| United Nations | A/50/847 - E/1996/7 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL
8 March 1996
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Fiftieth session Substantive session of 1996
Agenda item 12 Agenda item 6 (j)
REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC AND ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
COUNCIL QUESTIONS: PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION AND
DEVELOPMENT
Public administration and development
Report of the Secretary-General
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. INTRODUCTION ......................................... 1 - 17 3
A. Background ....................................... 2 - 7 3
B. Preparations and process ......................... 8 - 14 4
C. Twelfth meeting of the Group of Experts on Public
Administration and Finance ....................... 15 5
D. Objectives of the resumed session of the General
Assembly ......................................... 16 - 17 6
II. UNITED NATIONS ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND
DEVELOPMENT ..........................................18 - 100 7
A. Review of United Nations mandates in public
administration ................................... 19 - 23 7
B. United Nations programme in public administration
and finance ...................................... 24 - 50 9
C. Other public administration and development
activities within the United Nations system ...... 51 - 100 14
III. CONTEXT AND DYNAMICS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND
DEVELOPMENT .........................................101 - 130 23
A. Enabling conditions for development ............. 102 - 112 24
B. World conferences of the 1990s ...................113 - 123 26
C. The role of public administration in development .124 - 129 29
D. Capacity-building in public administration ....... 130 30
IV. STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT ......................131 - 182 31
A. Challenges facing the United Nations and
recommendations for action .......................131 - 156 31
B. Recommendations for national Governments and
United Nations responses .........................157 - 182 38
I. INTRODUCTION
1. In its resolution 49/136 of 19 December 1994, the General Assembly
requested the Secretary-General to submit to it at its resumed fiftieth
session, through the Economic and Social Council, a consolidated report on
public administration and development. The present report is submitted
pursuant to that request.
A. Background
2. For public administration and finance systems of Governments world wide,
the decade of the 1990s has presented new and perplexing challenges.
Mercurial domestic influences and unpredictable external factors have combined
to create, for a significant number of Governments, a difficult environment
that constrains decision-making and compromises performance improvement.
Diverse national circumstances have, for many Governments, generated a
condition of permanent crisis management in the public sector and a need to
establish a framework for stable and sustainable human development. These
challenges require a targeted, pragmatic and well-defined framework for
institutional strengthening and capacity-building in support of governance and
effective administrative and financial management systems.
3. Throughout the world, many countries face the complex task of trying to
redefine the role of government in the pursuit of sustained economic growth
and sustainable development. Among the challenges arising from that pursuit
is how to introduce efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness into the way
government does business.
4. It was within this context that the Pan-African Conference of Ministers
of the Civil Service held at Tangier, Morocco, in June 1994 adopted the
Tangier Declaration (see A/49/495, annex), which stressed, among other things,
the necessity of competent public administration for successful sustainable
development. The Declaration called for the convening of a global conference
on that theme.
5. Acting on the recommendation of the Tangier Declaration, the General
Assembly adopted resolution 49/136 on public administration and development,
in which it recognized the important role that Governments and public
administrations can play in addressing new responsibilities arising from the
pursuit of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in all
countries, and also recognized the need for strengthened public administrative
and financial management capacities in order to ensure a civil service that is
responsive to the needs of the people.
6. The General Assembly also acknowledged the importance of exchanging
views and experiences in order to promote a better understanding of the role
of public administration in development and enhance international cooperation
in this field.
7. Accordingly, the General Assembly decided to resume in March-April 1996
its fiftieth session in order to examine the question of public administration
and development. The session will promote an exchange of experiences, review
the activities of the United Nations system in this field and make
recommendations as appropriate. It will be designed to analyse the role of
public administration in today's changing environment, based on an analysis of
the role of the public sector, as well as to review the activities of the
United Nations programme in this field.
B. Preparations and process
8. Preparations for the resumed session began almost immediately following
the adjournment of the forty-ninth session of the General Assembly, with the
following principal objectives in mind: (a) to heighten international
awareness of the key role of public administration in development; (b) to
provide a candid forum for the exchange of experiences; and (c) to strengthen
the United Nations system for capacity-building in public administration and
finance, and to tailor its approach to country-specific conditions.
9. The preparatory strategy involved a series of reports and meetings,
culminating in the twelfth biennial meeting of the Group of Experts on Public
Administration and Finance, as requested in resolution 49/136. First, in
March 1995, under the auspices of the Department for Development Support and
Management Services of the Secretariat, a technical committee consisting of
representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the
World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Economic
Commission for Africa (ECA), the International Institute of Administrative
Sciences (IIAS) and Harvard University met to analyse the resolution, to
develop the main issues to be considered at the resumed session and to
establish an overall thematic framework for the preparatory reports and
meetings.
10. On the basis of the analysis of the resolution, the technical committee
developed four main themes to be considered at the resumed session:
(a) strengthening capacity in public administration; (b) the role of public
administration in promoting social development; (c) the role of public
administration in the development of infrastructure facilities and protecting
the environment; and (d) the role of public administration in the management
of development programmes.
11. Following a series of consultative meetings in April, which included
Member States, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations, research institutions and the private sector, the technical
committee met again in May further to develop and refine the themes into two
distinct categories: the role of public administration in development, and
capacity-building for effective administration. Within those classifications,
11 specific topics were identified to serve as pegs for discussion at the
twelfth meeting of the Group of Experts.
12. Under the main theme "The role of public administration" the topics
were: sustained economic growth, the promotion of social development, the
facilitation
of infrastructure development and the protection of the environment, the
promotion of public-private partnerships, the management of development
programmes, and the maintenance of a legal framework for development. The
specific topics under the theme "Capacity-building in public administration"
were the enhancement of policy development capacity, organizational
strengthening, improved civil service systems, the strengthening of financial
management for development, human resource development for the public sector,
and the development of administrative capacities for post-conflict and crisis
conditions.
13. Prior to the commencement of the twelfth meeting of the Group of
Experts, the Department for Development Support and Management Services
convened an informal inter-agency working group on 28 July 1995. Attended by
representatives of the Department for Development Support and Management
Services, the Department for Economic and Social Information and Policy
Analysis, the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development,
the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), ILO, UNDP
and the World Bank, the inter-agency working group's main objectives were to
review the activities of the agencies under their respective public
administration and finance programmes and to recommend common issues to the
Group of Experts for priority consideration.
14. The inter-agency working group noted the importance of public
administration to development and recommended that closer collaboration on
specific programmes and projects be developed, especially at the early stages
of their formulation, among the agencies to achieve the maximum benefit for
developing countries. The group also recommended that all inter-agency
programmes in public administration and finance be coordinated, that the
United Nations specifically serve as a clearing-house for experiences in
public administration reform and innovation and that it facilitate sharing
experiences among Governments, as well as among agencies. Additionally, it
placed emphasis on "management of change" programmes and the establishment and
strengthening of appropriate national institutions to lead those change
processes in public administration and finance.
C. Twelfth meeting of the Group of Experts on Public
Administration and Finance
15. The twelfth meeting of the Group of Experts on Public Administration and
Finance was convened in New York from 31 July to 11 August 1995, to analyse
and report the major trends and challenges for public administration in
developing countries and to recommend actions for strengthening the role of
the United Nations programme in public administration and finance. The
twelfth meeting also had an additional significant role, that of being
requested by the Assembly to contribute to the preparation of the
Secretary-General's consolidated report on public administration and
development to be submitted to the Assembly at its resumed fiftieth session.
Thirty-seven experts were invited from different regions of the world to
attend the meeting, together with representatives from throughout the United
Nations system, the specialized agencies, interregional and regional
institutions, non-governmental
organizations, the regional commissions and other specialized bodies. A
complete analysis of the meeting is contained in the report of the Group of
Experts (A/50/525-E/1995/122, annex). Also contained in the report were a
total of 103 recommendations for national Governments and 96 recommendations
for the United Nations.
D. Objectives of the resumed session of the General Assembly
16. This is the first time that the General Assembly of the United Nations
will meet to discuss specifically the question of public administration in
development. In the interest of current government efforts to meet the
complex development challenges of dealing with the impact of increasing
globalization and the expanding role of the market and private sector and of
eliminating poverty and promoting social justice, protecting the environment
and supporting participatory democracy, the need for a fundamental review of
the role of public administration in development is urgent and apparent now
more than ever. For nearly 50 years, the United Nations programme in public
administration and finance has actively supported technical cooperation areas
of administrative restructuring and reform, human resource development,
institutional building in training areas, resource mobilization, financial
management and the improved performance of public enterprises. The programme
has dealt with structure and systems of governance and has sought to
strengthen programming and national execution capabilities for
resource-efficient development management. By responding to the changing
needs of developing countries in strengthening their administrative, financial
and information systems for better development management, it is anticipated
that better working relationships can be created at the country level between
the public and private sector.
17. The primary purpose and underlying objective of the resumed session,
therefore, is to heighten international awareness of the vital role of
public administration in development, particularly its role in the
effectiveness and sustainability of development, and to highlight and gain
consensus on the necessity of making public administration reform a high
priority on the development agenda. In addition, the resumed session will
seek to strengthen the United Nations system and to enable it to implement
effectively concepts of public administration and finance that serve the
urgent needs of Member States in the most effective manner, in particular
developing countries and countries with economies in transition. It is
expected, further, that the Assembly at its resumed session will consider the
issues and recommendations set out in the present report and will provide
direction on improving the role of the United Nations system in the area of
public administration and development.
II. UNITED NATIONS ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT
18. Three key aspects of the United Nations activities in public
administration for development are highlighted in this section. The first is
a review of mandates reflected in General Assembly and Economic and Social
Council resolutions and decisions, indicating the evolving agenda for
technical assistance and supportive research work in public administration and
development. This analysis includes a thematic review of those mandates,
indicating the key areas of United Nations programmes in public
administration. The second is an elaboration of selected exemplary programmes
of assistance, illustrating the activities of the United Nations programme for
public administration and finance. The third is a review of the contributions
of other organizations in the United Nations system concerned with public
administration.
A. Review of United Nations mandates in public administration
19. The first call for direct United Nations involvement in improving public
administration was made by the General Assembly in its resolution 246 (III) of
4 December 1948, by which it established the International Centre for Training
in Public Administration. Over the years that major initiative, which was an
experimental one, has evolved into a major, comprehensive and complex set of
United Nations system activities. Substantive areas include administrative
and civil service reform, human resource development, the role of government
in economic development, financial management and resource mobilization, and
management of public enterprises. The United Nations system supports these
activities through a variety of discrete projects and programmes.
