The draft of the Government of Turkmenistan’s 2030 Socio-economic Strategy was reviewed by DESA’s Inter-regional Advisor Mr. Tikhomirov during a mission from 30 May to 5 June

As a result of Mr. Tikhomirov’s additional comments and advice on the strategy, it was approved and preparations for its implementation were commenced.

In addition, Mr. Tikhomirov met with Mr. Lenni Montiel, UN Resident Coordinator, to discuss a project proposal for support to the Government of Turkmenistan for the implementation of the 2030 Socio-Economic strategy. The UN Resident Coordinator expressed an interest in fundraising for this project in the amount of more than 2 million dollars for the period 2010-2012. Other international organizations such as EBRD and the British Embassy also expressed a wish to participate in the fundraising and implementation of the project.

During his mission, Mr. Tikhomirov met with H.E. Mr. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan, Mr. Rashid Meredov, Deputy Prime-Minister (Foreign Affairs), Mr. T. Japarov, Deputy Prime-Minister (Economics), Mr. H. Muhamedov, Deputy Prime-Minister (Office of the President), Mr. R. Saparaliev, Deputy Prime – Minister (Academy for Public Service under the President of Turkmenistan, Education and Science) and Ministers of Finance, Economics and Development, and other high-level officials.

Mr. Tikhomirov delivered a presentation and participated in a high-level management meeting on capacity development issues of public service and establishing a public administration knowledge base, which was held under the supervision of Mr. T. Japarov, the Deputy Prime-Minister.

Coping with challenges of the 21st Century

Advisory Mission to Burkina Faso and Regional Workshop on 1 June, co-organized by DESA, increased the visibility of the Economic and Social Councils (ESCs)

Council Presidents, Secretary Generals and council members came from Benin, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal and Italy attended the workshop and participants discussed the requirements for ESC to cope with the challenges of the twenty-first century. More specifically, it was discussed how councils can contribute to national development strategies and policies in response to the current economic crisis.

Prime Minister of Burkina Faso Mr. Tertius Zongo and the President of the African Union of ESC (UCESA) Mr. Michel Kamano expressed their gratitude for the involvement of DESA and wished that it may continue.

Towards the end of the workshop participants discussed their demand for capacity building and listed the following future activities, which can be at least partly supported in the framework of the ongoing Development Account Project, aimed at strengthening ESC in Africa:

• Development of a Knowledge Base on ESC (ongoing; DESA/AICESIS)
• Training on Knowledge Management (fall 2010; Kenya)
• Workshop on Citizen Engagement and the Global Employment Pact (2010; Benin)
• Workshop on public policies and the development of a toolkit (early 2011; Senegal).

NATO to fund governments of CIS

Advisory Mission to Poland from 11 – 15 May and to Italy from 16 to 22 May to establish an e-government knowledge base

One of the major outcomes of an advisory mission to Poland and Italy by the DPADM Interregional Advisor, Mr. Alexei Tikhomirov, was the agreement of the NATO Institute to provide funding and support to the governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the establishment of an e-government knowledge base covering topics such as the integrity, accountability, confidentiality of information, as well as the development of a secure information systems, for the delivery of services to citizens.

DPADM/UNDESA was invited to participate as a key partner with NATO on this initiative. Mr. Tikhomirov’s mission to Italy was funded by a NATO grant.

Improving management with ICTs

Proposed advisory services to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique

It has been proposed that DESA provides advisory services to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique for a project on improving the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation using ICT tools. This proposal resulted from a meeting on future cooperation with the Director that was requested by Ambassador José Rui Amaral, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, of the Republic of Mozambique.

At this meeting, the Ambassador sought advice how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The Ambassador stated that based on this meeting his recommendation to the Minister would be to establish a technical cooperation advisory service project, funded by UNDP, and to request advisory services from DESA on institutional reform through the application of ICT tools.