UKZN Academic Attends First International Ministerial Roundtable on Public Administration

BY: .

Professor Purshottama Reddy from the School of Management, IT and Governance attended the First International Ministerial Roundtable on Public Administration in Ramallah, Palestine, from 1 to 2 April. An initiative of the General Personnel Council under the auspices of the President of Palestine, Mr Mahmoud Abbas, it was held in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and attended by representatives from 35 states at the level of Minister of Public Administration and nine international public administration organisations. 

The Roundtable sought to consolidate the international community’s efforts towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It took place against the backdrop of changing international political, economic, social, technological and cultural conditions. Representatives of states and international organisations highlighted the major economic, social and environmental challenges confronting developing countries in a public administration context. Participants discussed strategies to respond to these challenges by setting key priorities which can be collectively implemented to enhance public administration performance in participating countries. 

Reddy, who represented the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) in his capacity as Vice-President: Programmes, outlined the activities undertaken by the organisation in relation to the SDGs. Goals 5, 16 and 17 featured prominently in the IASIA annual conferences in China, Palestine and Peru in the past three years, respectively. Reddy also presented the Outcomes Document to the delegates and emphasised the main challenges in relation to public administration for SDGs 5, 16 and 17 and key recommendations to address these issues. 

Participants adopted the Palestine Declaration of Public Administration which recognises that public administration is a critical global prerequisite for countries to achieve the SDGs, eliminate all forms of poverty and discrimination, and promote citizens’ welfare and development. The ministerial meeting is a global platform for public administration, communication and information sharing and members meet biannually in a host member country.

Words: Lungile Ngubelanga 

Photograph: Supplied