20. The overall trend of the various General Assembly and Economic and
Social Council resolutions and decisions indicates an emphasis on
capacity-building through, inter alia, human resource development strategy and
an increasing focus on policy and planning for development. The public
administration programme was established as technical assistance in public
administration. By 1960 it became known as the United Nations assistance in
public administration: provision of operational, executive and administrative
personnel, and by 1969 as public administration and development, thereby
acknowledging the enlargement of the basic concept to capacity-building for
identified essential tasks. Activities specified for attention, from time to
time, included the role of the public sector in promoting the economic
development of developing countries in 1974, public administration and finance
in 1975, and budgeting and planning for development in 1976. From 1980
emphasis has been placed on the role of the public sector in promoting the
economic development of developing countries, with auxiliary activities
concentrating on the role of qualified national personnel in the social and
economic development of developing countries, and specialized topics such as
the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations
Development Decade, the development of human resources, or United Nations
programmes of action for African economic recovery and development.
Throughout the five decades, the United Nations programme in public
administration and finance has focused on building national capacity for
formulating and sustaining development activities.
21. A chronology of the most significant components of United Nations system
mandates in public administration and development illustrates the increasing
flow of initiatives to strengthen public administration so that it could
better contribute to development. From the early concept of an international
training centre, initiatives were modified to support the establishment and
development of regional and national training institutions. Likewise, an
initial focus on central government institutions was broadened to include
sectoral and local administrations, as well as local governments. Eventually,
the emphasis extended also to non-governmental and private organizations,
especially in their contribution to the performance of the work of the
Government and to the national development objectives. Over the decades
references to specific techniques and sectors such as financial management
increased and generally replaced the vague calls for general improvement. Two
trends continued throughout the five-decade period: (a) a clear call for the
United Nations to assist in the dissemination and sharing of information; and
(b) an appreciation of the importance of public administration's contribution
to development. These two trends were linked in the mid-1960s by the
increasingly explicit emphasis on the impact and outcomes of public
administration, leading into the 1980s concern with result orientation. It
can be expected that the 1990s concern with futures research will soon be
reflected in the mandates.
22. A review of the United Nations mandates in public administration and
development illustrates that since its inception the core themes of the United
Nations effort in public administration have been and should continue to be
assisting Member States in two broad areas: (a) generating and disseminating
information and experience; and (b) customizing on request the best and most
appropriate systems and practices in individual countries. Specific core
themes include:
(a) Generating, disseminating and exchanging information on the public
sector of different countries, especially innovations and best practices;
(b) Carrying out analytical research on various aspects of the role of
the public sector in developing countries and providing guidelines and
suggestions;
(c) Strengthening administrative, financial and management institutions
and mechanisms that promote both social and economic development in developing
countries;
(d) Developing and managing national human resources appropriately in
order to undertake the activities of the public sector in the most effective
and efficient way;
(e) Supporting the development of vigorous public institutions and a
dynamic public service for sustainable development;
(f) Focusing, coordinating and sustaining effort within and among United
Nations agencies in the above-mentioned areas.
23. The United Nations system's multi-agency, multifaceted approach,
illustrated below, supports national-level activities for building public
management capacity, defining programme priorities and promoting enabling
conditions for development.
B. United Nations programme in public administration
and finance
24. Currently, the activities of the United Nations programme in public
administration and finance are carried out within the framework of the
medium-term plan for the period 1992-1997 and the fifth programming cycle for
UNDP funds. Also, the programme is called upon to respond to unforeseen needs
in countries experiencing severe conflicts and crises.
25. The principal objective of the United Nations programme in public
administration and finance is to provide assistance to Governments of
developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This is
achieved by improving and strengthening their public administration and
finance capabilities so as to manage efficiently and effectively their
national development plans, policies and programmes.
26. The activities of the programme are complementary to related activities
of other organizations in the United Nations system and are carried out in
close cooperation and coordination with the relevant regional commissions,
specialized agencies and interregional and regional institutes.
27. The programme in public administration and finance includes four types
of activities: (a) reports to the United Nations legislative bodies;
(b) operationally oriented research and analysis in public administration and
finance; (c) training programmes and advisory services; and (d) technical
cooperation activities.
28. The first three types of activity are financed from the regular budget
of the United Nations, while the technical cooperation activities are financed
from extrabudgetary resources provided by UNDP, bilateral and multilateral
donor agencies, trust funds and recipient Governments.
29. The programme reflects recommendations made at the biennial meetings of
experts, ad hoc expert group meetings and interregional seminars of workshops
convened by the United Nations in accordance with the mandates given by the
legislative bodies. The biennial programme is reviewed by the Committee for
Programme and Coordination and is approved by the General Assembly.
30. In the area of public administration, programme activities focus on
strengthening administrative and organizational systems at both the central
and local levels, improving management methods and practices through modern
management techniques and information technology, and legal frameworks and
programmes that are sensitive to the global economy. The programme activities
also focus on participation and a committed, qualified, loyal, professional
and well-trained civil service. In the area of public finance, programme
activities focus on the mobilization of domestic and external financial
resources, national and international taxation, financial management and
accounting, audit and aid accountability. In the area of the private sector,
development programme activities focus on the legal and regulatory framework
for business, small and medium-size enterprise development, enterprise
management, public enterprise reform and privatization, public/private
interaction and conversion of military activities to civilian purposes.
Emphasis is also given to development planning issues, such as public
investment programming, foreign debt and balance-of-payment issues,
development strategy, sectoral planning and activities related to structural
adjustment and recovery programmes.
31. To encourage the activities suggested by the experts, Governments and
public administration professionals, the programme undertakes research,
publications, training programmes and technical cooperation activities. The
Development Administration Newsletter is circulated biannually in order to
facilitate information-sharing among public administration and finance
experts, practitioners and interested scholars. Also, a series of fact sheets
entitled Enterprise Development, emanating from the EMPRETEC project, are
distributed to share information on entrepreneurship. The programme is also
publishing a Directory of Agencies and Institutions in Public Administration
and Finance and, since 1974, a periodic listing of Publications on Public
Administration and Finance. The publications include titles such as: Human
Resources Development in Civil Service Systems: Report of an Interregional
Technical Meeting; Implementing Sustainable Development; Methods and Practices
of Privatization; Role of the Public Sector in Promoting the Economic
Development of Developing Countries; and Guidelines on Performance Contracting
for Public Enterprises.
32. Under the mandate to collect and disseminate information on major
developments in public administration and finance, a survey on changes and
trends in public administration and finance has been administered through the
cooperation of the African Association of Public Administration and
Management, the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for
Development, the Arab Administrative Development Organization, the Eastern
Regional Organization for Public Administration for Asia, the Latin American
Centre for Development Administration, and the European Group for Public
Administration.
33. A study focusing specifically on financial management is being launched
and will analyse case-studies that illustrate particular innovations, such as
redesign of financial regulations or upgrading of computerized accounting
systems. The study aims to identify strategies and approaches that produce
long-term financial management benefits and contribute to national capacity.
34. Similarly, at the country level, the programme has carried out a public
administration sector study in Bangladesh, the results of which have been
published in both English and Bengali. The methodology for this sector study
involved international and national consultants, led by programme staff.
35. An essential element of the service provided by the programme to Member
States is the series of seminars held during each biennium. For example, in
1994, the seminars and workshops included: (a) a donor working group meeting
on aid accountability; (b) small and medium-scale enterprises in developing
countries in transition; (c) human resource development; (d) capacity-building
for management of development programmes; (e) institution-building in South
Africa (donors' conference); (f) governance and State reform; (g) information
systems; (i) electoral issues; and (j) the Pan-African Conference of Ministers
of the Civil Service. A sample of 1995 seminars includes: (a) post-
privatization policies; (b) women, development and public policy; (c)
structural investment policies for a transition to a market economy; (d)
management of social development; (e) international cooperation on tax
matters; and (f) democratization, decentralization and local government.
36. The programme's technical cooperation involves the provision, upon
request by Governments in developing countries and countries with economies in
transition, of substantive and managerial support in the formulation and
implementation of technical cooperation projects at the national and
interregional levels. Such support involves a number of upstream activities
such as project development and design, including the identification of needs
in public administration and finance, participation in country programming
activities and technical support and preparatory assistance in project
formulation. It also includes technical assistance in project implementation,
monitoring and evaluation.
37. Short-term advisory services are provided to Governments of developing
countries on specific problems in public administration and finance.
38. For the past 45 years, pursuant to its various legislative mandates, the
United Nations programme in public administration and finance has sought to
meet the expressed needs of developing countries in improving their
administrative and financial management systems for development. Currently,
there are 61 active projects in public administration, with 63 others listed
as completed. In public finance, there are 52 active projects, with 22 others
listed as completed. Of these projects, 59 per cent are in Africa,
17 per cent in Asia, 6 per cent in Latin America, 4 per cent in the Middle
East, 2 per cent in Europe and 13 per cent are interregional (rounded
figures).
39. Of the upstream (analytical and programme formulation) activities -
commonly known as TSS-1 (technical support services, version 1) - public
administration has 20 active and 7 completed, with public finance having
2 active and 1 completed. Of the so-called "project support technical
services", better known as TSS-2, public administration has eight active and
two completed, while public finance has six active and one completed. In the
case of TSS-1 and TSS-2 facilities, the programme provides guidance and
direction through specialized substantive knowledge, while standard project
work utilizes programme expertise in executing and implementing all aspects of
project management, namely, procurement, recruitment and finance, each of
which is organized in a specialized unit. While the largest proportion of
activities fall into the traditional areas of administrative reform, training
and financial systems improvement, it is increasingly common to receive
requests from the field in emerging areas such as transparency,
accountability, judicial and legislative administration, disaster management,
electoral administration and result-oriented management based on productivity
improvement.
40. While the programme grew steadily during the 1950s, the rate of growth
greatly accelerated during the 1960s, when focus shifted away from concern
with maintenance-oriented administration towards greater emphasis on
development administration. By the 1970s, Governments were increasingly
concerned with building or strengthening national institutions devoted to the
improvement of their administrative capability for economic and social
development. Attention became focused on developing the cluster of central
guidance agencies whose activities could have a major impact on the entire
administrative machinery of government and efforts were made to adopt a more
interdisciplinary approach to handling administrative issues.
41. During the 1980s, improvement efforts of all types in developing
countries were disrupted by economic crises, most notably external debt crises
and rising debt burdens, depressed commodity prices, slow growth of output and
inadequate mobilization of domestic resources. Many of these countries were
called upon to undertake structural adjustment measures, often under the
auspices of international financial institutions. New emphasis was placed on
public sector management and human resource development to achieve dynamic and
sustainable socio-economic development and more assistance was sought to
improve management techniques, public policy management and implementation of
modern administrative processes.
42. During the 1990s, dramatic political and economic shifts had been
occurring throughout the world, marked by increasing tendencies towards
democratization, greater reliance on market forces, greater emphasis on
mobilizing domestic resources and reducing fiscal deficits, increasing
privatization, growing participation of non-governmental and community-based
organizations in development processes, and heightened recognition of the need
to assure environmentally sound and sustainable development. These newer
tendencies imply a changed, albeit no less significant, role for the public
sector.
