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Innovations in Governance in the Middle East, North Africa, and Western Balkans: Making Governments Work Better in the Mediterranean region leads us through the journey of innovation by analysing the challenges and opportunities that governments in this region have faced to improve their public administration systems. All the innovations highlighted in this publication are significant – whether the innovation is large or small, in one government institution or across the board, a successful transformation or merely a small, first step on the way to reform – they indicate each country’s willingness to change, to be open to new ways of thinking and acting in reforming government.

This publication emerged from the presentations, discussions, and conclusions of nine capacity development workshops, which examined the theme of participatory and transparent governance as part of the 6th Global Forum on Reinventing Government. In May 2005, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) organized these workshops in cooperation with the Institutional Partners Group (IPG), which comprises members of the UN system and external organizations. The Government of the Republic of Korea hosted the Forum with the support of UNDESA.

In its endeavour to support Member States in the area of ICT for development, the United Nations Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) organized an Expert Group Meeting on E-Participation and E-Government: Understanding the Present and Creating the Future from 27-28 July 2006 in Budapest, Hungary. The Meeting was organized as part of the ‘International E-participation and Local Democracy Symposium on Promoting Social Inclusion via E-participation, hosted by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, United Kingdom. The UNDESA Meeting on E-Participation and E-Government: Understanding the Present and Creating the Future provided an opportunity to review e-participation and e-government experiences, determine the strengths and weaknesses of the initiatives, and search for options and methodologies that may support a more inclusive e-government approach.

This publication is intended for policy makers, scholars and practitioners who have a keen interest in concrete solutions to governance challenges. Its purpose is to encourage more women and men in the public sector who are working hard to improve citizens’ lives to share with the world their innovations by applying to the United Nations Public Service Awards Programme which is held annually; to recognize the efforts of those who have already won this prestigious Awards by showcasing their successful practices; and to provide UN Member States interested in innovation in governance with useful information and knowledge about practices that have worked on the ground.

This report covers the various topic of Asia and the Pacific governance, such as 1) government policy and legislation; 2) government system and civil services; 3) management, capacity building and innovation; 4) economic and social development and ICT; 5) public finance; and 6) private sector.

The publication is intended as a companion document to the Curriculum on Governance for the Sustainable Development Goals and its Toolkit on Changing Mindsets in Public Institutions to Implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, developed by UN DESA/DPIDG. The publication aims to support countries in building their capacities to realize Agenda 2030. It does so by providing key recommendations on how to promote public servants’ mindsets, competencies, and behaviors to foster effectiveness, accountability, and inclusiveness in the public sector.

The handbook is developed based on the Toolkit and is intended to be used by local and national governments in training and capacity development workshops related to Risk-informed Governance and Innovative Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience. The handbook aims to build national capacities to spearhead innovations and utilize Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) and key frontier technologies in government in order to drive DRR and resilience.

This Compendium of ICT Applications on Electronic Government is a unique collection of current ICT applications being used directly by or in partnership with governments, governmental institutions and the private sector around the world to support administration and public service, while addressing governance challenges. The Compendium also presents private sector ICT applications that are available in the marketplace.

The workshop on Managing Knowledge to Build Trust in Government was organized to exchange knowledge and practices worldwide, to challenge current thinking and bring to light best practices that cut across geographical boundaries, and to develop Knowledge Management strategies that leverage human capital and leadership. This is the Final Report of the workshop on advancing innovative approaches to implementing knowledge management that leads to increasing trust in government.

This publication on ‘Building Capacities for Public Service in Post-Conflict Countries’ represents a more nuanced contribution to the discourse on post-conflict reconstruction by focusing on some of the most fundamental and earliest elements to be addressed in the conflict/post-conflict/reconstruction spectrum.