OVERALL AIDE-MEMOIRE 1: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT The 2015 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony will take place in the Republic of Colombia from 23 to 26 June 2015 on the theme of “Innovating Public Service Delivery to Implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda” It is organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) through its Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) collaborating with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and with support from the hosting Government of the Republic of Colombia. Background The United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards was established in order to promote global attention and discussion on the importance of governance and public administration for the implementation of Millennium Development Goals. The ultimate goal is to build the capacity of governments to anticipate and respond to the challenges of our times. As 2015, the deadline for achieving the MDGs has come, the work ahead for every country and international community is to strategize on how to transition to and implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda including the Sustainable Development Goals to be agreed by world leaders in September 2015 building on the foundation laid by the implementation of the MDGs. Key actors and stakeholders are looking at ways to achieve a more effective balance and integration among the policies and strategies guiding the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development, as well as at the practical tools and means of implementation needed to bring about effective achievement of sustainable development.

According to the MDGs Report 2014, millions of people’s lives have improved due to concerted global, regional, national and local efforts to achieve the MDGs with many targets met on, e.g, reducing poverty, increasing access to improved drinking water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers and achieving gender parity in primary school. With the targets for the MDGs set to conclude at the end of 2015, UN Member States are in the midst of considering the Post- 2015 Development Agenda and a broader set of goals (the Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs) to follow, that are likely to be agreed to by world leaders in September 2015. The efforts, resources, and achievements of the MDGs serve as building blocks and stepping stones for the construction of a solid foundation for sustainable development beyond 2015. However, reading through the Millennium Development Goals Report 2014, especially the progress chart, more critically, and the preparatory documents for the Post-2015 Development Agenda, one notice that despite the progress made in achieving the MDGs, there is a lot of work yet to be accomplished to ensure sustainable development. First and foremost, some MDGs targets such as reducing child and maternal mortality and increasing access to sanitation are likely not to be achieved by the end of 2015. Secondly, the achievement of MDGs is impressive from a global outlook. But, when analyzed from regional and country specific perspectives, progress is insufficient in a number of areas. For example; the MDGs Report 2014 points out many areas where progress on the MDGs in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, is insufficient to reach the targets especially if the prevailing trends persist. These areas in Africa include: (i) Reducing extreme poverty by half, (ii) productive and decent employment, (iii) Reducing hunger by half, (iv) Universal primary schooling, (v) Equal enrolment for girls in primary schools, (vi) Women’s share of paid employment, (vii) Women’s equal representation in national parliaments, (viii) Reducing mortality of under-five-year-olds by two thirds, (ix) Reducing maternal mortality by three quarters, (x) Access to reproductive health, (xi) Halting and reversing the spread of tuberculosis, (xii)Halving proportion of population without improved drinking water, (xiii) Halving the proportion of population without sanitation, and (xiv) Improving the lives of slum-dwellers. This means that come the end of 2015 the work will still be ongoing and will merge with and constitute a core part of the Post-2015 Development Agenda There are many things countries will have to do to implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda. One of them, which is directly related to the United nations Public Service Awards Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony, is to strengthen the capacity of the Public Service as well as the capacity of its partners in order to be creative and innovative to improve the delivery of public services, especially those that are related to the MDGs and the Post-2015 Agenda. Doing governance and public administration and service delivery at policy making and implementation levels as usual will not deliver. “Government officials, civil society and other stakeholders have come together to exchange innovative ideas to enhance public service delivery. Public administrations around the world are responsible for providing public services and their operations have immense impact on the lives of many. In the winners today, we have seen how innovative public service delivery approaches add value to society”1. Effectiveness, responsiveness, inclusiveness, equity, and accountability, in achieving the Post- 2015 Development Agenda will require, among many other things, creativity and innovation in the delivery of public services. 1

Mr. Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary- General for Economic and Social Affairs, in his statement closing the 2014 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day, and Awards ceremony (Seoul, Korea, 26 June 2014.) 2

