DISPA Meeting, Brussels, Belgium

23^rd Session of Committee of Experts on Public Administration (UNCEPA), New York, online

ReSPA Director, at two consecutive events at the EU and Global levels, delivered one key message: ReSPA, as a leading organization in the region for empowering civil servants to foster the growth of civil servants through capacity building, peer learning and mobility is seeking EU and Global partnerships and alliances to enhance opportunities for the public sector.

Enriching DISPA meeting “Evidence-based Learning & Development” while presenting ReSPA’s experience and impact in evidence-based learning and development, gathered during more than 600 capacity building and networking activities, various intra-regional and Western Balkans-EU mobility schemes, more than 80 on-demand technical assistance reform interventions and projects within the broad thematic areas of HR development, digitalization and service delivery, policy coordination and EU integration, Director Handjiska-Trendafilova underlined the importance of ReSPA’s close collaboration with partners within the DISPA family which allows that “our civil servants have increasing opportunities to exchange knowledge and ideas, learn from, and collaborate with their EU counterparts through study visits, valuable networks, projects, and initiatives such as PACE.

An insightful discussion with eminent directors of institutes/academies for the public sector, highly ranked officials and experts from BOSA, EuSA, DG Reform Team, EC institutions and other key stakeholders, served as a good opportunity for Director Handjiska-Trendafilova to advocate for even closer collaboration and co-creation of joint initiatives toward shared European Administrative Space: “The cross-fertilisation and peer learning impact via networks that we witness is tangible and demonstrable in numerous regional reform processes, while our drive to further boost partnerships and collaboration with EU MS public sector institutes for the benefit of the more capacitated public sector in the Western Balkans is truly immense!” concluded Handjiska-Trendafilova.

At the Expert Panel on “Insights into public sector workforce governance to advance the SDGs under the 23rd Session of Committee of Experts on Public Administration, UNCEPA, Director Handjiska-Trendafilova presented ReSPA’s approach to implementation of mobility and peer-learning initiatives: “Addressing the needs of the region, we offer mobility programs that operate in two directions: firstly, focusing on regional peer learning where public servants engage in executive education, study visits to EU institutions, and practical job shadowing. Secondly, we connect them with counterparts in various institutions and esteemed schools across EU member states.

Civil servants are instrumental in achieving SDGs and fostering continuous progress. Therefore, we are committed to further enriching their knowledge base through peer learning, in collaboration with our EU partners and worldwide," underlined Director Handjiska-Trendafilova.

She also emphasized that ReSPA will consider recommendations from the paper during the upcoming Ministerial Dialogue on Public Administration Reform highlighting the crucial role of political will in enhancing the capacities of civil servants to achieve the SDGs more efficiently.

The Experts Meeting was a unique opportunity for presenting ReSPA’s achievements and advocating for close collaboration between CEPA members, Member States, the United Nations system and civil society organizations to benefit civil servants from the region.