43. The programme notes the demand for assistance to strengthen governance
and the capacity to manage reform strategies presently being adopted by a
number of countries in response to these world-wide trends. Many of these
activities involve greater emphasis on issues such as decentralization,
accountability and enhancement of the relationship between government and the
private and non-governmental sectors. In the 1990s, programme activity has
been increasing in the areas of environmental and electoral administration, as
well as in countries that are undergoing urgent crises.
44. For example, the programme currently has activities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina (public administration, municipal planning), Cambodia (public
administration reform), Haiti (public administration and legislative
administration), Palestine (community planning) and Rwanda (justice
administration, public administration and economic management). Particularly
in these cases of urgency, special task forces are operating and streamlined
procedures are being developed.
45. Human resource development, as a component of technical cooperation
projects and when organized for greatest utilization, has a potentially
significant impact on the economic and social life of developing countries.
Since the Programme's inception in 1948, it has assisted in the establishment
and strengthening of more than 30 national institutes and schools of public
administration, as well as a number of regional and interregional institutions
devoted to training, research and consultancy.
46. The training activities take many different forms. For example,
in-service training of national officials is at the core of all technical
cooperation projects. All experts sent to the developing countries are
expected to train their counterparts to take over their functions as rapidly
as possible. Additionally, in-service training programmes, courses and
seminars for government officials in specific functional areas are often
carried out during the course of project activities. Fellowships and group
training abroad are also linked to capacity-building. A recent review of the
training component of public administration and finance projects revealed
that, in the past five years, fellowships for external training in public
administration and public finance have been granted to 532 participants and
that study tour programmes have been arranged for over 700 participants. A
survey of in-country training in the area of public administration identified
289 in-service training courses in approximately 90 projects that delivered
training to a total of 7,850 participants. Projects in the area of public
finance organized over 102 in-service training courses in which more than
2,225 participants received training. In sum, during the past five years,
more than 10,000 individuals benefited from the various training programmes
organized by the programme.
47. In addition to consultation services provided under the technical
cooperation field projects, the programme offers the services of advisers, for
short-term consultancies of up to one month in specific technical fields, at
no cost to Governments. From 1982 to 1992, advisory services were offered in
the following subjects: administrative reform and development (104),
management development, training and human resource development (85),
information management and computers (36), financial management and financial
institutions (24), public enterprises and regulatory administration (41), tax
policy and administration (38), government budgeting, accounting and auditing
(75), personnel administration (26), electoral administration (12) and aid
coordination (5). Since 1994, the programme has begun to provide advisory
services in the field of organization development in legislatures and judicial
systems.
48. Taking advantage of a recent departmental reorganization, staff from the
public administration and finance branches have combined with staff from the
economic planning and management branch to formulate a proposal for public
sector strategic management reviews that will help governments of developing
countries and countries with economies in transition to map out new strategies
and develop an appropriate process of establishing national priorities for
development. These reviews are multidisciplinary and multisectoral, and also
integrate activities at both the macro- and micro-levels.
49. Developing countries are often affected by special circumstances that
result in conditions unfavourable to development. Governments often request
strong United Nations intervention to avoid humanitarian crises and to
re-establish momentum for development. While these conditions can apply to
countries undergoing gradual development and transformation, they are
especially characteristic of countries affected by natural disaster or
sociopolitical disruptions. The United Nations programme provides advisory
services and expert assistance in a wide array of diverse situations, which
can be used to fill an immediate need such as assistance in electoral
administration for countries seeking to organize or re-establish elections, or
priority-setting in emergency post-conflict rehabilitation of government
machinery in the aftermath of armed conflict or civilian upheaval. Equally
important can be advice and assistance in stabilizing civil service systems,
animating central-local relations and local government, and adjusting
appropriate legal, financial and personnel management frameworks. Also, owing
to the often overwhelming impact of crises on human life, much effort is given
to establishing programmes for human resource development.
50. The programme carries out a wide range of activities in many different
countries. Some of the programmes are long-term and some respond to immediate
and urgent needs. Several examples illustrate this point. In Burkina Faso,
the programme is assisting the Government in long-range public administrative
reform, with special linkages to improved governance mechanisms. In
Mozambique, the programme assisted the recent election through civic
education, legal matters, logistics, social communications and a broadcasting
campaign, as well as providing officers to each province to assist Mozambican
electoral authorities in organizing and administering a free and fair
election. In Viet Nam, the programme is assisting the Government to design
and implement a public administration reform programme that is supportive of
the economic reforms required in the country's move to a market economy. The
reforms involve improvements in four frameworks - legal, personnel, financial
and organizational - as well as management improvements in pilot ministries
and provinces. In Rwanda, the programme is assisting the Government with
restoration of its justice administration, public administration system and
economic management capability.
C. Other public administration and development activities
within the United Nations system
51. The programme in public administration and finance has a history of
maintaining collaboration with other offices in the Secretariat, the
specialized agencies and international non-governmental organizations on
matters affecting the technical cooperation programme. For example, the
programme cooperates with UNDP, the regional commissions, the World Bank, the
specialized agencies, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the International
Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) and the
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch.
52. A large number of United Nations bodies are involved in the area of
international cooperation and development. Many carry out technical
assistance in areas of their substantive concerns, yet, in the process of
conducting their substantive and technical assistance programmes, they are
faced with the challenging issues of capacity-building in public
administration when a lack of management capacity hinders their substantive
work. Since lack of management capacity is common, substantive agencies can
be involved heavily in capacity- building in the sectoral areas of their
intervention, for example, health and agriculture.
53. At the present time, because of the resurgence of awareness among some
government officials and donor institutions of the importance of an efficient
and lean public bureaucracy to the overall aims of development and a
heightened interest in programmes designed to enhance institutional and human
resource development, the programme is cooperating with many of the
institutions and organizations involved with public sector management.
54. In the field of public sector management reform, therefore, the programme
continues to operate in partnership with the World Bank, UNDP and its
Management Development and Governance Division and other bilateral and
multilateral technical assistance programmes. This area encompasses the
interrelated issues of administrative reform, capacity-building, central-local
relations and governance, that is, the strategic policy decisions that provide
the context for performance improvement in sectors. The revision of legal,
financial, economic and personnel management frameworks lays the basis for
improved performance in line ministries and in provinces and local
governments.
55. Rebuilding institutions requires a dual strategy: (a) system-wide
reforms, including the promulgation of laws and the implementation of
programmes to overhaul financial and personnel systems and practices as well
as interministerial coordination; and (b) specific management improvements,
including the delegation of operational decisions, materials management,
result-oriented project management, monitoring, evaluation and service
delivery assessment. Key ministries can be targets for rapid
institution-building, intensive training, information systems, computerization
and policy formulation and management capacity.
56. Generally, the key partners involved with the programme in advancing
public administration for development are UNDP, the World Bank, the regional
commissions and the specialized agencies.
57. In 1988, UNDP established its Management Development Programme, now
known as the Management Development and Governance Division, specifically to
address strategic issues of capacity-building for national development.
Likewise, the World Bank has technical units within its regional bureaux that
specialize in public sector management reform, often, along with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), insisting on making certain loans and
assistance contingent upon a Government's commitment to various public
management improvements. Although the regional commissions develop and
implement various programmes that have an impact on public administration,
only ECA has a full-fledged programme in public administration reform,
complete with research studies, seminars and technical cooperation programmes.
Likewise, the various specialized agencies have programmes of technical
cooperation that affect public administration, but they are generally limited
to sectoral policies and support to central and local units responsible for
those policies. The major exception is ILO, which has established a Joint
Committee on the Public Service concerned with labour relations, recruitment,
career and training policies, social security and the effects of structural
adjustment and technological change on the public service. Details on the
programmes of these agencies are provided below.
United Nations Development Programme
58. There has been a general shift in the orientation of UNDP activities in
the area of management development and governance from 1993 to 1995. Public
management has received approximately 20-22 per cent of the UNDP annual budget
and this proportion is expected to be maintained or even increased. In the
past most of these resources were used for public sector management activities
that were seen as more traditional, such as civil service reform, human
resource development, organizational structure, leadership and management.
These resources were focused on the executive branch of government.
59. UNDP has a new development paradigm of sustainable human development,
which focuses on poverty elimination, environmental protection and
regeneration, job creation and the advancement of women. This people-centred
approach emphasizes sustainability and gives increased prominence in UNDP to
management development and governance, which is the foundation for all of the
focus areas. The approach especially supports the UNDP effort to further the
elimination of poverty, which was an agreed principle at the World Summit for
Social Development. UNDP is currently developing internal policies and
strategies on how best to implement this approach to development.
60. The effort to improve public management and to support more effective
governance is significantly broader than traditional public administration.
It has resulted in the expansion of programmes into the legislative and
judicial branches of government and provision of electoral assistance, as well
as support for organizations in civil society. Efforts are also devoted to
strengthening the capacity of democratic institutions that are essential for
sound governance. This does not diminish the importance of the continuing
effort to build the capacity of critical public sector organizations.
61. UNDP places particular importance on participation, especially the nexus
where civil society interfaces with government. This is paramount in dealing
with issues of transparency and accountability. Support for participation is
far more than electoral assistance. It includes programmes for devolution of
authority and resources to local government and communities. It includes
building social capital and the capacity of civil society organizations to
interact effectively with the public sector. This requires increased
attention to the media, non-governmental organizations, the private sector,
professional associations and women's organizations.
62. In addition to the shift towards a broader approach to assistance in the
area of management development and governance, UNDP is increasingly using a
systemic approach to management development that fully involves nationals
through a participatory process consultation methodology, particularly in
carrying out national capacity assessments and project formulation. National
execution of projects is expanding rapidly and capacity for development and
national aid coordination and management is being stressed in many development
programmes.
63. For the past seven years the management development programme has been
the most obvious example of this direction. Established in 1988, this
programme is intended to assist Governments in the area of institutional
capacity-building with the purpose of achieving sustainable improvements in
the public sector.
64. The strategy is to take a long-term and comprehensive view of public
management reform through innovative approaches and comprehensive efforts,
focusing in particular on countries politically committed to change. The key
points of activities in this area depend on the priorities agreed by
Governments, the needs of recipient countries and the use of national experts
to facilitate the change process.
65. As a key agent of public management reform, the management development
programme has engaged in a wide range of reform activities in a variety of
settings, targeting specifically organization and productivity of the public
and parastatal sectors; improving an administration's capacity to formulate
and implement long-term reform policies; organization of the civil service;
monitoring and evaluating the machinery of government; resource management;
and improving training and research institutions in public administration and
business management.
66. Important contributions from the programme have been based on the
following inherent features: an emphasis on a comprehensive approach to a
country's needs and priorities and strategic focus in programming; a process
approach that results in government ownership of a programme or a plan of
reform; an emphasis on UNDP support of long-term government of programmes of
management improvement in the public sector; and consistent emphasis on
decentralization.
67. The achievements of UNDP in the field of public administration can be
illustrated by the recent cases of Nepal, Venezuela and Georgia.