The United Nations is dedicated to promoting the exchange of experiences, ideas and best practices concerning innovations in governance and public administration in order to contribute to the Post-2015 Development Agenda in all the pillars of sustainable development (social, economic, and environment). Heads of State and Governance and high-level representatives who gathered in Rio de Janeiro from 20 to 22 June 2012 acknowledged that democracy, good governance and the rule of law, at the national and international levels, as well as an enabling environment, are essential for sustainable development, including sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and the eradication of poverty and hunger. They also reaffirmed that, to achieve sustainable development goals, there is need for institutions at all levels that are effective, transparent, accountable and democratic. In addition the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen international cooperation to address the persistent challenges related to sustainable development for all, in particular in developing countries. The United Nations General Assembly itself has reiterated, in resolution 57/277 that particular emphasis should be given to the exchange of experience related to the role of public administration in the implementation of internationally agreed goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. In resolution 50/225, it also underlined the importance of enhancing international cooperation in the field of public administration, including South-South and inter-Regional cooperation. Innovating and improving governance as an enabler to the achievement of MDGs, Post-2015 DevelopmentAgenda including sustainable development is critical. Since 2002, UNDESA - through its Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM), has organized global events on public governance in order to provide world leaders, innovators, government officials, and regional and international organizations with a platform to exchange ideas, practices and strategies to advance the United Nations Development Agenda.. In its Resolution 57/277, the United Nations General Assembly designated 23 June as the United Nations Public Service Day. Its purpose is to celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community at the local, national and global levels, with prizes to be awarded to public sector organizations for contributions made to the cause of enhancing the role, prestige and visibility of public service. Therefore, DPADM has organized every year since 2003 the United Nations Public Service Day and Awards Ceremony, a global event where innovators from the entire world meet to present and discuss their awarded initiatives to improve citizens’ quality of life. The United Nations Public Service Awards Programme (UNPSA), which is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service, rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UNPSA promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service. It encourages exemplary public service and recognizes that democracy and successful governance are built on a competent civil service. Since 2003, UNDESA has collected, shared, and disseminated innovative practices in public governance through the UNPSA and other knowledge bases. The UNPSA aims at discovering innovations in governance; reward excellence in the public sector; motivate public servants to further promote creativity and innovation; enhance professionalism in the public service; raise the image of public service; enhance trust in government; and collect and disseminate successful practices for possible replication. 3

The United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony, which was traditionally held at United Nations Headquarters in New York is now held every year in a different region of the world to provide a unique opportunity to countries and regions to bring together their best initiatives and share their knowledge with the world at large. It is a capacity-building forum where thinkers, leaders and innovators meet to discuss critical issues of public concern and to map out strategies and tools for the future. The 2014 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony took place in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 22 to 26 June 2014 and was attended by over 1800 participants from more than 100 countries. It focused on the theme of “Innovating Governance for Sustainable Development and Well-being of the People”. The 2013 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony took place in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain from 24 to 27 June 2013 and was attended by over 800 participants from more than 100 countries. It focused on the theme of “Transformative eGovernment and Innovation: Creating a Better Future for All”. The 2012 United Nations Public Service Forum took place at United Nations Headquarters in the General Assembly Hall from 25 to 27 June 2012 and brought together over 600 participants from 99 member states. The Forum focused on the theme of “Innovation in Citizen Engagement for Effective Governance” and marked the 10th Anniversary of the UNPSA. In 2011, the United Nations and Africa Public Service Forum was held for the first time in Africa, in Dar-es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, from 20 to 23 June 2011. For the first time ever, the United Nations Public Service Day was celebrated jointly with the African Public Service Day, both commemorated on 23 June. The event was organized by UNDESA/DPADM in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the President’s Office of the United Republic of Tanzania, which hosted the event, and in partnership with the UN-Women, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tanzania and other relevant UN agencies. More than 500 participants from over 80 countries took part in this high-level event. The 2010 United Nations Public Service Forum took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 21 to 23 June, and brought together over 400 participants, including high-level United Nations officials, ministers, senior government officials, mayors, and innovators, regional and national organizations from over 77 countries and focused on the “Role of Public Service in Achieving the Millennium Development Goals”. The Barcelona Declaration has been instrumental in sharing the recommendations made during the Forum with the world at large and is available online at the United Nations Public Administration Portal (UNPAN).

