021) will be on risk management in Africa in response to COVID-19, the second (8 December 2021) on strategic planning and foresight in Africa in response to COVID-19, and the third one (17 January 2022) on policy coherence in Africa in response to COVID-19. The webinars aim at developing the capacities of national governments to promote sound policymaking, with a particular focus on policy coherence, strategic planning and foresight and risk management. More information and registration link for the first webinar is available here, for the second webinar here and for the third webinar here. 

Implementing One-Door-Service Centers in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

UN DESA/DPIDG and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), Lao People’s Democratic Republic ,in collaboration with the Resident Coordinator Office in Lao PDR and UNDP, is organizing a virtual inter-ministerial technical workshop on One-Door-Service Centers (ODCSs). The Workshop aims to promote an action-oriented learning journey for critical stakeholders on how to achieve an effective, inclusive and accountable ODSC system in Lao PDR and strengthen collaboration among the participating ministries, leading to the development of an inter-ministerial policy, planning and coordination mechanism for ODSCs in the country. The workshop will provide a platform for decision-makers and officials of Lao PDR to learn lessons on promoting effective, inclusive, and accountable ODSCs to mitigate current and future challenges in public service delivery. Panelists will share knowledge about various mechanisms to modernize ODSCs  to achieve higher citizen satisfaction while focusing on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. More information is available here.

The World Public Sector Report 2021, entitled “National institutional arrangements for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: A five-year stocktaking”, is now available here

Five years after the start of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, governance issues remain at the forefront. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted even more the importance of national institutions for the achievement of the SDGs. The World Public Sector Report 2021 focuses on three dimensions of institutional change at the national level. First, it documents changes in institutional arrangements for SDG implementation since 2015. Second, it assesses the development, performance, strengths and weaknesses of follow-up and review systems for the SDGs. Third, it examines efforts made by governments and other stakeholders to enhance the capacity of public servants to implement the SDGs. Based on in-depth examination of institutional arrangements for SDG implementation in a sample of 24 countries in all regions, the report aims to draw attention to the institutional dimension of SDG implementation and provide lessons for national policymakers in this regard. The report also takes stock of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on national institutions and their implications for delivering on the 2030 Agenda.

UN ECOSOC approves new members of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration

On 22 July 2021, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) approved  24 experts nominated by the UN Secretary-General to serve on the Committee of Experts on Public Administration for a four-year term, beginning on 1 August 2021. The United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration, established by ECOSOC in 2001, supports the work of the Council on promoting and developing public administration and governance among Member States, especially as it relates to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.

Nominated by the Secretary-General and approved by ECOSOC, Committee members serve in their personal capacity. The members of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration for 2021-2025 are:

• • Marta Eugenia Acosta Zúñiga (Costa Rica)
• • Yamini Aiyar (India)
• • Rolf Alter (Germany)
• • Linda Bilmes (United States of America)
• • Augustin K. Fosu (Ghana)
• • Geraldine Joslyn Fraser-Moleketi (South Africa)
• • Paul Jackson (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
• • Aigul Kosherbayeva (Kazakhstan)
• • Ronald U. Mendoza (Philippines)
• • Louis Meuleman (Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• • Lamia Moubayed Bissat (Lebanon)
• • Juraj Nemec (Slovakia)
• • Katarina Ott (Croatia)
• • Soonae Park (Republic of Korea)
• • Alketa Peci (Brazil)
• • Mauricio Rodas (Ecuador)
• • Devon Rowe (Jamaica)
• • Carlos Santiso (France)
• • Henry Sardaryan (Russian Federation)
• • David Moinina Sengeh (Sierra Leone)
• • Sherifa Fouad Sherif (Egypt)
• • Aminata Touré (Senegal)
• • Lan Xue (People’s Republic of China)
• • Najat Zarrouk (Kingdom of Morocco)

The Committee also reports to ECOSOC on the governance and public administration dimensions of sustainable socioeconomic development, focusing particularly on human capital development, participatory governance, capacity development in crisis and post-conflict countries, and innovations in public administration and governance.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held at United Nations Headquarters from 4 to 8 April 2022.

For more information, please contact Patrick Spearing, Secretary of the Committee, at tel.:  +1 212 963 3352, or email:  spearing@un.org.