68. In Nepal, UNDP was involved in a lengthy and substantial programme of
decentralization. Three objectives were established: (a) to increase the
capacity of local institutions; (b) to improve the implementation efficiency
of government service delivery programmes; and (c) to increase local political
involvement in development activities. To achieve these goals several basic
policy elements were stressed, among which were the delegation of project
planning, resource allocation and project execution to local entities; the
retention of various taxing schemes and fees by the local governments; the
integration of national-level projects and programmes into relevant district
plans; greater participation by user groups in the design and implementation
of development activities; and the encouragement of user groups to make use of
non-governmental organization assistance and private firms. These polices
were implemented by three laws passed by the national Parliament in 1992.
69. In Venezuela, a vast and ambitious programme of state modernization was
undertaken. UNDP supported the decentralization aspect of it. The overall
aim was to render elected bodies and officials more accountable to civil
society and to make government more responsive and receptive to peoples'
needs. Its operational objectives were decentralization, professionalizing
the managers at certain levels and debureaucratization. Efforts were directed
at establishing the balance of competencies between central, state and local
authorities. Several valuable lessons were learned to achieve true
decentralization: it was necessary to enhance lower-level support; a clear
division of labour was needed for tasks to be carried out at the various
levels; decentralization can strengthen national integration since it promotes
the perception that the State belongs to the people; and the success criteria
for decentralization may be measured by the degree of efficiency and
effectiveness in the delivery of government services.
70. In 1994, UNDP was requested by the Government of Georgia to advise on
the institutional reforms needed in connection with the country's achievement
of independence and democracy and the development towards a market economy.
On the advice of a UNDP consultant, the Government had established the
appropriate mechanisms for the management of institutional reforms. Through
organizational measures, consultations and training of officials and local
experts, change-management capacity is being created. A long-term
institutional development programme has been developed by Georgian
institutions with facilitation by the UNDP consultant. The programme is also
meant as an umbrella for international assistance from various sources, thus
facilitating the Government's coordination of aid for the development of the
country's institutions in the public sector as well as in civic society.
71. The mission on social security resulted in the creation of a task force
for policy management in the field of social security and health. The main
outcome of the mission was the creation of a National Council for Public
Management, chaired by the Head of State and supported by a Change Management
Support Unit, which will oversee capacity-building and day-to-day policy
direction.
72. Several general operating principles and processes guide the work of
UNDP. Included among these are the programme approach to technical assistance;
comprehensiveness; sustainability; innovativeness; capacity-building; and
participation and empowerment. UNDP instils these principles in every one of
its undertakings.
World Bank
73. The World Bank defines public sector management as the capacity of the
State to perform its functions in the service of society - through its people,
systems, processes and structures. Improving the capacity of government to
perform its functions is a key concern of reorienting government, one of the
five strategic development challenges on which the Bank's future work will
focus. Some of these specific issues being addressed include organizational
structures; systems and processes of government for decision-making, budgeting
and financial management, personnel management and appropriate incentive
systems; adequate legal and regulatory frameworks; managerial and technical
skills; and organizational capacity to learn from and adapt to the changing
environment.
74. The Bank interacts with borrower countries in a variety of ways.
Particular attention is being paid to policy dialogue; economic and sector
work; research; training, notably through the Economic Development Institute;
publications such as the World Development Report; and projects.
75. In more than 200 of the 228 projects commenced in fiscal year 1994,
there was a public sector management component, such as delegation of
responsibility to lower levels of management; administrative decentralization;
greater community participation; contracting-out of service provision;
strengthening the capacity of the centre to set strategies and related
policies at both the macro- and sector levels, mobilize and allocate resources
to reflect strategic choices, monitor/learn/adapt, intervene in exceptional
circumstances; and strengthening the legislature and judiciary.
76. The broad areas of support included public enterprise reform (46
operations), public financial management (20 operations), civil service reform
(13 operations) and institutional development interventions at sectoral or
agency levels (157 operations). Institutionalization is defined as the
process through which rules, roles and structures are created or altered,
leading to sound result-oriented public sector management practices.
77. Recent work has highlighted several points. First, the need to improve
transparency and accountability in the management of public resources
underlines the importance of developing or being sensitive to constraints and
incentives that underpin public choices. Innovations in civil society and the
community through such mechanisms as citizen surveys are spreading.
78. Secondly, the various elements of public sector management are closely
interlinked, requiring complementary reforms and a more systematic analysis of
the institutional framework and more determined efforts to integrate the
strategies of institutional development into overall country strategies.
Furthermore, institutional development efforts at the sector or agency levels
must take into account the impact of the central frameworks of public
financial management and civil service management. Although there are some
examples of an "enclave" tendency, whereby a function is "fenced off" from the
rules of the game applicable to other functions, such special treatment is
increasingly to be used only for pilot activities, which should be
mainstreamed as soon as possible.
79. Lastly, it is evident that change management is still a relatively
neglected area in the design of public sector management reforms. However,
the increasing focus on participatory approaches, including the design and/or
implementation of public sector management reforms, suggests that the issue
has been recognized and is beginning to be addressed.
Economic Commission for Africa
80. The Economic Commission for Africa was established by the Economic and
Social Council, by its resolution 671 (XXV) of 25 April 1958, and is a
subsidiary body of the Council. The Conference of Ministers responsible for
social and economic development is the principal policy-making organ of ECA.
Supported by its Technical Preparatory Committee of the Whole, it holds its
annual session for a duration of 11 days.
81. The ECA work programme focuses specifically on the promotion of
subregional and regional policies and strategies to bring about a greater
measure of economic cooperation and integration among the African countries,
including in particular the production, trade, monetary and financial,
infrastructure and institutional fields. The debt problem of the region is
also addressed. ECA activities aim at fostering human-centred development
through the enhancement of human capacities in both rural and urban areas, and
among all productive groups, including women, and at alleviating poverty. ECA
pays special attention to the enhancement of mass participation in the
development process. Other areas of focus include the strengthening of
policy-making and analytical capacity for development management and measures
for the effective development of entrepreneurship and private sector
initiatives.
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
82. The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, which meets
annually, provides overall direction to the work of the secretariat. It
reports to the Economic and Social Council. The Commission's subsidiary
bodies are the Committee on Regional Economic Cooperation, the Committee on
Environment and Sustainable Development, the Committee on Poverty Alleviation
through Economic Growth and Social Development, the Committee on Statistics,
the Committee on Transport and Communications, the Special Body on Least
Developed and Landlocked Developing Countries and the Special Committee on
Pacific Island Developing Countries.
83. The Commission's programme of work emphasizes regional economic
cooperation and the interdisciplinary nature of economic and social issues
through a thematic approach. The activities requiring the most attention are
those of data collection, research and analysis for the purpose of providing a
more informed understanding of the problems facing the countries in the
region. It is in these areas of work that assistance has been most requested
by countries with disadvantaged economies and by those with centrally planned
economies in the process of transition to a market economy.
84. An effective public administration depends on clear distribution of
powers and functions among units and levels of government, rules and
regulations, institutional arrangements and a workforce that is skilled and
motivated. ESCAP focuses its technical assistance on improved policy design
and more effective implementation through skill development. The modalities
adopted by ESCAP to achieve these objectives include publications, regional
seminars, advisory services and training programmes. In all of these
activities, the overall aim is to disseminate information on different
approaches to development issues and policies, thereby enabling member States
to draw lessons from each other's experiences.
International Labour Organization
85. As a specialized agency, ILO deals with matters concerning employment,
conditions of labour, industrial relations and skills training. In all these
matters, it interacts with the public administration of each member State that
plays a role either as the major provider of jobs or an important force in a
tripartite employment structure, which includes government, private employers
and employees.
86. Almost all ILO conventions and recommendations in one way or another
presuppose public administrative involvement in their implementation.
Therefore, member States that ratified particular conventions report regularly
to ILO on their enforcement. The Labour Relations (Public Services)
Convention, 1978 (N152), and Recommendation, 1978 (N 159), deal directly with
employment conditions and industrial relations within the public
administration.
87. The major ILO political forum for considering aspects of public
administration is the Joint Committee on the Public Service. The fifth
session of the Committee was held in 1994. The topics covered at previous
sessions of the Committee, such as labour relations, recruitment career and
training policies, social security, the effects of structural and
technological change, formed part of the ILO record in defending democratic
values in the public service. At its most recent session, the Committee
considered specifically the issue of part-time work within the public service
and adopted resolutions on trade union rights and the situation of women in
the public service.
88. The Committee also adopted a resolution concerning future ILO activities
in the public service and decided that at its next session it should consider
the impact of privatization and contracting out on the public service
workforce.
89. An important meeting on the impact of structural adjustment in the
public services was held in May 1995 at Geneva. The deliberations and
conclusions of the meeting could be considered a practical contribution by ILO
to the preparation for the resumed session of the General Assembly on public
administration and development.
90. Besides regulatory activities and consideration of general
labour-related issues in the civil services of member States, ILO looks
continuously into economic sectors that are associated wholly, predominantly
or partly with the public sector, such as education and training, health,
public utilities, post and communication, transport, inland waterways, media
and culture.
91. In April 1995 the ILO Governing Body approved a list of sectoral
meetings for 1996-1997 that includes a number of meetings on public-service
concerns, namely: (a) public sector reform in the context of structural
adjustment and transition; (b) privatization of public utilities: managing
transition; (c) the human resource dimension of structural and regulatory
changes and globalization in postal and telecommunication services; and (d)
improving equality of opportunity for women in the education profession: an
ILO plan of action.
92. In addition to its regulatory efforts aimed at improving working
conditions within the public services of member States, ILO does its best to
raise efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector. Various ILO
technical programmes have been involved continuously in national
capacity-building for competence-based vocational training and retraining of
redundant workers; productivity improvement in public services; government
stimulation of employment through labour policies, public works, small
enterprises, development and self-employment; and improvement of structure and
performance of labour ministries and employment services.
93. An ILO technical assistance package for the countries emerging from
conflict is currently being developed. The package is designed to help
Governments to deal with economic and social rehabilitation of displaced
persons through training and job creation.
94. The creation of multidisciplinary teams in the field has enabled ILO to
decentralize technical cooperation activities and to establish closer
relations with its tripartite constituency in the member States. This policy
of active partnership promotes better dialogue with Governments on improvement
of the performance standards and working conditions of public employees.
95. ILO is pleased to participate in the preparation of the report of the
Secretary-General to the resumed session of the General Assembly. Besides
conducting the special meeting on the impact of structural adjustment in the
public services referred to above, its representative works in the
inter-agency technical committee for the resumed session. ILO documents and
publications have been submitted as background papers for the report.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
96. The services of UNIDO with respect to industrial policies support the
creation of market-based competitive economic systems. The services feature
advice and assistance to adjust the role of Governments to ensuring adequate
competition, promoting new investment, achieving quality standards, meeting
environmental and social requirements and enabling more active participation
of the private sector in the industrialization process, including policy
formulation and institutional support. UNIDO advises Governments on
industrial strategies and policies; it assists in the restructuring and
strengthening of ministries of industries and related authorities; and it
establishes information systems and organizes seminars on the respective roles
of Governments, institutions and private industry. UNIDO also undertakes
policy analyses, reviews, projections and scenario analyses, and, on the basis
of resource surveys, recommends resource management programmes. High priority
is given to industrial development plans and programmes for less developed or
disadvantaged regions and for decentralization of industry. UNIDO also
advises on the creation of governmental bodies for regional development.