Context The 2015 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony will be held in the, Republic of Colombia at a time when the world is searching for how to improve governance and public administration as enabler to achieving MDGs, Post-2015 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development. It is a time when it is critical that governments realize that how effectively, efficiently, responsively, and equitably they deliver services to citizens one of the critical ways of achieving the Post-2015 Development Agenda 4

and Sustainable Development. It is a time when governments reflect on the obstacles and challenges they have faced, how they can build on the achievements in MDGs to ensure that poverty and hunger are eradicated and sustainable development achieved, and on what governance and public administration capacity need to be strengthened to ensure innovations in governance for sustainable development. Consequently, the theme of the 2015 Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony is on “Innovating Public Services Service Delivery to Implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda”. Transforming public administration through innovation, creativity, use of information and communications technologies and institutional and human resource capacity development as well as through sustained engagement of citizens is key to implementing the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The role of effective, capable, responsive, creative and innovative delivery of public services has never been more important than it is today to the prosperity of our societies. Governments are faced with an increase in citizens’ demands for (a) effective, equitable and citizen-centric services (including security, education, health, justice, shelter, sanitation, etc.); (b) greater levels of transparency and accountability of what government does, especially in times of scarce resources, and (c) greater citizen engagement in public decision-making processes. Achieving the Post-2015 Development Agenda will be possible when challenges such as these are effectively addressed through creativity and innovation in the delivery of public services. Innovation should not only be seen as a single practice, but as a process to transform government to better respond to citizens’ needs and aspirations crystalized in the national policies programs and strategies that reflect the ambitions of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. . In this sense, innovation can be defined and measured in terms of quality and degrees of transformation in relation to societal development goals. Although there are no “one-size fits all” recipes to innovation, there are mechanisms and tools that can help build endogenous capacity in this area sometimes inspired by experiences of innovations from elsewhere.

2: PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED RESULTS The United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony on Innovating Public Services Service Delivery to Implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda will provide a platform to explore exchange, discuss and learn about: 

Emerging issues, trends and major challenges governments and other governance actors are facing and their vision for the future, especially in light of the last drive to achieve the MDGs, Post-2015 Development Agenda and sustainable development

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Innovative practices in governance and public administration that are being spearheaded in different parts of the world

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Capacity development strategies, approaches and tools available to move forward in enabling governments and other actors to achieve Post-2015 Development Agenda and sustainable development.

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The ultimate goal of the Forum is to build the capacity of governments, particularly in developing countries and especially the Least Developed Countries, to anticipate and respond, innovative ways, to the many challenges posed by the implementation of the MDGS and how countries’ strategies will transit from implementing the MDGs to implementing the Post-2015 Development Agenda. At the same time the Forum also provides opportunity to promote international and regional cooperation, while giving government officials and other stakeholders an opportunity to exchange good practices, experiences and lessons learned through networking opportunities. The 2015 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony, will build a shared understanding among governmental leaders and all governance actors of innovative government policies and strategies, practices and tools Member States can adopt to build public sector capacities to promote a more effective, transparent, accountable, participatory and citizen-centric governance and public administration and service delivery with a view to ensure effective implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The Forum will be conducted in plenary sessions and parallel capacity development workshops, and other events including Expert Group meetings, exhibitions and study visits. The plenary sessions, including the Ministerial Roundtable, will provide an opportunity for shared learning. The parallel capacity development workshops and the Expert Group Meeting, which will have the same broad objectives, will provide participants an opportunity to:   

