The third edition of the Innovation in Governance Forum was dedicated to the Public Administration Reform

The event was organized by the Moldovan Innovation Lab - MiLab (a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in Moldova and E-Government Center) with the support of partners – State Chancellery of Moldova and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

This year's edition was focused on four thematic tracks:

1. Public Service Redesign;
2. Power of data;
3. Collective intelligence for public sector innovation;
4. Non-conventional financing for public sector innovation.

Each block has explored how citizen participation can support policy development and service provision and how data can give a new life to policies, which must be based on evidence. Also, the discussions were shaped around the partnerships with the private sector and other actors that could contribute to reinventing funding models and public sector development.

"Today's event showed us a new angle to innovation: far from being just some technical solutions to existing problems, they seek change in the nature of the relationship between citizen and state from a supplier-consumer of the policies or services to a relationship of partnership, in which all actors in society have expertise, rights and responsibilities", said Lilia Palli, secretary general of the Government.

In 2016, the Government of Moldova has committed to continuing advancing the public administration reform in order to provide government services to its citizens at the highest level, in conformity with the practice of European democracies. This commitment is reflected in the Public Administration Reform Strategy for the years of 2016-2020 and the Action Plan on modernizing public services for the years of 2017-2021.

In July 2016 the institutional and functional analysis of the State Chancellery, carried out by experts of the company "Ernst & Young" Baltics, with the support of UNDP was completed. In October, the Government approved a decision on optimization of the State Chancellery.

"I am sure the recently adopted Public Administration Reform Strategy with its focus on evidence-based human-centered policies and services tailored for people provides a perfect framework for testing and taking up on new approaches and delivering on commitments with increased effectiveness and citizens’ participation. After all this is what a ‘2030’ modern public administration should look like", said Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova.

Ulziisuren Jamsran, representative of UN Women in Moldova, said: "We are privileged to work with the partners from the Parliament, Government, Civil Society Organizations, Media and the communities of Moldova, which are open to innovate and go beyond the usual boundaries for the higher results. Today we will make one more joint step towards better Governance, which is human centered, rights based, and informed by the evidence and the international norms."

The Forum brought together over 150 participants, including high-level government officials, local and central public servants, entrepreneurs, representatives of civil society, development partners and invited experts from the UK, Denmark, European Commission, Malaysia and USA.

The event agenda and many more details are available on the official website of the Forum: www.innoforum.md.