Promoting Ethics, Integrity And Professional Standards In The Public Service

To assist member countries of the Commonwealth in developing their public service sector by promoting integrity and high ethical standards, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are holding a five-day meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, this week, from 26 to 30 April, that will culminate in a Meeting of Ministers of Public Services in West Africa.

The meeting, with the theme 'Trust in Government -- Promoting Ethics, Integrity and Professional Standards in the Public Service', reflects the Secretariat's aim of assisting member governments in promoting and monitoring ethical conduct and professionalism in their public services.

Professor Victor Ayeni, Director of the Governance and Institutional Development Division of the Secretariat, said: "The Secretariat is committed to advance the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development initiative, including through working with and helping to strengthen ECOWAS as a critical regional organisation."
 
He said apart from imparting skills that are critical for advancing the implementation of the Charter for Public Service, this effort works towards building strategic alliances with ECOWAS in the area of public service enhancement.

The participants at the meeting comprise representatives from the 16 ECOWAS member states (Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, which are also Commonwealth members, and the 11 non-Commonwealth states -- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo), as well as some regional organisations.

The first four days of the meeting involves the presentation of country reports by senior government officials including discussions on building trust, accountability and integrity in public services. On Friday, 30 April, the strategies proposed by the senior officials will be reviewed for adoption by the Ministers of Public Services.

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 181   28 April 2004