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Present and discuss challenges and innovative trends in public governance and service delivery in the specific thematic area; Share successful experiences in strengthening public administration capacity for effective delivery of public services; Discuss what tools are available to strengthen public administration capacity in the area of innovation and e-government, with a particular focus not only on what policy options are available, but also on how to enable countries to build such capacity to effectively deliver public services; Strengthen North-South and South-South cooperation to enhance public sector capacity building for service delivery and the implementation of the 2015 development Agenda

Expected Results The following results are expected from the Forum: 

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Enhanced knowledge of challenges and trends, best practices and tools in innovating governance and public administration and the delivery of services, which will be further shared with all UN Member States through the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) Shared possibilities and plans of adapting good practices in the delivery of public services through peer-to-peer learning and transfer of innovations; Shared innovative capacity development tools and approaches, manuals, and guidelines to build national and local capacity of governance and public administration and service delivery for implementing the Post-2015 Development Agenda effectively.

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Network with government officials, experts, academics and practitioners from around the world during and beyond the event; Renewed public sector leadership commitment and inspiration to engage in promoting creativity and innovations in public sector institutions for effective, efficient, responsive, equitable, and accountable delivery of public services to implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda. .

3: THEMATIC FOCUS To supplement the overall theme of the United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony of “Innovating Public Services Service Delivery to Implement the Post2015 Development Agenda” the parallel capacity development workshops and the Expert Group Meetings will focus on various aspects of strengthening governance and public administration capacity for innovative delivery of Public Services. Information about each of the thematic areas is provided bellow: (i) Innovating Public Service Delivery for Sustainable Development (Ad Hoc Expert group Meeting) The General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/66288 of 11 September 2012), acknowledged that “democracy, good governance and the rule of law, at the national and international levels, as well as an enabling environment, are essential for sustainable development, including sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and the eradication of poverty and hunger”; and “reaffirmed that, to achieve our sustainable development goals, we need institutions at all levels that are effective, transparent, accountable and democratic”. Clearly if governance and public administration have to be an effective enabler of sustainable development, there have to be innovations and transformations to make governance and public administration an effective instrument for such a big task. The first plenary and the capacity building workshops especially the Expert Group Meeting on Innovating Service delivery for sustainable development will explore and make proposals and recommendations on how to promote creativity, innovations and transformation in the public sector and strengthen public administration capacities for effective, efficient, responsive, equitable and accountable delivery of public services for sustainable development. (ii) Strengthening Capacities for Professionalism, Integrity, Ethics and Accountability in the Public Service in Latin American Countries (DPADM/DESA and INAP/Mexico Joint Regional Capacity Building workshop) The workshop is being organised jointly by the DPADM/DESA and the National institute of Public Administration of Mexico(INAP) with the following objectives: to contribute to the strengthening of capacities of Public Officials to analyse and understand the linkage between professionalism, integrity, ethics, and accountability in the public service; to contribute to developing and strengthening professionalism, ethics, integrity, accountability, and other human resource capacities (knowledge, skills, attitude, networks, etc) in the public service in Latin American countries that can contribute to responsive and accountable behaviour in the delivery of public services in Latin America; to contribute to development and strengthening of capacities in Latin American Public Service leadership for engagement of the citizens, civil society and private sector actors and stakeholders in public service operations to ensure transparency and accountability in the delivery of public services. 7

