Meeting of Liaison Officers
As it traditionally happens at the beginning of February, ReSPA organized this year, on 8th of February, the meeting with Liaison Officers (LOs) to present the Annual Programme of Work and to discuss possibilities for further improvements in collaboration.
Ms Ratka Sekulović, ReSPA Director, underlined the importance of mutual collaboration with the Liaison Officers who are a direct and important link with Western Balkans (WBs) governments and who are expected to raise the issues to be tackled to support the ReSPA Members in their efforts in the public administration reform. "For all of us in ReSPA is essential to respond to the WBs needs effectively and to provide them with critical insights, knowledge, tools, and connections needed for the steady public administration reforms. In order to develop tailor-made solutions that impact the improvement of coordination and better-regulation of public policies, modernization of the citizen-centred services, and digitalized governments that will benefit our citizens and businesses, we need to continuously improve our collaboration with the WBs governments. Here the role of the Liaison Officers is crucial” highlighted Sekulović
ReSPA Programme Managers presented a programme of work within each thematic area: Centre of Government, Better Regulation, Human Resources Management and Development, Quality Management and e-Government, which combine capacity building events and conduction of regional research studies that will influence the strengthening of the WBs public administration institutions. They have also underlined the importance of mutual collaboration with the Liaison Officers whose role is and will be important both in preparatory activities and especially during the realization of this year's quite ambitious Programme of Work. Among others, ReSPA announced that a Western Balkans PAR Ministerial Summit is envisaged to be organised in the second half of the year, to take stock of PAR related developments in the Western Balkans and affirm political commitment towards PAR, as an important pillar of European integration.
An additional focus of the meeting was put on providing in-depth information on the implementation process of current In-country support mechanisms provided by Liaison Officers per each ReSPA Member country, focusing on lessons learned. ReSPA reminded the LOs that the last call for applications has been already launched and shall be active until May 2022.
