AMMAN -- The public sector has expanded "enormously" in the Arab world over the past 50 years, a phenomenon experts say needs to be evaluated and studied thoroughly to cope with new changes on the ground.
The expansion in the public sector has affected the number and quality of government institutions and the volume of human resources, participants at the "Civil Service in an ever-changing environment" conference said on Tuesday.
These changes necessitate the establishment of sustainable infrastructure to provide suitable economic and social services and develop the capabilities of public employees, they added.
"Civil service is facing tremendous challenges, both at the Arab and international levels, and this requires innovative strategies to improve human resources' competitive skills," said Minister of Public Sector Development Khleif Al Khawaldeh, who opened the regional conference on behalf of Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh.
Khawaldeh stressed the need to improve civil service apparatuses in the Arab states as a way to enhance the overall performance of these countries.
Participants at the two-day event, which began Tuesday, said that recent transformations taking place in Arab societies had changed public employees' aspirations and culture, making them aware of the need to engage more in the decision-making process in their respective institutions.
"Changes taking place in the Arab world have also increased citizens' expectations from state agencies," said Yahya Rashdan, president of the conference's preparatory committee.
Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Civil Service Abdul Rahman Al Barrak noted that the principles of transparency and liability are "integral" components of good governance and thus, there is a necessity to move from traditional bureaucracies towards new forms of management to keep pace with globalisation.
Participants are also discussing means to establish an Arab network to exchange ideas on ways to develop public institutions' performance in their countries.
During a separate meeting with delegates taking part in the conference, Tarawneh called on Arab governments to adopt the concepts of "openness" and "frankness" when dealing with their people, saying that his government was following these principles out of its belief that citizens "have the right to know all the facts".
In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the premier said: "Full disclosure of facts is the best way for citizens to understand the government's decisions and policies."
Tarawneh underlined the need to rehabilitate human resources to improve services, citing the role of the King Abdullah Centre for Excellence in raising awareness on the innovation and competitiveness of Jordanian institutions.
© Jordan Times 2012