(iii): E-Government as a Driving Force for Institutional Integration towards Sustainable Development E-Government has progressed to the point that it is now a force for effective governance and citizen participation, both at national and local levels. With the Post-2015 Development Agenda being advanced by all Governments worldwide, it is no longer a question of whether we can afford information and communication technology in health, education, economy, environmental protection and a multitude of other areas, but where to deploy them first and how rapidly gains can be realized. During the past couple of decades, the global community has gathered unquestionable evidence that e-Government can contribute to efficiency, transparency and citizen satisfaction in public service delivery. Drawing on regional and national experiences, the Workshop will focus on innovations for whole-of-government approaches as well as improving the delivery of services through ICTs and e-Government development, which are key themes for the United Nations Public Service Awards. Thus, by focusing on proven mechanisms, good practices and approaches for both back-office integration and front office channels, including multichannel service delivery, the Workshop will encapsulate a state-of-the-art panorama for enhancing public service delivery based on factual evidence and experience of e-Government development for the Post-2015 Development Agenda. (iv): Internet Governance for Innovation and Sustainable Development A Capacity Building workshop organized by DPADM/DESA and IGF Secretariat This two-day workshop has the objective of contributing to the strengthening of capacities of government officials and other relevant stakeholders, particularly those from developing countries, to better understand and take part in the global Internet governance debate for promoting an open and free internet that can foster innovation for pursuing the post-2015 development agenda and meet the challenges of sustainable development. This participatory capacity-development workshop will explore the evolution of Internet governance, identify the roles of the major stakeholders, and provide information on the Internet Governance Forum and the ways that interested governments, individuals and organizations can get involved. It will look at the impact of the Internet as the main medium in ICT for development and consider the advantages of the multi-stakeholder model of policy development. Internet governance for giving equal and fair access to the Internet and to bridging the digital divide; balancing among security, openness and privacy may also be addressed, depending on participant feedback. (v): Innovations in Gender-Responsive Service Delivery for Post-2015 Development Agenda Public service delivery is at the core of democratic governance. Ensuring the provision of accessible, affordable and quality public services is essential for achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. However, public sector institutions continue to face several challenges in the delivery of gender-responsive and equitable services, including the low representation of women in decision-making positions in public sector administration; limited capacity within public sector institutions to conduct gender analysis, planning and budgeting for gender-responsive services; and, finally, insufficient investment to address the multiple and interconnected needs of women and girls across their life cycle. 8

Globally, governments at national and sub-national levels are taking action in order to make public services more responsive to the needs of women and girls. These efforts can be seen through the development of multi-sectoral public service initiatives to address priority areas, such as violence against women; integrating women as frontline service providers; and using information and communication technology (ICT) tools to strengthen monitoring of service provision. UN Women will organize a workshop to bring together governments and civil society organizations to share innovative practices, lessons learned and challenges in delivering efficient and effective public services that meet the needs of women and girls. It is envisaged that the workshop will provide participants with practical knowledge and skills to leverage and build on these experiences to address the unfinished business of the MDGs on gender equality and women’s rights in the context of the post-2015 development agenda and implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). (vi): Public Service Management Models Colombia plans to be a model of good governance and is aware of the challenges that are involved in achieving this ambition. One of the priorities of the current government is to achieve Good Government based on five pillars: the efficient use of public resources, transparency and accountability, citizen participation, strengthening the fight against corruption and dedication to public service. Effective governance should be geared to achieving results, innovate and develop efficiency initiatives such as streamlining procedures within the entities- to promote shared services, to advance a better internal control, and make better use of technology, among others. "The government innovation involves looking to the future, to create a new management model, a new model of administration. Not innovation for innovation, but generate added value, “stressed the President Juan Manuel Santos. The Public Service Forum is an opportunity to learn and set clear goals that lead us to have a governance model that meets the needs of today's world and the challenges ahead. The Country will go through exercises in the largest and most diverse in the world co-creation, which will be carried out in record time, using research processes, creativity and design solutions, whose goal is to design the future of public service. The thematic areas we propose are: provision of public services, egovernment, Focus gender, public service management models. The idea is to develop in three stages: understanding, creating and arming using different themes and activities. (vii): Ministerial Roundtable. The conclusions and recommendations of the parallel workshops and the Expert Group Meeting will be reflected in the Communiqué of the Forum and discussed during a high-level Ministerial Roundtable.

