16-19 June 2003 – Dublin, Ireland

The United Nations Expert Group Meeting entitled “Improving Public Sector Effectiveness” took place in Dublin, Ireland from 16-19 June 2003. The Meeting was organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and hosted by the Government of Ireland.

The purpose of the Meeting is to provide the United Nations Commission for Social Development with independent expert opinion and advice on “Improving Public Sector Effectiveness,” which is the priority theme of the Commission at its upcoming 42nd session to be convened in February 2003. The outcome of the Meeting will include a summary of discussion as well as policy recommendations for submission to the Commission for its consideration and for use by the United Nations Secretariat in the preparation of its Report of the Secretary-General on the priority theme, also to be submitted to the Commission for its 42nd session.

Agenda of the meeting follows:
United Nations Expert Group Meeting: Improving Public Sector Effectiveness
Hosted by the Government of Ireland, Dublin, 16-19 June 2003

Agenda

Sunday, 15 June 2003: Arrival of participants

Day 1: Monday, 16 June 2003

9.00 Opening Session
Welcome: Mr. Gerry Mangan, Director, Social Inclusion Unit, Department of Social and Family Affairs, Government of Ireland

Mr. Sergei Zelenev, Chief, Social Analysis and Policy Section, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations

10.00 Session

Theme: Challenges faced by the public sector vis-à-vis its role and effectiveness: national and international perspectives
Possible issues: Past and current views of the role of the public sector, forces for public sector reform, approaches shaping the reform agenda, resource constraints, the quest for new partnerships in service provision, integrated development approaches and privatization and its social effects. Chairperson: Prof. Viviene Taylor, Deputy Executive Director of the Commission on Human Security, United Nations

Presentations by:
Prof. Andrew S. Downes, Professor and Director, Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, University of West Indies, BarbadosProf. Uma Devi Sambasivan, Professor, Centre for Women and Gender Research, University of Bergen, Norway Discussion

10.45 Break

11.00 Session I continued

Presentations by:
Dr. Peter Humphreys, Director of Research, Institute of Public Administration, IrelandProf. Viviene Taylor, Deputy Executive Director of the Commission on Human Security, United NationsDiscussion

12.45 Meeting adjourns

13.00 Lunch

14.15 Session II

Theme: Measurement of effectiveness in the public sector

Possible issues: Definition of public sector effectiveness, factors that strengthen or weaken the capacity for public sector effectiveness, efficiency and equity considerations in policy making, cost savings and improved outcomes dilemma, role of institutional factors.Chairperson: Prof. Mary Jo Bane, Thornton Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy and Management, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USAPresentations by:
Prof. Gelase Mutahaba, Policy Adviser on Coordination of Public Sector Reforms, Public Service Reform Programme, Civil Service Department, President’s Office, Tanzania

Discussion

15.15 Break

15.30 Session II continued

Presentation by:
Prof. George Boyne, Professor of Public Sector Management, Deputy Director (Research), Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, U.K.
Prof. Ryszard Rapacki, Head, Department of Economics, Business Government Inter Faculty Group, Warsaw School of Economics, Poland

Discussion

17.30 Meeting adjourns

Day 2: Tuesday, 17 June 2003

9.00 Session I

Theme: Budget constraints, social spending trade-offs and priorities

Possible issues: Resource mobilization and taxation dilemmas, efforts to improve imbalances in the patterns of public expenditure, some criteria for recurrent expenditures vs. longer-term spending, rules, priorities and sequencing in budget matters.Chairperson: Prof. Andrew S. Downes, Professor and Director, Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, University of West Indies, Barbados

Presentations by:
Prof. Andrey Borodaevsky, Professor at the Department of Law and International Economic Relations, Seinan Gakuin University, Fukuoka, JapanDr. Geedreck Usvatte-Aratchi, Marga Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Discussion

10.45 Break

11.00 Session I continued

Presentation by:
Prof. Mary Jo Bane, Thornton Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy and Management, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA

Discussion

12.45 Meeting adjourns

13.00 Lunch

14.15 Session II

Theme: Ways and means to increase managerial efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector.

Possible issues: Processes vs. actual results, efforts to combine flexibility and accountability, human resource development, challenges of decentralised management.

Chairperson: Dr. Peter Humphreys, Director of Research, Institute of Public Administration, Ireland

Presentations by:
Dr. Carola Donner-Reichle, Director of the Department, Social Development Capacity Building International, GermanyMs. Roxana Viquez Salazar, Director, Foreign Service Foundation for Peace and Democracy, Costa Rica

Discussion

15.15 Break

15.30 Session II continued

Presentations by:
Mr. William Dorotinsky, Public Sector Specialist, Public Sector Governance Department,Poverty Reduction and Economic Management(PREM) Vice Presidency, World Bank

Ms. Shizue Tomoda, Public Services Specialist, Sectoral Activities Department, International Labour Office

17.30 Meeting adjourns

18.30 – 20.00 Reception hosted by Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Government of Ireland

Day 3: Wednesday, 18 June 2003

9.00 Session I – Work on Recommendations

Chair: Mr. Sergei Zelenev

10.15 Coffee break

10.30 Session I continued

Two working groups on policy recommendations

13.45 Meeting adjourns

14.00 Lunch

15.00 Visit to European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

Day 4: Thursday, 19 June 2003

9.00 Session I

Report of the Rapporteur

10.45 Coffee break

11.00 Session I continued

Discussion

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Session I continued

16.00 Close of the Meeting