Barbados hosts Commonwealth forum on public sector development

The second Commonwealth Ministers Forum on Public Sector Development will be held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 22-23 October 2008. The theme is ‘Managing relationships for good governance and development’.

Some 35 countries from across the Commonwealth are expected to participate in this high-level consultative meeting. Heads of country delegations, most of whom are ministers responsible for public service, will examine the issues of effective leadership, good governance, institutional development, human resource development, and the use of information and communication technology to enhance public service delivery.

Ministers will also discuss ways to lever strategic partnerships with development organisations, donor agencies and international investors. They will consider the Paris Declaration on aid co-ordination and the implications for aid-recipient countries.

The Forum will also look at trends, challenges and priorities for action in supporting dynamic leadership in public sector development and in building viable national networks with the private sector and civil society for the development, implementation and evaluation of public policies and programmes.

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith, who will chair the Forum, said: “This year’s Forum on public sector development will focus on the importance of building strong networks and managing relationships within an increasingly complex governance environment. To be effective, modern bureaucracies must be capable of not only developing and implementing policy options chosen by political leadership, but also capable of nurturing and managing strategic relationships within and across the public, private and civil sectors of society.”

Mr Smith added: “For many Commonwealth member countries, external organisations such as international NGOs and investment banks represent another layer of influence and negotiation that must be effectively managed to ensure that equitable development and enhanced democracy are prioritised as the strategic goals of public sector reforms.”

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• Country Profile: India
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