The Regional Symposium on “Building Effective, Accountable and Inclusive Institutions and Public Administration for Advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” held in Incheon welcomed 130 delegates representing 25 countries from the Asia-Pacific region. Organized by UNPOG in partnership with UNDP and UN ESCAP, the symposium focused on developing the capacity of governments to address various challenges posed by the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and to respond to the SDGs in innovative ways. The symposium concluded with commitments and actions for localizing the SDGs, improving public service delivery, engaging all stakeholders (particularly civil society organizations and the private sector), enhancing means of implementation, and adapting plans and policies to the SDGs and to national contexts. (Reference: https://publicadministration.un.org/en/news-and-events/calendar/ModuleID/1146/ItemID/2955/mctl/EventDetails)

 

 

 

The symposium was a very meaningful event in a series of UN regional symposiums first launched last year by UNDESA for the implementation of the SDGs. 
 
Also, there was a study tour before symposium. It allowed participants to explore how local governments respond to various crises, such as natural and man-made disasters, and gave them a glimpse of the so-called "Smart City", the liveable, connected and sustainable City of the future.
      
It also exposed participants to sustainable waste management and water treatment processes, a common urban challenge experienced all over the world.
By observing waste management facilities and water treatment processes, participants gained insight into how these urban issues are being treated in an eco-friendly way and recycled as new renewable resources.
      
We hope that these experiences will help participants address similar challenges faced in their own municipalities and countries. 
 
The study tour contributed to trigger and sustain a variety of in-depth discussions on the implementation of SDGs, during the entire three-day duration of the Symposium.
      
You can get a brief overview of the Symposium below.

First day, on 6th December, the theme was"Getting Institutions Organized for the Implementation and the Sustainable Development Goals“. So, in order to implement the SDGs in a more effective and efficient manner in each country, there is a need for "whole of government" and "whole of society" approaches to SDG implementation, involving a partnership between national institutions and society.
      
Second day, on 7th December, a discussion was on "Localizing the SDGs".  The theme focused on the implementation of SDGs as a local government level. For the discussion, we focused on how to strengthen cooperation between the central and local governments as a detailed topic and what capacity is needed for local government officials to implement SDGs. 
 
Third day, on 8th December, a presentation on the results of the capacity needs assessment survey, recently conducted by UNPOG to frame a common understanding of country efforts to implement the SDGs across Asia and the Pacific and Eastern Africa, was provided under the theme of "Review of SDGs Implementation and Accountability at Nation Level".
      
Through this important and meaningful symposium, the various ideas related to the implementation of the SDGs will be shared among participants. Also, various examples of the Korean Government and other countries’ best practices were shared and benchmarked among each other. Thereby, we can expect that by 2030, implementation of SDGs will be achieved as scheduled.

 

OPENING SESSION

Opening remarks: Mr. Bo-Kyun Shim, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), Republic of Korea Ms. Marion Barthelemy, Director, Division for Public Administration and Development Management, DESA Welcoming remarks: Mr. Keewon Hong, Ambassador for International Relations, Incheon Metropolitan City Keynote Speech: H.E. Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa, Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia and UN CEPA Member H.E. Ms. Ismat Ara Sadique, Minister of State, Ministry of Public Administration, Bangladesh

Plenary Session I - Organizing, Planning and Mobilizing for Implementing the SDGs : PART1- Getting Institutions Organized for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs): Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society Approaches

Plenary Remarks: Mr. Leonard Tampubolon, Deputy Minister, Ministry of National Development Planning / National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), Indonesia Mr. Chae Gun Chung, Head of UN Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), DPADM/UNDESA Dr. Kamariah Noruddin, Deputy Director General (Macro), Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister¡¯s Department, Malaysia Mr. Brian Lariche, Boardmember, Asia, Aflatoun International

SESSION I: PART 2: Strategic Planning for Implementing the 2030 Agenda

Special Remark: Ms. Michaela Prokop, Regional Programme Advisor for the SDGs, UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre Plenary Remarks: Mr. M. Aslam Alam, Rector, Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC), Ministry of Public Administration Mr. Dasho Karma Tshiteem, Chairman, Royal Civil Service Commission, Bhutan Mr. Samuel Grundler, Director of Aid, Planning & Aid Division, Ministry of Finance, Government of Nauru