4: THE HOSTING COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA The 2015 United Nations Public Service Awards Forum, Day and Awards Ceremony is supported and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Colombia. This is highly symbolic and unique as the Republic of Colombia has, since 2007 (that is as far back as the 9

data base of the United Nations Public Service Awards Program which started in 2003 can be traced), without fail participated in the United Nations Public Service Awards Competition. In 2011, Colombia won the United Nations Public Service Awards in Category two: “Improving the Delivery of Public Service”. The Republic of Colombia has sustained support and collaboration with UNDESA in promoting innovation in the Public Sector as well as in e-government including providing financing for the e-government center based in Colombia. The country’s offer to support and host the 2015 United Nations Public Service Forum, Day and Awards is in this light part and parcel of Colombia’s dedication to the promotion of creativity and innovation in the Public sector for improving the delivery of public services.

5: ORGANIZATION Participants Over 800 participants are expected to attend the Forum, including high-level United Nations officials and representatives of the Republic of Colombia, as well as world leaders, ministers, senior government officials, mayors, civil society representatives, the academia, the private sector, and representatives from international and regional organizations.

Official Languages The official languages of the meeting will be Arabic, English, French and Spanish during the plenary sessions (23th and 26th of June) and selected workshops. Other workshops/Expert Group Meeting will be conducted in English and Spanish only. Information on the languages will be made available by each workshop/Expert Group Meeting.

Electronic Networking All the documents of the meeting will be posted online at the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) at http://www.unpan.org/unpsa and the website of the Colombia Taskforce on the UNPSA/Forum.

Format of the Forum The Forum will be conducted evolving around five major components: 1)

Plenary sessions to discuss emerging issues challenges and trends related to innovations in the delivery of public services for implementing the Post-2015 Development Agenda;

2)

Parallel capacity development workshops/Expert Group Meeting to analyse and allow for in-depth discussions about trends, innovative practices and lessons learned in key areas of governance and public administration and the delivery of public services

3)

Ministerial Roundtable, CIO Roundtable, and presentation of the Forum (with inputs from all workshops and the Expert Group Meetings);

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4)

United Nations Public Service Awards Ceremony;

5)

Public Service Day Exhibition, organized alongside the Forum.

It is expected that the parallel capacity development workshops and the Expert Group Meeting will be highly interactive since all participants will be given the opportunity to think analytically about the cases being awarded and bring in their own experience and expertise of what helps countries strengthen capacities to be creative and innovative in public administration and the delivery of services. The Forum will end with a plenary session where the rapporteur will present to the larger audience a set of recommendations on the way forward. Recommendations from each workshop and the Expert Group Meeting will be integrated in one rapporteur’s Communique to be presented and discussed on the last day of the Forum during the Ministerial Roundtable. They will then be incorporated into the Forum Final Report.

6: CONTACT INFORMATION For overall substantive and organizational enquiries, please contact: John-Mary Kauzya | Chief, Public Administration Capacity Branch Division for Public Administration and Development Management Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations Secretariat Room DC2-1734 | Email: [email protected] | Tel: +1 (212) 963 1973 | www.un.org/desa Stefania Senese | Governance and Public Administration Officer Public Administration Capacity Branch Division for Public Administration and Development Management Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations Secretariat Room DC2-1734 | Email: [email protected] | Tel: +1 (212) 963 7188 | www.un.org/desa Simen Gudevold (Mr.) | Associate Governance and Public Administration Officer Public Administration Capacity Branch Division for Public Administration and Development Management Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations Secretariat Room DC2-1738 | Email: [email protected] | Tel: +1 (212) 963 4851 | www.un.org/desa

Flor de Maria Velazco-Juarez | Public Administration Capacity Branch Division for Public Administration and Development Management | Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations | Room DC2-1733-E | Email: [email protected] | Tel: +1 (917) 367 7004 | www.un.org/desa

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