The Government Summit, the first of its kind regional initiative is being held in Dubai from February 11 to 12, 2013, announced partnership with the United Nations to organise workshops on the UN Public Service Award – the most prestigious international recognition in public service excellence.
Prior to the Summit, a capacity building workshop on innovation in government was held in cooperation with the United Nations Award on Public Service. The pre-Summit workshop was organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).
“The Government Summit, through its strategic partnership with the United Nations and other international organizations, seeks to transfer knowledge and best practices on government services to institutions in the UAE and the Arab world. The focus of these workshops is to promote creativity and innovation, ensuring the continuous development of government services,” Ohood Al Roumi, Director General of the Prime Minister Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, said.
“The UN Public service awards are regarded as the most prestigious recognition for excellence in government services, and by hosting the workshops attended by international experts and UAE government representatives, The Government Summit aims to encourage governmental agencies to further improve their services in line with the criteria for the Awards,” she added.
Vincenzo Aquaro, Chief – e-Government Branch at UN DESA’s Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) presented the opening remarks at the capacity building workshop, attended by over 400 delegates. This was followed by two sessions on ‘Recognising and Rewarding Innovation in Government’ and on ‘Promoting Transfer and Adaptation of Innovations in the Arab Region’ by Dr. Adriana Alberti, Co-ordinator, Innovation in Public Governance Programme and Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer at DPADM. The second session was also addressed by Anni Haataja, Information Management Officer, e-Government Branch of DPADM, UN DESA.
The UN Public Service Awards best practice workshops, during the Summit, covers three key areas: ‘Innovation in regulatory reform and administrative simplification for effective service delivery;’ ‘Innovation in public governance through networks and partnerships;’ and ‘Innovation in e-Services.’
Ohood Al Roumi said that several government entities in the UAE have won the United Nations Public Service Awards in different fields, underlining the best services and practices adapted by UAE Government.
Organising international workshops that focus on innovation in government services is part of the objective of The Government Summit to establish a global platform to further enhance government services in the region.
The Government Summit will host regional and international speakers, including representatives of the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, among others. The agenda of the Summit covers all aspects of government services, and will include a detailed discussion on the UAE’s model in developing government services covering Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s experiences in government service provision.
Several country-specific best practice workshops will be held with representatives from Singapore, Canada, South Korea, Denmark, Australia, and Brazil, among others, sharing their learnings in efficient government services, e-governance, citizen-centric services, and innovation, among other topics, with the participants.