SESSION I: PART 3: PARALLEL BREAKAWAY GROUPS

Group 1 - Mobilizing Public Servants and Transforming Mindsets - Advancing a Curriculum on the SDGs: 1st Presentation by Adriana Alberti, Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer, Division for Public Administration and Development Management, DESA 2nd Presentation by Adriana Alberti, Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer, Division for Public Administration and Development Management, DESA Presentation by Dr. M Aslam Alam, Senior Secretary to the Government and Rector, Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Dhaka, Bangladesh Presentation by Mr. Dasho Karma Tshiteem, Chairman, Royal Civil Service Commission, Bhutan Presentation by Amb. Young-sam Ma, Director, UNITAR CIFAL Jeju Presentation by Dr. Lan Xue, Dean, School of Public Policy and Management, Sustainable Development Institute of Tsinghua University, China Presentation by Mr. Wonkyu Shin, Specialist, Division of Development Research, Korea Development Institute (KDI)    Group 2 - Spearheading Whole-of-Government Approaches and Policy Integration: Presentation by Mr. Jean D¡¯Aragon, Senior Sustainable Development Expert, UN Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD/UNDESA) Presentation by Ms. Ma'ata Mafi, Economist, National Planning Division, Prime Minister's Office, Tonga Presentation by Mr. Mok Khemera, Director, Department of E-Government, General Department of ICT, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Cambodia   Group 3 - Engaging All Stakeholders in SDG Implementation: Presentation by Hon. Noel E Rosal, Mayor of Legazpi City, Philippines Presentation by Ms. Hee Jae Yoo, Director, Korea ToP Facilitation Center, Korea

PLENARY SESSION II-LOCALIZING THE SDGS-ENHANCING COOPERATION BETWEEN CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND EQUIPPING INSTITUIONS

Keynote Speech by Ms. Durreen Shahnaz, Founder, Impact Investment Exchange and Foundation Plenary Remarks by Ms. Girlie Grace Casimiro-Igtiben, Chief Economic Development Specialist, National Economic and Development Authority, The Philippines Plenary Remarks by Mr. Hoiseung Lee, Director General, International Cooperation Bureau, Seoul Metropolitan Government Plenary Remarks by Mr. Arab Hoballah, Team Leader, EU-GIZ SWITCH-Asia Facility on Sustainable Production and Consumption (SCP) Plenary Remarks by Dr. Lan Xue, Dean, School of Public Policy and Management, Sustainable Development Institute of Tsinghua University, China

PLENARY SESSION II-PARALLEL BREAKAWAY GROUPS

Group 1 - Localizing the SDGs: Presentation by Hon. Eloy C. Eclar, Mayor of Gerona, Philippines Presentation by Mr. Chang-Soo Choe, Professor, Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Presentation by Ms. Eah Antonio, Philippines, 2030 Youth Force (Initiated by UNDP & UNV)   Group 2 - Resources Allocation between National and Local Governments: Presentation by Mr. Syviengxay Oraboune, Acting Director General, Center for Socio-Economic Science and Policy Research, National Institute for Economic Research (NIER) of Lao Government, Lao PDR Presentation by Hon. Suriya Yeekhun, Mayor of Prik Municipality, Thailand  Presentation by Mr. Moise Tchankoumi, Former Professor, Public Finance Consultant, France Presentation by Mr. David Kasdan, Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, Graduate School of Governance, SungKyunKwan University   Group 3 - Making Cities and Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable: Presentation by Ms. Waltraut Ritter, Founder and Principal, Knowledge Dialogues Presentation by Mr. Wang Xingquan, Director of Research Center on Innovation, Institute of Information Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Key Points by Mr. Wang Xingquan, Director of Research Center on Innovation, Institute of Information Sciences, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Presentation by Mr. Shaleen Singhal, Professor of Sustainable Cities, TERI University, India Presentation by Mr. Hi Yong Lee, Director, Technical Operations Division, Incheon Smart City Corporation Presentation by Mr. Gerald Paragas, Representative of the Governor of Provincial Government of Pangasinan, Philippines Presentation by Ms. Binita Karki, Nepal, 2030 Youth Force (Initiated by UNDP & UNV)

PLENARY SESSION III- IMPROVING PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY AND PROMOTING INCLUSION THROUGH INNOVATION AND ICTS

