On September 6th 2018, Vietnam National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and OECD Korea Policy Centre (OECD KPC) co-hosted the Asian Public Governance Forum (APG) 2018 “Government Innovation for Sustainable Development: Toward Enabling, Serving and Acting Government with Integrity”. The forum was held for 2 days from September 6th to September 7th 2018.
Dr. Dang Xuan Hoan, NAPA President delivers a speech in the APG forum
Mr. Nguyen Trong Thua, Vice Minister of Home Affairs delivers opening speech in the APG Forum
Mr. Jong Tae Jun, General Director of the Public Governance Program, OECD Korea Policy Centre delivers a speech in the APG forum
Presented the Forum were Mr. Nguyen Trong Thua, Vietnam Vice Minister of Home Affairs and Ms. Miyon Lee, Minister-Consul General of the Korean Embassy in Hanoi who delivered congratulatory remarks. Attending the Forum were nearly 170 participants who are representatives of diplomatic missions, international agencies and organizations in Hanoi; scholars and practitioners from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and OECD country members; representatives from ministries, central and local authorities, press agencies. The Forum was livestreamed to NAPA regional campuses in Hue City, Hochiminh City, and Central Highlands.
Ms. Zsuzsanna Lonti delivers a speech in the APG forum
In the opening speech, Mr. Jong Tae Jun, General Director of the Public Governance Program, OECD Korea Policy Centre emphasized the critical significance of the government innovation for sustainable development which is the theme of the APG Forum 2018. The APG forum provided participants with diverse government innovation activities as well as sustainable development solutions in different countries which could be learnt by other countries to improve the standard of living of citizens.
Dr. Dang Xuan Hoan, President of NAPA – the co-host of the APG Forum 2018 highlighted in his opening and keynote speech that government innovation is defined as a task to be pursued in the process of sustainable development in Vietnam. Searching for suitable development models and working out government innovation strategies that address current situations of Vietnam cannot be separated from considering human values in economic development, social development, and environmental development. It also cannot be separated from learning lessons of modern governance models, which helps identifying engines for development in Vietnam in the time of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, globalization and international integration.
The APG Forum agenda was structured with a roundtable discussion and three sessions focusing on three sub-topics. Forum speakers and participants were discussing key issues of government innovation for sustainable development, including principles and models of government innovation; sharing practices of government innovation; recommending solutions for government innovation. Government should be an enabler, developer, and innovator whose mandate is to serve people. Government innovation takes place at both macro and micro levels, aiming at sustainable development. The transformation of human resource management in the public sector promotes performance and sustainable development. In addition, appropriate empowerment and supervision are needed for higher performance of public servants. Government innovation is imperative in the digital age. A digital government requires dramatic changes in public service delivery and public participation in public service production.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Thanh Cuong, NAPA Vice President giving a speech in the forum
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Thanh Cuong, NAPA Vice President stressed in the closing remarks that the APG Forum 2018 provided a good opportunity for discussion between the countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the OECD, focusing on key issues of government innovation in the context of regional and global integration. Through the Forum, participants draw on their own countries’ experiences to share lessons on government innovation for sustainable development. He appreciated the contributions of speakers and participants to the Forum.
The APG Forum 2018 has created a momentum for government innovation for sustainable development in the region.