97. Services in support of private sector development are targeted on the
needs of both governments and industry. UNIDO directly assists in the
establishment of industrial estates, technology parks and export processing
zones. Assistance strengthens chambers of commerce and industry,
manufacturers' associations and other non-governmental organizations in the
services they render to industry. UNIDO helps set up mechanisms for
consultations between institutions and the Government, and for cooperation
between industry and research, scientific and educational institutions. UNIDO
can also develop or strengthen the capacity of consulting firms and non-profit
institutions to render industry-related services.
98. Of UNIDO's 104 ongoing and pipeline projects in private sector
development, 45 per cent of the number and 60 per cent of the value have been
developed in Africa. At the level of the firm, UNIDO provides assistance to
implement and monitor the impact of total quality management.
Capacity-building for industrial associations and enterprises was provided to
assess continuous quality improvements and production increases in 10 Latin
American countries.
* * *
99. It is useful to note the close cooperation between the programme and the
various other specialized agencies, for example, WHO, which assists ministries
of health in developing countries. In Cambodia, the programme has assisted
the Government with the design and implementation of its public administration
reform programme, in conjunction with WHO and other United Nations bodies
working in the sectoral ministries. There is a concerted attempt to link
innovative government-wide frameworks in finance, personnel, planning and
information management, with innovative activities within the sectoral
ministries. It is interesting to note that some innovations are centre-led,
that is, designed by central guidance agencies to apply to the whole
government, while some innovations are sector-led in the sense that an
innovation successfully developed in one sectoral ministry is then applied to
the whole Government. The Cambodian example illustrates the combination of
top-down and bottom-up approaches, the linkage between system-wide reforms and
innovative experiments in improved management in line ministries, and the
recognition that effective innovations can arise in all corners of the
Government. This example leads to the conclusion that there needs to be
continuous monitoring and identification of issues and innovations throughout
Governments, as well as opportunities to share these experiences among
Governments.
100. From the above experiences it can be concluded that public management
needs are at the forefront of United Nations system concerns at both the
sectoral and cross-sectoral national policy levels. These experiences also
demonstrate an increasing global concern for efficient public administration
for development. This will be discussed in detail in the next section.
Finally, the need for a coordinated system so as to efficiently provide
assistance in public administration to the Member States is also clear.
III. CONTEXT AND DYNAMICS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
AND DEVELOPMENT
101. Historically, the United Nations programme in public administration and
finance has played a leading role in facilitating exchanges of ideas,
experiences and innovations among Member States in the field of public
administration and development. The future role of the United Nations in this
field will be determined by a number of conditions and more importantly by a
strategic vision. The Agenda for Development (A/48/935) and the Agenda for
Peace (A/47/277-S/24111) are two primary documents that contribute to a
strategic vision. The world conferences of the 1990s provide additional
strategic guidance and direction to programme activities, particularly in
sectoral and multisectoral fields. Also important in determining the vision
and more importantly the programmatic goals and objectives of the United
Nations are the recommendations made by the Group of Experts on Public
Administration and Finance at its twelfth meeting. In strengthening the role
of public administration and development, consideration must be given to the
following: (a) the role of public administration in enabling the conditions
of development; (b) the role of public administration in planning and
implementing the recommendations of the world conferences;
and (c) incorporating recommendations of the Group of Experts on the role of
public administration and the capacity-building process.
A. Enabling conditions for development
102. The report of the Secretary-General entitled "An agenda for development"
(A/48/935) articulates five enabling conditions for development, namely, peace
as a foundation; the economy as an engine of progress; the environment as a
basis for sustainability; justice as a pillar of society; and democracy as
good governance.
103. A fundamental prerequisite of development is peace. However, past
development efforts in many countries rarely took place under this condition.
In most cases tension, strife, conflict and confrontations defined the reality
within which development took place. Such conditions are not conducive to
development and often negate development breakthroughs.
104. Building and developing mechanisms of governance and public
administration is one of the primary issues facing many countries coming out
of war or civil strife or undergoing transition to democracy. Government
capacity to regulate the economy, stimulate growth, provide basic social
services, maintain the rule of law and deliver goods and services are severely
strained or in extreme cases non-existent. Key institutions of civil society
may need to be created in many instances and in other cases reinforced.
Governmental activities in such diverse fields as a fair system for generating
public revenue, a legislative basis for the protection of human rights, and
rules for the operation of private enterprise all require immediate plans and
programmes of action. Very few Governments have the ability to carry out the
peace-building development process on their own. Besides requiring material
resources, Governments will require trained personnel and technical expertise,
shared experiences of countries in similar situations and support in the rapid
development of governance and public administration capability. The relevant
United Nations agency programmes are uniquely positioned to provide such
support because of their world-wide involvement in support of such activities.
Continued cooperation and joint projects with the Department of Peace-keeping
Operations can only enhance the ability of the programme to support national
governmental efforts in peace and development.
105. Economic growth is the engine of development as a whole. Without
economic growth, there cannot be a sustainable increase in household or
government consumption, in private or public capital formation, or in health,
welfare and security levels. By whatever social processes distributional
choices are made, the capacity to make them is severely limited in poor
societies and is enhanced by economic growth. A supportive national
environment and a favourable international climate are necessary conditions
for achieving economic growth, and a supportive national environment must be
based on pragmatic policies in which Governments can no longer be assumed to
be paramount economic agents.
106. While Governments, in the new context of the growing importance of the
market and the private sector, have a diminished productive role in economic
development, it is important to note that all Governments will retain
responsibility for providing a regulatory framework for the effective
operation of a competitive market system. Governments have to intervene where
appropriate to invest in infrastructure, to facilitate the development of
productive sectors, to provide an enabling environment for the promotion of
the private sector, to ensure proper social safety nets are in place, to
invest in human capital and to protect the environment. Governments provide
the framework within which individuals can plan their long-term prospects. In
recent years Governments have sought assistance in detaching themselves from
their production activities, transferring current activities into the private
sector, rightsizing themselves, retraining their professionals in contract
management and regulation management, and developing facilitative managers
rather than productive managers. They will continue to do so. In all these
activities they will need to redirect and strengthen their own administrative
systems. Without effective, efficient and responsive public administration
systems, Governments may not be able to bring about necessary changes in
support of economic growth. While some Governments can rely mostly on
themselves, others may remain heavily dependent on technical assistance and
information on the experiences of other nations in fine-tuning the
relationship between government, society and the private sector. For Member
States, the relevant United Nations agencies, including the United Nations
programme in public administration and finance, remain the core institutions
for assisting such a change and transformation process.
107. The importance of sound, well-managed and effective use of the Earth's
natural resources cannot be overemphasized. As environmental degradation
affects the quality and even the quantity of all human life, environmental
protection provides a basic building block for all forms of human resource
development. Development and environment are intertwined and one cannot be
addressed without reference to the other.
108. As more Governments realize the importance of a sustainable environment
as critical to human development and focus on past improprieties and lack of
consideration, they will need assistance in articulating and integrating
environment policy with other development policies. As this concern for the
environment is a fairly new one and is fast becoming a major component of an
already full national government plate of activities, Governments will turn
towards international organizations for assistance in improving their policy
process, developing appropriate management functions and structures, and
improving their human resource capacity in this area. The United Nations
programme in public administration and finance in cooperation with its other
United Nations partner programmes can continue to assist Member States to
build the management capacity of national Governments.
109. Current social conditions in many countries call for an active and
vigorous programme of administration to deal with many complex and urgent
social problems. People are a country's principal asset and their well-being
unequivocally defines development. Their energy and initiative drive
development, and their characteristics determine the nature and direction of
sustainable human development. The benefits of investing in people, however,
go beyond increasing the productivity of labour and facilitating access to
global opportunities. A healthy, well-educated citizenry contributes to the
social cohesion of a country and imparts a dynamism to all aspects of life and
culture.
110. Existing social conditions are the starting-point for development and
determine the priorities and direction of a country's public
administration/management development system. Poverty and disease, urgent
need for education and sustainable livelihood, sudden economic hardship,
decaying industries and similar urgent problems require government responses.
Governments will also be involved in the creation of conditions that will
provide wide and equitable access to assets and opportunities. Governments
will need effective, efficient and responsive social administration systems.
Civil servants need to have appropriate mechanisms and capacity to manage
social programmes. Current assessment of most developing and transitional
economies demonstrates that national Governments may need international
support and cooperation in improving their public administration systems and
training their personnel for initiating and implementing dynamic social
programmes.
111. Improving and enhancing governance is a sine qua non for the success of
any agenda or strategy for development. The quality of governance may be the
single most important development variable within the control of individual
States. While democracy is not the only means by which improved governance
can be achieved, it is the only reliable one. By providing for greater
popular participation, democracy increases the likelihood that national
development goals will reflect broad societal aspirations and priorities. By
providing appropriate mechanisms and channels for governmental succession,
democracy provides incentives to protect the capacity, reliability and
integrity of core state institutions, including the civil service, the legal
system and the democratic process itself. By establishing the political
legitimacy of Governments, democracy strengthens their capacity to carry out
their policies and functions efficiently and effectively. By making
Governments accountable to citizens, democracy makes them more responsive to
popular concerns and provides added incentives for transparency in
decision-making.
112. In the context of development, improved governance has several
implications. In particular, however, it facilitates the design and pursuit
of a comprehensive national strategy for development. It ensures the
capacity, reliability and integrity of the core institutions of the modern
State. It means improving the ability of government to carry out governmental
policies and functions, including the management of implementation systems.
It means accountability for actions and transparency in decision-making and it
means the opportunity for people to participate openly in the democratic
process. Improved governance will require an effective, efficient and
responsive public administration system.
B. World conferences of the 1990s
113. During the first half of the 1990s, five world conferences were held:
the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, the
World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, the International Conference on
Population and Development in 1994, the World Summit for Social Development in
1995 and the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. Each conference made
major recommendations, which will have an impact on the ways in which national
Governments will function, and point to the need for an effective and
efficient public administration system in planning and implementing those
recommendations and for the support and cooperation of relevant United Nations
and other international and regional institutions in assisting Governments to
improve their public administration systems. Each conference is briefly
reviewed, in particular its recommendations requiring governmental action,
followed by brief reference to the relevant public administration systems and
implementation of recommendations.