Keynote Speech by Mr. Liam Maxwell, National Technology Adviser, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, United Kingdom Plenary Remarks by Ms. Adriana Alberti, Senior Governance and Public Administration Officer, UNDESA/DPADM Video Presentation by Ms. Anita Gurumurthy, Executive Director, IT for Change, E-Government for Women's Empowerment - UNESCAP & DPADM/UNPOG joint project Plenary Remarks by Mr. Zheng Lei, Associate Professor, Public Management, Fudan University Plenary Remarks by Mr. Cheung Moon Cho, Executive Principal Researcher, Korea National Information Society Agency (NIA) Plenary Remarks by Mr. Redempto Parafina, Executive Director, CheckmySchool.org and Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA-EAP)

PLENARY SESSION III- PARALLEL BREAKAWAY GROUP

Group 1 - Improved Access to Public Services through National ID Management: Presentation by Ms. Jennifer Tan, Director, Government Technology Agency, Singapore Talking Points by Ms. Jennifer Tan, Director, Government Technology Agency, Singapore Presentation by Dr. Sang-Baek Chris Kang, Director, Department of Global Cooperation, Korea Local Information Research & Development Institute Talking Points by Dr. Sang-Baek Chris Kang, Director, Department of Global Cooperation, Korea Local Information Research & Development Institute   Presentation by Mr. Bhagawan Aryal, Director, Department of Civil Registration, Ministry of Local Development and Federal Affairs, Nepal   Group 2 - Multichannel Services Delivery - Improving the Delivery of Services for Vulnerable Groups: Presentation by Ms. Girlie Grace Casimiro-Igtiben, Chief Economic Development Specialist, Social Protection and Integration Division, National Economic and Development Authority, Philippines Presentation by Mr. Mok Khemera, Director, Department of E-Government, General Department of ICT, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Cambodia Presentation by Ms. Nora Shikin binti Ismael, Head of SL1M Secretariat, Training Scheme to Empower Vulnerable Groups, Prime Minister¡¯s Economic Planning Unit, Malaysia Presentation by Mr. Nazrul Islam, Country Director, Bangladesh, Relief International Presentation by Mr. Il-han Kwon, Department of Global Cooperation / Team Leader, Korea Local Information Research & Development Institute (KLID)   Group 3 - Improving Financial Inclusion for Vulnerable Groups: Presentation by Mr. Sameer Goyal, Program Manager, Seoul Center for Financial Sector Development Finance & Markets Global Practice, World Bank Presentation by Mr. Praneel Pritesh, Financial Inclusion Specialist, UNCDF/PFIP Presentation by Mr. Brian Lariche, Board member, Asia, Aflatoun International Presentation by Ms. Sylvia Okinaly-Paraguya, CEO, National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO)

PLENARY SESSION IV-REVIEW OF SDG IMPLEMENTATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT NATIONAL LEVEL

Keynote Speech by Dr. Agus Joko Pramono, Boardmember, the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia Presentation by Mr. Saber Chowdhury, Honorary President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Member of Parliament, Bangladesh Presentation by Mr. Yeom Tae-Young, Mayor of Suwon City, Republic of Korea

 

PLENARY SESSION V-REVIEWING PROGRESS AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL

Keynote Speech by Dr. Agus Joko Pramono, Boardmember, the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia Presentation by Mr. Saber Chowdhury, Honorary President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Member of Parliament, Bangladesh Presentation by Mr. Yeom Tae-Young, Mayor of Suwon City, Republic of Korea

 

ACTION POINTS FROM THE BREAKAWAY GROUPS AND WAY FORWARD

Presentation by Dr. Lan Xue, Dean, School of Public Policy Management, Sustainable Development Institute of Tsinghua University, China Presentation by Ms. Jennifer Tan, Director, Government Technology Agency, Singapore Presentation by National Information Society Agency (NIA) Presentation by National Human Resources Development Institute (NHI) Presentation by United Nations Project Office on Governance, Division for Public Administration and Development Management, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

 

CLOSING REMARKS

Remarks by Mr. II-jae Kim, Deputy Minister of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), Republic of Korea Key Messages from Concluding Comments by Ms. Marion Barthelemy, Director, DPADM/UNDESA