The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), through its Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) organized, in cooperation with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), an expert group meeting (EGM) on "Citizen Engagement and the Post-2015 Development Agenda" in Beirut, Lebanon, in December 2012.

The EGM brought together 31 leading experts, including practitioners, researchers, government officials, representatives from Economic and Social Councils, civil society and international organizations. They agreed that engaging citizens, including socially vulnerable groups, in attaining national development agendas is an imperative in achieving sustainable development.

Experts looked at the institutional and regulatory architecture as well as effective channels and modalities set up by governments and CSOs to interact with their citizens. The potential of the Internet and mobile technologies allowing governments to better connect with citizens, deliver services and capture public preferences on development concerns were highlighted. The Citizen-Engagement Self-Assessment Questionnaire (CESAQ) was presented to the group of experts and extensively discussed as a tool to assist governments to track progress on citizen engagement in development management. The EGM also provided an opportunity for exchanging knowledge, information, experiences and good practices of existing frameworks of citizen engagement in the context of the Post-2015 Agenda.    

The United Nations Public Administration Country Studies (UNPACS) preliminary findings of UNDESA/DPADM research on existing regulatory and institutional frameworks for government-citizen relations across the 193 United Nations Member States were presented with specific attention to the countries of the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. 

UNESCWA and UNDESA/DPADM agreed to continue collaborating on analytical studies and capacity building to conduct self assessment and tracking progress in participatory governance.

AGENDA
Monday, 3 December 2012

Opening Session:
Welcome and Introductory Remarks presented by Ms. Valentina Resta, on behalf of Ms. Haiyan Qian, Director, DPADM/DESA

Citizen Engagement Information: Ms. Arpine Korekyan, Programme Manager, DMB/DPADM/DESA

Assessing for Citizen Engagement Readiness:  Mr. Ulrich Graute, Senior Interregional Adviser, DMB/DPADM/DESA


PARTICIPANTS' PRESENTATIONS:
Daniel Avelino
Aude-Annabelle Canesse
Nicolae Cretu
Charles Harb
World Vision International
European Economic and Social Committee
Background Paper by Mr. Daniel Avelino

Photos:
 

Contact information:

Development Management Branch
Division for Public Administration and Development Management
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Ms. Elia Armstrong
Acting Chief
armstronge@un.org

Ms. Arpine Korekyan
Governance and Public Administration Officer
korekyan@un.org

Ms. Elvira Cachola
Programme Assistant
cachola@un.org