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
114. Through its Agenda 21 the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3 to 14 June 1992, provided
the most complex set of recommendations for national Governments and the
United Nations to turn the world from its self-consumptive course to one of
renewal and sustenance. There is a heightened awareness of the need for
compelling action towards this eco-revolution. In calling for action, the
Conference made recommendations in 40 sub-areas, which were then grouped into
four broad topics: social and economic dimensions of sustainable environment;
conservation and management of resources for development; strengthening the
role of major groups; and means of implementation. For present purposes, it
is critical to take note of the management and capacity-building component of
each of the 40 sub-areas. As an example of how public administration can be
involved in the management and capacity-building of all 40 sub-areas, one area
is highlighted (chap. 32), which focuses on strengthening the role of farmers.
In most Member States agriculture occupies a central activity, one in which
development activities are prevalent. The Conference called upon Governments
(a) to create institutional and legal mechanisms to ensure effective land
tenure for farmers; (b) to strengthen rural institutions that would enhance
stability through locally managed credit systems and technical assistance; and
(c) to establish mechanisms to increase access of farmers, particularly women
and farmers from indigenous groups, to agricultural training. An effective
public administrative system will be needed to assist Governments to
complement these activities and implement similar recommendations in other
sub-areas.
World Conference on Human Rights
115. In seeking a common standard of achievement for all people and all
countries in the area of human rights, the World Conference on Human Rights,
held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993, called upon all nations, regions and
the international community to create favourable conditions for and effective
enjoyment of basic human rights. It recommended that States eliminate all
violations of human rights and the alleviation and eventual elimination of
conditions such as extreme poverty, obstacles for development and lack of
freedoms, which limit human rights. Governments were urged not only to
implement existing mandates that ensure human rights, but also actively to
create conditions that protect and promote human rights. As Governments
become increasingly involved in enhancing human rights, they will require,
among other things, an effective, efficient and responsive public
administration system. To achieve that, many Governments may call upon the
United Nations system to provide technical assistance in human rights issues
and share experiences of countries that have enhanced human rights.
International Conference on Population and Development
116. At the International Conference on Population and Development, held at
Cairo from 5 to 13 September 1994, it was affirmed that national, regional and
international population policies must be implemented, encouraged and
supported. States must be supported in their efforts to control population
increases. The international community's approach to population problems must
be subject to a constant and broad debate that mobilized all Member States at
the highest level. The Programme of Action adopted contained highly specific
goals that will require the will, commitment and capacity of strong public
administrations.
117. The Conference called for drawing women into the mainstream of
development by being provided better health services and education, and
through freedom to plan the future of their families. It called upon States
not only to process the action plans but to undertake a vigorous pursuit of
the Programme of Action. It will be a real challenge for public
administrators to implement the specifics of the programme. For example,
population and family planning policies have to be reassessed and refocused,
and issues of public health and education have to be redirected. Above all,
excellence in managerial capabilities and institutional and organizational
structures have to be instituted in order for States to pursue the programmes
of action. United Nations bodies, including the United Nations programme in
public administration and finance, will continue to play a vital role in
assisting States in building their capacity for delivering public health and
welfare goods and services.
World Summit for Social Development
118. The Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social
Development, held at Copenhagen from 6 to 12 March 1995, require public
administrators of developing countries and transition economies to respond to
the challenges of sustainable social development. This will require first and
foremost efficient and effective public sector management. Central public
administration concerns of government structure and process, personnel and
budgeting must be balanced by a cross-sectoral development agenda of poverty
alleviation, government/civil society interactions, community participation
and managerial capacity-building in Governments. The United Nations agencies
must take on the substantive challenges of the Summit and match them with
equally forceful efforts in supporting capacity-building in public
administration. Following the Summit an International Conference on Public
Administration and Social Development was held in October 1995, which further
elucidated the role of public administration in social development. That
Conference called for integrated technical support and cooperation from United
Nations bodies, including the programme in public administration and finance,
in assisting Governments in upgrading institutional and managerial
capabilities for implementing the Programme of Action recommended by the
Summit.
119. Upgrading of institutional and managerial capabilities in reaching those
in extreme poverty, monitoring performance, and building social networks of
public sector and beneficiary communities are some of the areas for
capacity-building. The United Nations programme is the central unit with the
technical capability to support programme activities in those areas.
Fourth World Conference on Women
120. The Beijing Declaration, adopted by the Fourth World Conference on
Women, held in Beijing from 4 to 15 September 1995, considered essential the
design, implementation and monitoring, with the full participation of women,
of effective, efficient and mutually reinforcing gender-sensitive policies and
programmes, including development policies and programmes, at all levels that
will foster the empowerment and advancement of women. It also noted the
important participation and contribution of all actors of civil society, in
particular women's groups and networks and other non-governmental and
community-based organizations, with full respect for their autonomy, in
cooperation with Governments, to the effective implementation of and follow-up
to the Platform for Action.
121. The Platform for Action notes that Governments have the primary
responsibility for implementation. It notes the need for Governments to
establish or improve the effectiveness of national administrative machinery
for the advancement of women at the highest political level, appropriate
intra- and inter-ministerial procedures and staff, and other institutions with
the mandate and capacity to broaden women's participation and integrate gender
concerns into policies and programmes.
122. Effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action will require changes in values, behaviours, rules and procedures in the
internal dynamics of public institutions and organizations, including key
aspects of public administration such as human resource development,
appropriate institutional and organizational development, and relevant
administration reform.
Key theme of the five conferences
123. All five world conferences require States to take on a very active role
in implementation of the individual programmes of action. It is important to
note that the two principal anchors for the United Nations are the pursuit of
(a) peace and international security and (b) economic and social development.
It is in our collective interest to promote peace, social progress and a
better standard of life. These sentiments are expressed in the preamble to
the Charter of the United Nations. As long as these remain our stated vision
and as long as we need to provide States with operational support in these
areas, public administration capacity-building will be a critical component of
United Nations programme support activity. It will, therefore, not only
require relevant United Nations bodies, including the United Nations programme
in public administration and finance, to maintain their current level of
services, but may also mean they are called upon to provide increased services
in the very near future.
C. The role of public administration in development
124. The Group of Experts at its twelfth meeting considered public
administration and development inseparable. Public administration was viewed
as government in action, and development as the object or purpose of all
government action, whether direct or indirect. Although societies ask their
Governments to perform different functions, certain core functions are
invariable.
125. The Experts defined these core functions of Governments as (a) promoting
an enabling environment for development; (b) in the absence of a sufficient
driving force from other social institutions, through their leadership role
and for periods of time, working as the engine of development; (c) playing a
major role in building development capacity; and (d) undertaking to remedy the
development deficiencies and failings of other social institutions.
126. In further elaboration of the importance of understanding the role of
public administration in development, the Experts analysed the following:
factors affecting global development strategies; how the changed global
context is affecting all countries; the primary challenge of redefining the
role of the State; public administration leadership; and the thinking part of
government (see A/50/525-E/1995/122, annex, paras. 18-26).
127. The Group of Experts stressed that government decisions are crucial in
determining the future of societies, with important implications for the
minutiae of implementation of development programmes. Where there seems to be
indecision and chaos, there may be a deficiency in the "thinking" part of
government. Governments, at all levels from the international arena to local
bodies, seems to be drifting. This condition may be due in large part to the
neglect of long-term strategic thinking. With a focus on short-term values,
there is little attention to investment in structural or institutional
capacity-building. Likewise, there is little emphasis on strategic planning
at the national level or on its institutionalization. Various management
techniques are available to Governments which seek to recapture their
capability for high-level thinking. Governments can (a) build scenarios
towards a more desirable future, (b) develop policies that adapt to people's
needs and future resources, and (c) assess risk and probability associated
with future events.
128. This thinking part of government needs to attract staff who are creative
and original. A nucleus of talented persons needs to be attracted to the core
functions of government in order to provide wise counsel for the steering of
the government.
129. The Experts specifically elaborated on the role of public administration
in development, in the context of several specific uses. The roles for public
administration are (a) sustaining economic growth; (b) promoting social
development; (c) facilitating infrastructure development and protecting the
environment; (d) promoting partnerships; (e) managing development programmes;
and (f) establishing the legal and regulatory framework (see
A/50/525-E/1995/122, annex, paras. 28-84).
D. Capacity-building in public administration
130. In assessing the importance of capacity-building to conduct the core
functions of Governments, the Group of Experts at its twelfth meeting once
again gave considerable weight to global trends affecting the capacity-
building process, and also examined issues of responsibilities of the public
administration system, better performance, importance of people in
administration, management tools and technologies (see A/50/525-E/1995/122,
annex, paras. 85-97).
IV. STRENGTHENING THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT
A. Challenges facing the United Nations and recommendations
for action
131. The General Assembly asked to be informed of the role the United Nations
played in the field of public administration and development and how that role
could be strengthened. The previous sections describe how the role is being
performed. The present section consolidates the recommendations of the Group
of Experts and identifies the challenges currently facing both the United
Nations and the international community. Recognizing the complexity of these
challenges, the Group of Experts recommended that a plan of action for
strengthening the United Nations role in this area be developed. Elements to
be included in such a plan of action are offered below in the form of the
recommendations to the United Nations and to national Governments so that
Member States will be able to review them at the resumed fiftieth session of
the General Assembly, and to take appropriate action.
132. While considering the challenges faced by the United Nations in public
administration and development and the themes of public administration
improvement in the 1990s, it is recognized that the role, state and operation
of public administration is tied to the unique socio-economic and political
complexion of each country. Hence the primary responsibility for reforming or
improving public administrations rests with national Governments. While
recognizing this diversity and uniqueness of public administration conditions,
the Group of Experts raised three considerations: (a) what are the main
ingredients that will define the role of future public administration; (b)
where will critical capacity-building have to take place in public
administration systems; and (c) what will be the role of the United Nations.
The review of these considerations indicates that while country situations
result in distinct projects and priorities for public administration, at least
three trends are affecting public administration in virtually all countries,
developed, developing and economies in transition. These three trends are:
(a) Rapidly changing domestic and international conditions and
increasing demands for services. These will require innovative policies at
the strategic level and improved service delivery systems at the operational
level. Innovativeness defined by creativity and flexibility to respond to
rapid change will be a "core requirement" for development administration and
governance;
(b) Continuing response of public administration to core
responsibilities. Public administration will continue to fulfil critical
functions in development, supporting measures for economic growth, protecting
the environment, determining the relationship between the public and the
private sector, reducing poverty and illiteracy and other social development
activities, thereby achieving the goals of sustainable development.
Therefore, exceptional capacities to govern for development are essential for
public administration;
(c) Greater demand for participation and transparency. To fulfil
critical future-shaping functions, public administration needs to establish a
dynamic people-oriented system through strategic restructuring for
transparency and participation, as well as outstanding professionalism by
attracting bright, energetic, visionary people into public administration.
For public administration to be the centre of administrative and management
excellence, Governments will invest in radical shifts in service conditions,
career patterns and the spirit of the public service.
133. These common trends and challenges facing the community of nations in
public administration and development are complex and resolutions are
therefore neither straightforward nor easy to implement. Likewise, no
resolution is able to address all aspects of these complex issues. This
realization leads to the conclusion that public administration must approach
development with directness, pragmatism, openness and flexibility. Programmes
are most likely to be successful when they involve all stakeholders in a
transparent dialogue, with mutually agreed strategies and organizational
commitments to success. That process is time-consuming, expensive and
delicate, but such a deliberative process is the only hope for genuine
development, which in turn depends upon talented, skilled and sensitive public
administrators for implementation.
