MINSK, 22 October (BelTA) – Government bodies in all countries operate in a quasi-competitive environment today, Alikhan Baimenov, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Astana Public Service Hub, said at the international scientific and practical conference “Public Service: Current State and Development Prospects” in the Academy of Public Administration under the aegis of Belarus President in Minsk on 22 October, BelTA has learned.
Thanks to the development of information technology, people are well aware of the decisions that are taken in other countries. “This is a kind of challenge for governments. Despite the monopolistic nature of their activities, they, in fact, work in a quasi-competitive environment. A Minsker can compare the decisions of his mayor's office via the internet with the decisions taken in Nur Sultan, New York and Tokyo. Similarly, a New Yorker can see the experience that is applied in Minsk,” the expert noted.
He added that each government operates in unique socio-economic and cultural-historical context, responding to the challenges characteristic of their state. “There is no universal model of government that would be applicable in any country without taking into account its specific features," he said. The task of the Astana Public Service Hub (Belarus is one of its founding countries) is to support the efforts of governments in building a modern effective public service. “We do not give recommendations what to do but show opportunities. Based on their priorities, specific political, historical, and cultural context, the government decides to use one or another method,” Alikhan Baimenov noted.
The conference is running in Minsk on 22-23 October. Attending the event are representatives of international organizations, government bodies and the scientific community of Belarus, experts and scholars from Europe and Asia. The purpose of the conference is to discuss the approaches to the development of the institution of public service in the modern context drawing on the best domestic and foreign practices.