Further information on the work of the Committee can be found at https://publicadministration.un.org/en/CEPA

Advancing SMART Cities and Urban Digital Transformation to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

The future of sustainable development will be determined in part in urban areas. Despite various challenges, urbanization can be a driving force for sustainability when anchored on the principles of sustainable development. Rapid advancement of digital technologies and applications has created also enormous opportunities and expectations for cities to harness digital tools to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Increasingly, digital technologies are integrated into the lives and livelihoods of people, often considered an essential part of the SMART city toolbox. Deploying digital technologies in urban areas has proven useful in addressing a myriad of issues. SMART cities promise to transform sustainable urban development. To strengthen capacities of national policymakers and local authorities responsible for digital transformation and building SMART cities, a capacity building webinar will be held on 9 September 2021 from 8 to 10:30 am EDT via Zoom. More information is available here and registration is available here.

Peer-to-Peer Learning International Workshop on One-Door-Service Centers back-to-back with the National Workshop on Implementing the One-Door-Service Centers in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR)

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), through its Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG) and with the support of its project office on governance (UNPOG), and in collaboration with the Resident Coordinators Office in Lao PDR and UNDP, is organizing a peer-to-peer learning international workshop on One-Door-Service Centers (ODCSs) back-to-back with a national workshop on lessons learned and next steps in implementing the ODCSs in Lao PDR. The overarching objective of the workshops is to strengthen government capacity for the design and implementation of sustainable ODSCs for public services in Lao PDR. The international and national workshops on ODCSs are supported by UN DESA’s Development Account Project 1819G on “Institutional arrangements for policy integration, coordination and stakeholder engagement in SDG implementation and reviews in Asia & the Pacific”. Both events will be conducted virtually and are by invitation only. More information is available here

UN ECOSOC approves new members of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration

On 22 July 2021, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) approved  24 experts nominated by the UN Secretary-General to serve on the Committee of Experts on Public Administration for a four-year term, beginning on 1 August 2021. Click here for more information.

VNR Lab - Governance and Policy Integration in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Success in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and building back better depends on mobilizing and effectively coordinating efforts of multiple policy sectors and all levels of government.  A VNR Lab on Governance and Policy Integration in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic, organized by UN DESA/DPIDG, will provide a platform for governments to share experiences in tackling COVID-19. Countries will be invited in particular to consider the challenges and opportunities that the pandemic has presented in terms of multi-level governance and integrated policymaking. It will also consider policy actions that can strengthen effective governance for sustainable development. The virtual VNR Lab will be held on 14 July 2021 from 8 to 9 am EDT via Zoom. More information is available here and registration is available here.

CEPA 20th session findings and recommendations move forward

The report of the 20th session of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA), held in April 2021, is now available in the six official UN languages. A key message of the session was that recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals should not be seen as sequential or separate. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a roadmap to recover from the pandemic and build resilience to future shocks. Achieving sustainable development and strengthening resilience required a long-term perspective in policymaking together with institution-building at all levels, based on effective governance for sustainable development, and a steadfast commitment to promoting peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Azerbaijan, Colombia and Indonesia made presentations on various institutional issues as part of an interactive dialogue with the experts. These and other matters are reflected in a resolution adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its management segment meeting on 8 June 2021, as well as in the Committee’s input to the 2021 High-Level Political Forum. More information is available here.

The 25th UN/INTOSAI Symposium on Working During and After the Pandemic: Building on the Experience of Supreme Audit Institutions for Strengthening Effective Institutions and Achieving Sustainable Societies 

UN DESA/DPIDG and the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) are organizing the 25th UN/INTOSAI Symposium on the theme of Working During and After the Pandemic: Building on the Experience of Supreme Audit Institutions for Strengthening Effective Institutions and Achieving Sustainable Societies. The symposium brings together over 400 participants, including representatives from Supreme Audit Institutions, the United Nations and other international organizations, resource experts, and relevant stakeholders to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the working methods, processes and audit work of Supreme Audit Institutions. The discussions will consider how this experience may contribute to building more resilient accountability systems and institutions and sustainable societies in the aftermath of the pandemic. The Symposium will be held virtually from 28 to 30 June 2021 (8.00 AM-12.00 PM EDT). More information is available here. 