134. Since the founding of the public administration and finance programme,
the United Nations has worked to meet the needs of its Member States and their
requests. Over the years, the United Nations technical cooperation programme
has assisted all developing countries with projects and programmes dealing
with every aspect of social and economic life. Thousands of discrete
activities, small and medium-size projects, upstream and midstream studies,
and formulation and evaluation, have been organized or are in the pipeline.
At the base is assistance to the public administrations, which are the basis
not only for improved sectoral programmes but also for more effective and
efficient governance. Is the United Nations confident that it has done all
that it could have done to promote development? How can it be more certain
that its efforts lead to results? These questions raise three fundamental
challenges that the United Nations faces:
(a) How to revitalize United Nations operations in public administration
and development to contribute to capacity-building for Governments of Member
States, resulting in the wide distribution of peace and prosperity?
(b) How can the United Nations be certain that its programme for public
administration is effective, innovative, sensitive and economically viable?
(c) How best can the United Nations programme in public administration
attain greater programmatic achievement?
135. For both the United Nations and the Member States there are several
formidable tasks ahead that require a sustained commitment to excellence.
Tasks like facilitating public administration by effectively and creatively
utilizing human resources; building government processes and institutions to
provide a peaceful resolution of conflict; the need to shift non-core
functions of government to the private sector; to maintain the vitality of
technical cooperation while changing the mechanisms of delivery to incorporate
additional technological advances; and to perform those tasks successfully
while balancing severe resource constraints.
136. Given the extent of the emerging issues and the scope of responsibility
facing the community of nations, the General Assembly at its forthcoming
session is charged with providing ways and means for countries to address such
issues equitably and innovatively. For the United Nations and Member States
there exists a common set of challenges in several critical areas; these are
set out below, followed by institutional recommendations of the
Secretary-General that will define the role of the United Nations and
contemporary public administration into the twenty-first century.
137. Practical recommendations to deal with such compelling challenges have
been developed by taking into consideration the report of the Group of Experts
on Public Administration and Finance on its twelfth meeting
(A/50/525-E/1995/122, annex). Recommendations presented for the United
Nations are at both a strategic and a macro level, and are intended to improve
the management of public administration issues within the entire United
Nations system. In offering these recommendations, consideration has been
given to the contextual changes taking place at the global level, including
the need to remove duplications and do more with less, and the continued calls
for assistance by Member States - developing countries, transitional economy
countries, and countries where public administration systems are to be
restored. In addition, significant importance has been attached to
redefining the focus and content of the United Nations programme in public
administration and finance. The recommendations have strategic implications
for improving the functioning of the public administration activities within
the United Nations system. For greatest effectiveness, these recommendations
are to be implemented swiftly and comprehensively.
1. Role of policy-making for public administration and
development
Challenge 1
138. To ensure that public administration and development activities attain
greater visibility; the challenge is how to sustain debate, of both an
economic and a social nature, on the part of the United Nations; how to
identify effectively and respond innovatively to emerging issues, and to
provide a stable platform for follow-up and implementation of the
recommendations generated by the General Assembly at its resumed session.
Recommendations
139. In view of the overall importance of the role of the United Nations in
the field of public administration and development, it is recommended that the
issue be included as a regular item in the agenda of the General Assembly and
the Economic and Social Council. As indicated in General Assembly resolution
49/136, the issue of public administration and development should receive
appropriate review by the Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council.
To reinforce the intention of the resumed session, and to affirm that public
management and governance issues attain greater visibility by being securely
situated in the debate of the United Nations legislative bodies, it is
recommended that the General Assembly consider keeping the item continuously
on its agenda, to be reviewed every two years.
140. It is recommended that the Group of Experts on Public Administration and
Finance be designated the Committee on Public Administration and Development.
The Group of Experts is already a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social
Council. It is recommended that the Committee on Public Administration and
Development report to the Council, the members being experts in public
administration and finance nominated by their Governments and elected by the
Council. This representative expert body will provide a more stable platform
for follow-up and implementation of the recommendations of the General
Assembly at its resumed session and the public administration implications of
the various world conferences. Given the current budget provision for the
meeting of the Group of Experts, this change will not have any financial
implications, as long as the proposed Committee meets only once every two
years, as the Group of Experts has done. In this context the United Nations
programme in public administration and finance should be renamed the United
Nations programme in public administration and development. This proposal is
consistent with recommendations made by the Group of Experts at its twelfth
meeting (A/50/525-E/1995/122, appendix I, sect. II.I, para. 4).
2. Focus of the United Nations programme in public
administration and development
Challenge 2.A
141. The United Nations now plays a proactive role in assisting Governments
in improving public management and finance systems by generating and
disseminating information and customizing the best and most appropriate
practices. The challenge, therefore, is to enhance the Organization's role as
a clearing-house for information and services and its position as a global
centre of excellence for public administration and development.
Recommendations
142. It is recommended that the revitalization of the clearing-house function
of the United Nations programme be given highest priority. The United Nations
programme in public administration and development should enhance its role as
the central depository for materials, reports and non-print media on public
administration and development world wide, including active research into best
practices. The United Nations programme, utilizing the latest technology,
should become the clearing-house for all materials on the subject, with a
user-friendly interface for suppliers and users of information, linkages with
relevant networks, and a strong service orientation to function as a catalyst
for a network of international, regional and national institutions and
organizations involved in these issues. The need for a comprehensive
clearing-house is especially urgent in the 1990s as more and more countries
are reforming their governance and public management systems. Those
Governments need information both on the content of reforms and on the process
of reform, including how such reforms were planned and implemented
successfully in comparable countries. A roster of "turnaround managers" who
have made significant improvement in public management systems and who can be
made available to assist countries that request their services will be
established. The organization and updating of systematized information
globally on governance and public management reform will be extremely useful
for countries, especially those at the early and middle stage of
socio-economic development. Currently, this clearing-house function is being
performed in a limited way by the United Nations programme. It needs to be
assigned high priority and the existing budgetary resources need to be
rearranged to reflect this priority and function.
143. It is recommended that the focus of the United Nations programme be
directed to action-oriented and practical research on effective systems and
procedures in public administration. Related specifically to the exchange of
information is the need for practical research and analysis of governance and
public management systems that work effectively, especially in the newly
developed economies, and the systemization of findings of that research that
could be used for countries seeking to reform their public management and
governance systems. Such research on effective systems and practices is being
done by the United Nations programme and other agencies in several subjects,
including civil service systems, administrative restructuring,
decentralization, aid management and accountability, metropolitan governance,
training and professional development, and rehabilitation and reconstruction
of post-conflict administration systems. As an increasing number of
Governments are interested in learning more about the appropriateness and
applicability of effective systems and practices in their diverse and complex
environments, there is an increasing need to both expand and deepen these
practical research activities. It is recommended that the United Nations
programme rearrange its priorities so as to devote more attention to the study
and dissemination of effective systems and practices in the area of governance
and public management.
144. The Division of Public Administration and Development Management of the
Department for Development Support and Management Services, which is entrusted
with the responsibility of implementing the United Nations programme in public
administration and finance, will continue to maximize and optimize the use of
its existing resources. It is thus expected that by improving its efficiency,
technical capacity and responsiveness, the Division will be able to meet the
new requirements of the revitalized programme.
Challenge 2.B
145. One of the most important roles of the United Nations is to assist
individual Member States, upon request, in improving their administrative
systems so as to accelerate and, in some cases, repair the government
machinery after conflict. To provide for extension services, the challenge for
the programmes is to maximize capacity to provide advisory services to
Governments and to carry out needs assessment and programme formulation
missions.
Recommendations
146. It is recommended that the United Nations programme and other relevant
United Nations bodies identify technical missions, at the request of
Governments, to assist in the systematic diagnosis of public management
systems or any aspect of them, in the development and customization of
appropriate improvement programmes and in the technical review of improvement
programmes. Tied to the function of clearing-house and research on effective
systems and practices is the most important role of the United Nations in
assisting, at their request, individual Governments in improving and reforming
their governmental machinery and public management systems for development.
To maximize its effectiveness in this area, the United Nations programme
should be strengthened in the areas of advisory services, needs assessment,
diagnostics and substantive support to projects. At its twelfth meeting, the
Group of Experts identified several high-priority areas, such as advice in
policy formulation and implementation strategies, administrative restructuring
for economic reform, people-oriented development, strategic fiscal and
financial management, and strengthening of training in, for example,
evaluation and management of change, in which Member States may seek technical
help from United Nations agencies. The issues and areas of governance and
public management in which Member States may seek technical assistance are
complex and diverse and, in responding, United Nations agencies need to
cooperate among themselves and develop some identity or specialization to
focus their substantive capacity and to offer optimal advisory services to
Governments. Such cooperation needs to cover other bilateral, technical and
professional institutions at the interregional and regional levels to make
technical assistance beneficial for countries that need and request it.
147. It is recommended that the United Nations programme and other United
Nations bodies assist Governments, at their request, in translating the goals
and recommendations of global conferences into detailed programmes of
implementation. It is suggested that the proposed Committee on Public
Administration and Development should review the administrative aspects of the
implementation of the recommendations of the world conferences, in order to
ensure full consideration of public management issues.
148. It is recommended that the United Nations, including the programme,
should assist Governments in establishing institutions and in creating the
conditions which will facilitate the development of a healthy private sector.
Capacity should be maintained and enhanced to collect information and to
assist Governments in establishing an appropriate regulatory framework for
economic activity in evaluating modalities for privatization and in the
conversion of military industries for civilian production.
149. It is recommended that the United Nations programme attach high priority
in assisting Governments, at their request, in the development and updating of
high-level technical or analytical skills within the pubic service to meet the
new challenges posed by globalization of the economies, technological
advances, and the growing importance of the civil society. The nature and
scope of United Nations assistance may include identification and amelioration
of skills at various levels, appropriate ways of developing or updating those
skills, preparation of training modules or programmes, cooperating with
academic and training institutions at all levels and recommending an
appropriate structure, in addition to the effective utilization and retention
of those skills within the public service.
150. It is recommended that the United Nations programme play a pivotal role
in assisting in all phases of the restoration and restructuring of public
administration institutions in countries recovering from conflict and crises.
It should strengthen its professional expertise and other capabilities to
assess needs, design action plans, mobilize resources and assist in
implementation. The United Nations, in particular the programme, should
develop the concepts and capabilities for preventative management of
potentially unstable situations.
151. It is recommended that the United Nations programme actively assist
developing countries and countries with economies in transition to exchange
their experiences in public administration and finance on the basis of
South-South cooperation for development. In order to strengthen institutional
capacity-building and human resource development in the public sector,
developing countries and countries with economies in transition should avail
themselves of the mechanisms of technical cooperation among developing
countries and of triangular cooperation, in which developed countries and
international organizations should play a catalytic role.
