ESCWA Publication: E/ESCWA/CL6.GCP/2024/TP.1
Country: Arab region, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Kingdom of Bahrain, Republic of Djibouti, Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, State of Kuwait, Lebanese Republic, State of Libya, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Kingdom of Morocco, Sultanate of Oman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Republic of Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Republic of Yemen
Publication Type: Information material
Cluster: Governance and Conflict Prevention
Focus Area: Governance & enabling environment, Resilient development & conflict prevention
Initiatives: Development challenges, Governance and institution building, Life Cycle
SDGs: Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Keywords: Algeria, Arab countries, Bahrain, Capacity building, Civil service reform, Civil society, Djibouti, E-government, Egypt, Governance, Institution building, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Political conditions, Political corruption, Popular participation, Population trends, Public administration, Public institutions, Recommendations, Regional cooperation, Resources mobilization, Saudi arabia, Skills development, Sudan, Sustainable development, Syrian arab republic, Technical cooperation, Tunisia, United arab emirates, War prevention, Yemen
Modernizing public administrations for the SDGs in the Arab region
December 2024
The Economic and Social Council has affirmed, in several resolutions on public administration and development, that service to citizens should be at the centre of transforming public administration. The Council also maintained that sustainable development at all levels must include transparent, participatory and accountable governance and a professional, ethical, responsive and information and communications technology-enabled public administration. This report argues that developing an effective and efficient public administration, with skilled civil servants capable of addressing contemporary demands and challenges, plays a pivotal role in a country’s pursuit of sustainable development. As such, public administration modernization and institutional development are main contributors to political stability, conflict prevention and the promotion of development and peaceful societies in the member countries of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
The report showcases the strong correlation between public administration modernization and development outcomes. It demonstrates that countries that have progressed along a sustainable development trajectory are often the ones that effectively harness the capabilities of their civil services at both the national and subnational levels. It also highlights how civil services serve as the driving force behind transformative initiatives and the construction of prosperous societies. The report also proposes a number of recommendations, including the establishment of a regional platform for public administration and civil service modernization in the Arab States.
Related content
Governance & enabling environment
, Resilient development & conflict prevention
,
The Economic and Social Council has affirmed, in several resolutions on public administration and development, that service to citizens should be at the centre of transforming public administration. The Council also maintained that sustainable development at all levels must include transparent, participatory and accountable governance and a professional, ethical, responsive and information and communications technology-enabled public administration. This report argues that developing an effective and efficient public administration, with skilled civil servants capable of addressing contemporary demands and challenges, plays a pivotal role in a country’s pursuit of sustainable development. As such, public administration modernization and institutional development are main contributors to political stability, conflict prevention and the promotion of development and peaceful societies in the member countries of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
The report showcases the strong correlation between public administration modernization and development outcomes. It demonstrates that countries that have progressed along a sustainable development trajectory are often the ones that effectively harness the capabilities of their civil services at both the national and subnational levels. It also highlights how civil services serve as the driving force behind transformative initiatives and the construction of prosperous societies. The report also proposes a number of recommendations, including the establishment of a regional platform for public administration and civil service modernization in the Arab States.
