Commonwealth members must work closely to achieve 2030 agenda — Sec-gen

PUTRAJAYA: Commonwealth Secretary- General Patricia Scotland yesterday urged Commonwealth member states to work closely in the effort to achieve its 2030 agenda and to build strong governance for sustainable development.

In her opening address at the Biennial Commonwealth Ministers for Public Service Forum here, Scotland said member states should work collaboratively to streamline delivery (services), to reduce duplication, and to claim the dividends yielded by cooperation.

“It is imperative that by working closely with our member states, we identify specific areas where our comparative advantage equips us and gives us scope to make an identifiable Commonwealth impact.

“And to use our collective influence and advantage to leverage local gain tomultiply for global advantage,” she said.

The biennial forum was held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre ( PICC) here in conjunction with the 11th Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) Biennial Conference, which will kick off tomorrow until Aug 20.

The 2030 agenda consists of 17 sustainable development goal (SDGs) that was approved by the United Nations General Assembly a year ago. It defines the global development priorities for the next 15 years.

Citing Malaysia’s success in delivering change through its National Blue Ocean Strategy ( NBOS), Scotland expressed hope for Commonwealth members to work together to make sure ‘our Commonwealth in that sense is also blue’.

“In the context of our forum today, an important focus of the 2030 agenda is inclusiveness and in particular recognition of the critical link between governance and development.

“Indeed, sustainable development seeks teamwork, speaks to the need, promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels,’ she added.

Meanwhile, Scotland also took the opportunity at the forum to launch a new publication by the Commonwealth Secretariat entitled ‘Key Principles of Public Sector Reform’.

The 274-page publication consists of case studies and frameworks shared by some of the Commonwealth member States in terms of public reforms, which member countries can replicate, adapt or customise according to needs and local contexts. — Bernama