3. Coordination of public administration and development
activities within the United Nations system
Challenge 3
152. In view of the strong connection between public administration, finance
issues and sectoral development issues, the challenge facing the United
Nations as a whole is to improve coordination so as to be more responsive to
emerging public management issues related to sustainable development.
Recommendation
153. A consultative group on public administration and development will meet
regularly under the auspices of the Department for Development Support and
Management Services. To strengthen effective collaboration and coordination
among various programmes in governance and public management currently carried
out by various United Nations agencies, including Bretton-Woods institutions
such as the World Bank and IMF, it is recommended that the consultative group
include representation from all relevant United Nations agencies, regional
commissions and the World Bank. The group will also be open to other
interregional and regional governmental organizations and appropriate
international or regional professional and research institutions. The
consultative group will meet once a year, and will focus on closer
collaboration in the planning and implementation of global programmes of
information exchange, research on effective systems and practices, preparation
of guidelines and organization of seminars and workshops. It will also provide
a forum for mobilization and collaboration in international assistance in
promoting sustained reform in governance and public management in specific
countries and at regional and international levels. As the meetings of the
proposed consultative group would be conducted in English and would not
require language services, and since it would function exclusively within
existing departmental budgetary provisions, the formulation of such a group
would have no financial implications.
4. Support of donors for public administration and development
Challenge 4
154. As recognized by the General Assembly in resolution 49/136 and the Group
of Experts at its twelfth meeting, improvement in administrative systems is a
constant challenge, not only for the United Nations programme but also for the
donor community, and is a sine qua non for sustaining development.
Recommendation
155. It is recommended that the donor community recognize the role and
significance of public administration in development and provide adequate
resources in their programmes of assistance for improving public
administration in developing countries and countries with economies in
transition. While the main efforts for administrative improvement must be
initiated and sustained at the national level, it needs to be recognized that
technical cooperation with international and regional institutions, including
regional United Nations agencies, will be vital in assisting and supporting
the process of improvement. The donor community is urged to support the
relevant interregional and regional institutions, including relevant United
Nations agencies, so that those institutions can perform effectively their
technical and supporting role in reforming and improving public administration
for development in developing countries and countries with economies in
transition.
156. The donor community should favourably consider additional voluntary
resources for the strengthening of the functions of the United Nations
programme. Particular consideration should be given to the loan of expertise
to carry out practical research and advisory missions. To this end the
Secretary- General will establish a trust fund for United Nations activities
in public administration and development.
B. Recommendations for national Governments and
United Nations responses
157. While making recommendations for strengthening the United Nations system
in the area of public administration and development, the Secretary-General
wishes to draw attention to some key recommendations made by the Group of
Experts addressed to national Governments, and how the United Nations
responses can offer assistance.
158. The Group of Experts recognized that governance and public management
systems have a uniqueness and diversity among countries, and the primary
responsibility for improving or reforming governance and public management
systems rests with national Governments. Accordingly, the Experts made
several recommendations based on a comparative review of national experiences,
for consideration by Governments. In this section a few of those
recommendations have been highlighted; a full listing of recommendations
addressed to national Governments is contained in the report of the Group of
Experts (A/50/525-E/1995/122, annex). The recommendations set out below have
high relevancy to the increased responsibility of the Member States for
mobilizing and consolidating their resources and managing their own
development.
Recommendation 1
159. National Governments should strengthen their policy, advisory and
administrative capacity in critical areas. Strong policy development advisory
units having cooperative relationships with politicians and senior civil
servants and with policy research and development institutions (think-tanks)
should be established. National Governments need to enhance their capacity
for policy formulation, management of future-shaping policies, and development
of core learning programmes for senior officials.
United Nations response
160. The United Nations, through the programme in public administration and
development, can organize exchanges of professional experiences, arrange
professional training programmes, and prepare case studies on policy matters
for dissemination through its clearing-house function.
Recommendation 2
161. Any restructuring of organizations, functions and management of the
administrative apparatus should be treated as an ongoing function. In such
restructuring, government institutions should be encouraged to develop
strategic plans and indicators for performance improvement, to experiment and
to monitor the performance of restructured units. To maintain a restructuring
programme successfully, Governments should strengthen the capability of units
responsible for this task and locate them where they can initiate and monitor
reform measures.
United Nations response
162. The United Nations will continue to undertake comparative administrative
restructuring studies and disseminate them on a regular basis. It will
continue to provide advisory services with regard to the restructuring and
capacity-building of training institutions, and conduct training programmes on
a regional or subregional basis.
Recommendation 3
163. In order to provide responsive high-quality services, leaders should
invest in people. Effective investment in human resources is also contingent
upon top leaders themselves being learners. Specifically, to meet the urgent
emerging responsibilities of training in economic management, people-centred
development and public policy analysis, adequate resources need to be provided
to upgrade the capacity of national training institutions, to develop a core
group of professional trainers and to prepare training materials and case
studies through independent research, consultancy and networking arrangements.
United Nations response
164. The United Nations will seek to create and sustain momentum for dynamic
world-wide exchanges of information and ideas in the area of human resource
development. It can establish guidelines and promote norms aimed at enhancing
efficiency, effectiveness, integrity, responsiveness and accountability in
public administration. It can assist in the creation of talent pools in
developing countries and countries in transition; facilitate a mentor service
in collaboration with top officials and in conducting training needs
assessment; and help provide access to the best available technological
systems and practices.
Recommendation 4
165. To achieve and sustain levels of high performance, Governments should
(a) establish clear, complete and reconciled goals and policies and indicators
of achievement; (b) consider minimizing rules, standards and norms from the
centre so as to yield greater flexibility in operations; (c) measure results
impartially; and (d) develop and adopt incentives that encourage compliance,
arrest poor performance, and reward excellence.
United Nations response
166. The United Nations will continue to offer advisory services through
interdisciplinary and multinational teams in areas including the management of
change, performance management and measurement, information technology and
strategic issues of governmental performance improvement. Where appropriate,
it will develop management of change units within countries, which would
monitor and facilitate performance in the public sector.
Recommendation 5
167. Public administration services should be provided to reflect the ever-
changing needs of the citizens they serve. Ease of access for citizens is
becoming important at a time when societies tend to emphasize the user-
friendly aspect of the delivery of goods and services; close communication
with citizens is also recommended, so as to understand their needs and
preferences and to obtain feedback on their perceptions of services.
United Nations response
168. The United Nations can assist in the development of state-of-the-art
technological communications networks, including on-line, e-mail, and a
real-time communications network among management professionals to facilitate
the provision of user-friendly services and ease of access to information for
citizens.
Recommendation 6
169. Governments should encourage financial management at the grass-roots
level to facilitate delivery of services and optimize expenditure control
mechanisms for the disbursement of development funds.
United Nations response
170. The United Nations will assist Governments in creating and strengthening
national capacities in fiscal policy analysis and economic management and in
designing strategies aimed at creating and improving a proper environment and
regulatory framework for capital flows for productive investments, promoting
private sector development and increasing transparency and accountability.
Recommendation 7
171. Governments should seek objective evaluations and assessments of their
privatization policies and programmes, seek to establish the appropriate place
and timing of privatization in structural adjustment programmes and pay
greater attention to performance improvement in parastatals.
United Nations response
172. The United Nations will, at the request of the Government, arrange for
ex ante and/or ex post evaluation of their privatization policies and
programmes, assist Governments in defining the role and scope of the public,
combined and private sectors and suggest options in interaction modalities
through technical assistance, the dissemination and exchange of country
experiences and research on conditions for successful replications.
Recommendation 8
173. In the interest of advancing entrepreneurial development for economic
growth, Governments should, through special targeted programmes, provide an
enabling and encouraging environment for small and medium-sized enterprise
initiation and expansion.
United Nations response
174. The United Nations will assist countries in collecting and analysing
data by operating an information clearing-house, developing case studies of
successes and failures and providing technical support.
Recommendation 9
175. National Governments should assume the responsibility for establishing
environmental standards for all infrastructure policies. In many countries
the level and scope of infrastructure development cannot depend too highly on
the private sector. At the same time, national Governments must also guard
against bad or risky investments of public resources.
United Nations response
176. The United Nations will assist Governments, as requested, in ensuring
that an integrated approach to infrastructure development is taken by all
levels of public administration during the planning stage, and that oversight
bodies exist that are empowered. It will assist Governments in administrative
capacity-building and infrastructure management and in the development and
execution of cost-effective programmes, particularly at the local level.
Recommendation 10
177. The codification of procedures should be pursued in such a manner as not
to compromise the rights of citizens. Codification of laws must be undertaken
in order to facilitate access to the guarantees of the law. Judicial review
of public administration should be periodically evaluated and, if need be,
strengthened to address corruption and injunctive remedies for
maladministration.
United Nations response
178. The United Nations will assist Governments in organizing an appropriate
legal framework of public administration and strengthening the judicial
supervision of public administration. Through research, seminars and the
provision of advisory services, it will assist Governments in the training of
public officials and judges, arrange for the dissemination of experiences and
facilitate research on comparative legal issues. It will also facilitate the
exchange of experiences and disseminate guides for the fight against
administrative corruption. This will be done in close cooperation with the
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch of the Secretariat.
Recommendation 11
179. For countries that are recovering from crisis and conflict, it is
recommended that both immediate and transitional or long-term strategies be
developed. The immediate strategy would include the assessment of national
absorptive capacities, human and capital; the definition of policy issues and
drafting of national policies; the restructuring and operation of key
ministries for implementation of the defined policies; the restoration of
management systems and tools (e.g., personnel, audit, information); the
restoration and management of justice and public safety systems; the retention
and enlistment of professional human resources; and the provision of crash
training and retraining programmes.
United Nations response
180. The United Nations will provide special assistance to countries in
post-conflict situations and collapsed States, helping to restore the
effectiveness of public administration.
Recommendation 12
181. Governments should reinforce an understanding at all levels of society
that aid is not budget support, and promote its use as a stimulant for
development and economic growth in civil society. The interaction between
political decision-making authorities and public administration agencies
responsible for formulating and implementing development projects should be
strengthened by supporting thorough analysis and review of public policies.
It is crucial to ensure that the development budget is not overburdened with
politically determined projects without appropriate technical analysis. The
incidence of cost overruns resulting from delayed implementation due to
unrealistic project budgeting, procedural complexities in procurement of
materials and constraints in recruiting appropriate personnel is quite high.
United Nations response
182. The United Nations will provide Governments with technical assistance
aimed at strengthening institutional machinery for the evaluation, both ex
ante and ex post, of consistency between development project outcomes and
macro-objectives, such as growth, employment and income distribution.
-----
This document has been posted online by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Reproduction and dissemination of the document - in electronic and/or printed format - is encouraged, provided acknowledgement is made of the role of the United Nations in making it available.
Date last posted: 24 November 1999 11:15:45
Comments and suggestions: esa@un.org