Report of the SDG 16 Conference now available

The report of the Conference on Transforming Governance for a more Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Future: SDG 16 as the Roadmap to Respond to COVID-19 and Build Back Better is now available on the event website. The Conference, co-organized by DESA through DPIDG and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), with the Government of Italy, took place in a virtual format from 20 to 30 April 2021. More information on the conference is available at https://www.idlo.int/SDG16Conference2021

Virtual Celebration of United Nations Public Service Day: Innovating the Future Public Service: New Government Models for a New Era to Reach the SDGs 

United Nations Public Service Day, celebrated on 23 June each year, highlights the work of public servants and recognizes the value and virtue of public service to the community and development processes. To celebrate the 2021 United Nations Public Service Day, DESA/DPIDG in collaboration with the government of the United Arab Emirates will organize a virtual event under the theme of Innovating the Future Public Service: New Government Models for a New Era to Reach the SDGs. The event will highlight the centric role that innovation and technology play in the delivery of public services and examines how to better prepare the future public service for a new era, so as to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. It will examine the approaches countries are taking to equip public servants with the skills necessary to be effective, responsive and relevant in the digital age. It will also highlight lessons learned from the past year, as many countries and public servants have been thrust into the digital era, quickly adopting, innovating and using online mechanisms to continue their work during the pandemic. The virtual event will be held on 23 June from 9 to 10.30am EDT. The event will be livestreamed on UN WebTV. More information and livestream of the event is available here.

Building Transparent, Accountable and Inclusive Institutions 

DESA/DPIDG and the Group of States against Corruption on the Council of Europe (GRECO) will organize a virtual side event on the theme of Building Transparent, Accountable and Inclusive Institutions at the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly against Corruption 2021. The side event aims to showcase the importance of building transparent, accountable and inclusive institutions to foster effective governance, prevent corruption and gain public trust. The event will feature interventions and discussion on the experience gained to date by the organizers in strengthening integrity in the public sector, including by reflecting on specific initiatives and good practices. DESA/DPIDG will present its Curriculum on Governance for the SDGs and the Toolkit on Transparency, Accountability and Ethics in Public Institutions that aim to build the capacities of governments and public servants in these areas. Participants will also hear about the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) from one of its winners. GRECO will reflect on the lessons learned from its monitoring experience and the resulting recommendations to prevent corruption and promote integrity in all three branches of government. Implementation of such measures acquires even greater importance in times of emergency. In addition, the pivotal role of oversight bodies, in particular, anticorruption agencies and supreme audit institutions in relation to the proper management of public affairs and public property will be addressed. The meeting will take place 2 June 2pm EDT. Please register at http://bit.ly/desacoe by 1 June 2021 at 12 pm (EDT). More information is available here.
 

Expert group meeting on Development of a handbook on supreme audit institutions’ contribution to strengthening budget credibility through external audits
DESA/DPIDG in collaboration with the International Budget Partnership (IBP) will organize a virtual expert group meeting on the development of a handbook on how supreme audit institutions (SAIs) can contribute to strengthening the credibility of government budgets. Representatives from SAIs and other organizations, will discuss the proposed approach, analytical framework, methodology and relevant audit issues for the handbook, and provide technical inputs on the subject matter, including the identification of relevant practices and experiences to be featured in the handbook. The meeting is part of a joint initiative by DESA/DPIDG and IBP to support SAIs in conducting analyses of budget credibility through external audits. The meeting will be held from 26 to 28 May 2021. More information is available here.
 

Consultations in preparation for the UN E-Government Survey 2022
In preparation for the UN E-government Survey 2022 and with the aim to improve the Survey and its methodology, UN DESA is organizing consultation sessions with stakeholders to gather feedback and suggestions for the UN E-Government Survey 2022.
The dates for the sessions for the different regions and time zones are:
• 5th May 2021: 12PM Standard GMT (Global during the WSIS Forum 2021) – Completed, please click here for session details.
• 14th May 2021: 2AM Standard GMT (for Asia Pacific) (13th May 2021, 10PM EST)
• 17th May 2021: 6PM Standard GMT (for the Americas) (2PM EST)
• 24th May 2021: 12PM Standard GMT (for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) (8AM EST)
 
For more information on registration and call for inputs by UN Member States please click here.