28 Jul 2013

The importance of the Forum of Commonwealth Heads of African Public Service as a platform for dialogue, learning and sharing of experiences in Commonwealth Africa and of forging bilateral assistance among countries has been highlighted by Permanent Secretary to the President, Mr Eric Molale.

Reading out the post forum communiqué on July 26, Mr Molale also underscored the political administrative interface as an important factor in achieving sustainable development goals.

He said the heads of public service also expressed the intention to build on the accumulated knowledge and experiences from previous forums to develop frameworks that would guide countries in addressing the issues that impeded service delivery and achievement of national development goals.

The forum identified key issues relating to the role of the heads of state and governments in facilitating an effective political-administrative interface and factors that can help to improve political-administrative interface that include honest dialogue and information sharing among politicians and senior public servants.

Speaking at the farewell dinner Thursday night, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary General, Ms Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba applauded Commonwealth Heads of Public Service in African countries for playing a pivotal role in the development agenda to deliver services for the benefit of the people. She also congratulated principal secretaries for taking on board the political and administrative interface which, she said, was a challenge to unbundle and talk about openly as they did during the forum.

For his part, Swaziland head of public service, Mr Mbuso Dlamini applauded Botswana for the quality systems it has engaged in its running of the public service.

Mr Dlamini also applauded the networking that the forum has provided, adding that it will bring positive results among members andoals in their respective countries.

The next forum is scheduled to take place in Mauritius in 2014 and will be held under the theme; E-Government for Inclusive and Sustainable Development. ENDS