SIGMA Ministerial Conference: Good public administration for better lives in the Western Balkans

 

Good public governance is widely recognised to play a crucial role in economic and social development. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasised the importance of a well-functioning and agile government and public administration. Countries with strong institutions, a professional civil service and user-centric public services are better at managing a crisis, and they also create an environment that facilitates private sector growth, reduces poverty and delivers for citizens.

The conference took place on 22 February 2022. It launched the SIGMA 2021 Monitoring Reports on public administrations in the Western Balkans, the results of which show how public administration reforms have advanced in recent years. Building on the findings of the reports, it focused on the key messages and lessons learned at the regional level and provided a platform for ministers to discuss what is behind the successes and challenges for implementing public administration reforms in practice, as well as what can be learned from the crisis.

The 2020 EU Enlargement methodology established the rule of law and public governance among its fundamental components. This conference also allowed for a timely discussion on the importance of public administration reforms for getting the fundamentals right in order to achieve sectoral policy objectives for the benefit of the citizens of the region.

The conference included:

• Opening by the Secretary General of the OECD and the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement to deliver political messages on the importance of good public governance for economic development, overcoming the crisis and achieving strategic policy objectives in the EU enlargement context.

• Presentation of the SIGMA 2021 assessment results in the Western Balkans.

• Ministerial-level discussion on how public governance reforms can improve the business environment and  contribute to competitiveness and general well-being in the Western Balkan region.

Speeches and presentations:

Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, OECD

Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

Ministerial panel discussion

SIGMA presentation

Speech by Elsa Pilichowski, Director for Public Governance, OECD

Speech by Andreas Schaal, Director, Global Relations Secretariat, OECD

Documents and links: 

Agenda I List of speakers I Speaker bios I Presentation by SIGMA 

2021 Monitoring Reports and related material (including regional overview and thematic summaries)

Principles of Public Administration Data Portal