World leaders to meet, share experiences during seventh Global Forum

on Reinventing Government, 26-27 June

 

NEW YORK, 21 December (UN department of Economic and Social Affairs) -- The United Nations has opened registration for the Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government, which will be held at its Headquarters in Vienna from June 26 to 29 2007.  The event is expected to receive several thousand senior Government officials, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives from around the world, in addition to Heads of State and Government.  Prominent speakers will provide strategies for “Building Trust in Government”, which is the theme of this four day event.

“Building trust in Government is at the heart of the world’s quest for peace and well-being”, said the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.  “Our very ability, as a global community, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, ensures security and promote adherence to basic standards of human rights depends crucially on whether or not people have confidence in their Governments.”

He added that governments must earn that trust by strengthening popular participation in the policy process, by promoting cohesion between communities, and by practicing transparent, accountable and effective governance.

Hosted for the first time by the United Nations, the Global Forum introduces innovations and strategies to improve governance and public administration, while providing public officials to discuss their experiences in Government reinvention with experts and international colleagues.  Previous conferences have been hosted by the Governments of the United States of America, Brazil, Italy, Morocco, Mexico and the Republic of Korea.

The Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government will offer plenary sessions, workshops and meetings designed to contribute directly to the Millennium Development Goals by strengthening State capacity, improving the quality of governance, and invigorating public confidence.  As part of the conference, participants can attend one of seven highly focused capacity development workshops organized by the Institutional Partners Group, which includes members of the United Nations system and renowned institutions such as Harvard University and Transparency International.

Trust will be examined in terms of its relationship with public sector capacities and the costs in its absence.  The conference, to be organized in cooperation with the Government of Austria, will also explore different measures that Governments can and have used to strengthen and earn the trust of citizens.

“Improvements in governance and public administration have become increasingly recognized by the international community as central pillars to the successful implementation of the UN development agenda, including the Millennium Development Goals.  Governments must have the capacity to effectively implement the policies they choose, whether the policies aim to promote development, provide security for their citizens or meet other domestic objectives.  This capacity depends on the quality of public administration and governance, and on the ability of Governments to garner support”, said José Antonio Ocampo, the Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs.

He explained that the Global Forum on Reinventing Government aims to strengthen this capacity.  “Globalization, market liberalization, information and communication technologies and democratization have impacted expectations, the role of the State and interactions between Governments, the private sector and civil society.  No longer can our communities act in isolation from the outside world —- everyone is affected by the acts of others, even if indirectly”, said Ocampo.

Prospective participants can register now online for the Global Forum at www.7thglobalforum.org, where the United Nations has established a new website.

In preparation for the event, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) will hold six Regional Forums on Reinventing Government throughout 2006 in cooperation with partners.  The conclusions from each of these meetings will be presented during the plenary sessions at the Global Forum.  Some Regional Forums have already taken place, while others are yet to be held as per the following schedule:

Pacific Islands

Nadi, Republic of the Fiji Islands

20–22 February 2006

Asia

Seoul, Republic of Korea

6–8 September 2006

Latin America

Brasilia, Brazil

12-13 March 2007

Arab States

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

25–27 April 2006

Eastern Europe

Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

28–30 September 2006

Sub-Saharan Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

11–13 December 2006

Western Europe

Rome, Italy

May 2007

For further information on registration contact:  G. Shabbir Cheema, Global Forum Coordinator, tel: +1 212 963 8746, e-mail: 7thglobalforum@un.org.

For media enquiries contact:  Newton Kanhema, Department of Public Information, tel: +1 212 963 5602, e-mail: mediainfo@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record