In preparation for the new sustainable development agenda that is expected to be adopted this September at the Special Summit on Sustainable Development, public administration experts are gathering at the UN to examine measures to ensure good governance, which is seen as the cornerstone of efforts to implement the new global goals.

Experts from 20 countries will make recommendations on practical measures that governments should take to implement the new goals during the 14th Session of the Committee of Experts of Public Administration (CEPA) at the UN’s New York Headquarters.

Good governance is seen as the linchpin for effective action. Countries that demonstrated good governance generally had far better success in achieving the Millennium Development Goals than countries that had weaker public institutions.

Highlighted in this year’s session is the importance of building citizens’ trust in government, including factors such as ethical leadership, accountable institutions, participatory governance, responsive public service delivery and nurturing innovation.

“These are critical areas of action for strengthening public institutions and I am convinced that your advice and recommendations will help inform the ongoing negotiations and future implementation of the post-2015 development agenda”

Wu Hongbo
UN DESA’s Under-Secretary-General

“These are critical areas of action for strengthening public institutions and I am convinced that your advice and recommendations will help inform the ongoing negotiations and future implementation of the post-2015 development agenda,” said UN DESA’s Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo, addressing the experts.

“Public institutions, while sharing the noble mission of serving the public, are often grounded in different political, social, cultural and economic conditions. Your advice and recommendations should be adaptable to national and local situations,” he added.

The meeting will highlight the ways in which good governance, supported by well-functioning public administration, is at the heart of sustainable development. Governments across the globe have a central role to play in creating a favourable environment to foster economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection.

“The vital role of institutions is built into the sustainable development goals themselves,” said Margaret Saner, the Chair of CEPA, making particular mention of Goal 16, which will call for effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, in tandem with promoting peaceful and inclusive societies and access to justice for all.

The UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration meets in New York annually. It is responsible for supporting the work of the UN Economic and Social Council on the promotion and development of public administration and governance among the UN Member States. The Committee’s recommendations on the different dimensions of building trust in government are expected to be a timely contribution to the ongoing elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda.