Workshop 7 on “Mobilizing and Equipping Public Servants to Realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” was held from 24-25 June 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan during the 2019 United Nations Public Service Forum. Over 40 participants attended the Workshop and discussed the key mindsets, values and skills that can help support public service transformation to achieve the SDGs. Mr. Nikhil Seth, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR delivered the keynote speech which was followed by regional trends in mainstreaming the SDGs in the curricula of schools of public administration and country presentations showcasing the changes they have already implemented in professionalizing public service to achieve the SDGs. Experts and practitioners shared tools and methodologies that can accelerate transformation of public administration in line with key SDG targets. Participants agreed that with less than eleven years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, working with a sense of urgency is imperative, strengthening public institutions through internalization of values, beliefs, mindsets and the principles for effective governance. This includes closing the intention-action gap, shift in business-as-usual in public administration to ensure no one is left behind, and breaking down the “us” vs “them” dynamics in public service. All participants were very engaged in the interactive session and highly appreciated this opportunity for knowledge sharing and exchange of good practices to effectively change mindsets and drive change towards the implementation of the SDGs. 

 

Day 1: 24 June 2019
Session I. The Global Trends, Regional and National Perspectives on Public Administration Readiness for the 2030 Agenda
14:30 – 16:00	Keynotes	● H.E. Mr. Shahin Mustafayev, Minister of Economy, Republic of Azerbaijan TBC ● Mr. Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
	Introductory Presentations
	Overview of the Global Initiative for Schools of Public Administration on Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and Workshop Objectives	● Ms. Adriana Alberti, Chief, Capacity Development Unit, Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG), UN DESA
	Changing Public Service Behavior and Transforming Mindsets to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals	● Ms. Lori Foster, Professor, North Carolina State University
	Roundtable Discussion on Regional Trends	Moderator: Ms. Laila El Baradei, Dean, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, American University of Cairo ● Small Island Developing States: Mr. Martin Mahe, Chairman, Public Service Commission, Vanuatu ● Asia: Mr. Alex Brillantes, President, Asian Association of Public Administration (AAPA) ● Africa : Ms. Jessica Omundo, Programme Office, African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) ● Latin America: Mr. Francisco Javier Velázquez, Secretary-General, Latin American Centre of Administration for Development (CLAD) ● Europe : Mr. Nick Thijs, Public Sector Reform Expert, Public Sector Development Institute, Belgium ● Middle East and North Africa: Ms. Lamia Moubayed-Bissat, President, Governance Institutes Forum for Training in the Middle East and North Africa (GIFT-MENA)
	Questions & Answers
16:00 – 16:20	Coffee Break
16:20 – 17:30	Presentation of National Cases and Interactive Discussion - Roundtable Discussion on Country Cases	Moderator : Mr. Orlando S. Mercado, Secretary-General, Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration, EROPA • Nepal : Mr. Narayan Gopal Malego, Senior Director of Studies, National Administrative Staff College • Peru : Mr. Dante Mendoza Antonioli, Director, National School of Public Administration (ENAP) • Uganda : Ms. Savia Mugwanya, Commissioner, Civil Service College, Ministry of Public Service • Oman : Ms. Fatma Al-Balushi, Director, Ministry of Civil Service • Pakistan: Mr. Azmat Ali Ranjha, Rector of the National School for Public Policy • Guatemala : Mr. Marco Tulio Cajas, Director, National Institute of Public Administration • Bhutan : Ms. Karma Hamu Dorjee, Chairman, Royal Civil Service Commission
	Questions & Answers	Rapporteur: Ms. Sara Castro-Hallgren, Programme Expert, UNPOG, DPIDG, UN DESA
Day 2: 25 June 2019
Session II. Strategies, Knowledge and Enabling Factors to Transform Mindsets of Public Servants and Build Capacities for SDG Implementation		Moderator : Ms. Munira Aminova, Acting Dean and Professor, United Business Institutes, Belgium
11:00 – 13:00	What strategies can ensure that principles are applied in new public service contexts?	• Ms. Lamia Moubayed, UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration
	What are the institutional changes for implementing the 2030 Agenda?	• Ms. Adriana Alberti, Chief, Programme Management and Capacity Development Unit, DPIDG, UN DESA
	How do institutions change, and how can new beliefs and values be internalized?	• Mr. Stephan Mergenthaler, Head of Strategic Intelligence, World Economic Forum
	What factors influence and help to shape change in organizational culture, with a focus on public sector?	• Mr. Faisal Naru, Head of Strategic Management and Coordination Executive Director’s Office, OECD
	How can transformational leaders and changing mindsets impact society’s shared values, culture, social norms, and impact for the SDGs?	• Prof. Adil Khan, Honorary Professor of Development Practice, School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Australia
	How can changes in mindsets lead to changes in public service performance to deliver on the SDGs? What capacities and new values need to be put in place?	• Ms. Paivi Hirvola, Director, Societal Training and Development, SITRA, Finland
	Questions & Answers	Rapporteur: Mr. Georges Labaki, President, Lebanon School of Public Administration
13:00 – 14:30	Lunch Break
Session III. Methodologies to Effectively Change Mindsets and Competencies to Implement the SDGs		Moderator : Mr. John-Mary Kauzya, Chief, Public Service Innovation Branch, DPIDG, UN DESA
14:30 – 16:00	Methodologies to Effectively Transform Mindsets in Public Service	● Mr. Stéphane Monney Mouandjo, Director-General, African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD) ● Ms. Kuralay Baibatyrova, Expert, United Nations Development Programme Astana Civil Service Hub, Kazakhstan
	How can Public Service Capacity be Enhanced by Using Economic Analytical Tools?	● Mr. Namsuk Kim, Economic Affairs Officer, Economic Analysis and Policy Division, UN DESA
	From ACB to MCB to Effectively Change Mindsets and Drive Change towards the Implementation of the SDGs: European Insights and Practices	● Mr. Alexander Heichlinger, Co-Founder & Chair CEFG Group, Expert & Manager, European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) Barcelona, Spain
	Overview and Impact of the African Task Force of the Global Initiative for Schools of Public Administration on Implementing the SDGs	● Ms. Innocente Murasi, Executive Director, Local Governance Institute, Kigali, Rwanda
	Overview and Impact of the Asian Task Force of the Global Initiative for Schools of Public Administration on Implementing the SDGs	● Mr. M. Aslam Alam, Rector, Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre
	What are the Key Elements for a Competency Framework for the 2030 Agenda? Presentation of the Common Competency Framework for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)	● Ms. Mariastefania Senese, Programme Management Officer, DPIDG, UN DESA ● Ms. Sara Castro-Hallgren, Programme Expert, UNPOG/DPIDG, UN DESA
	Questions & Answers	Rapporteur: Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Hoa, Director of International Cooperation Department, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
16:00 – 16:20	Coffee Break
Interactive Discussion on the Next Steps of the Global Initiative for Schools of Public Administration on Implementing the SDGs
17:20 – 17:30	Facilitated Discussion	● Ms. Adriana Alberti, Chief, DPIDG, UN DESA ● Ms. Mariastefania Senese, Programme Management Officer, DPIDG, UN DESA ● Ms. Sara Castro-Hallgren, Programme Expert, UNPOG/DPIDG, UN DESA
Closing of the Workshop
17:20 – 17:30	Closing Remarks and Key Messages	● Ms. Adriana Alberti, Chief, DPIDG, UN DESA