The Workshop on “Adopting the Common Arab Regional Job Competencies Framework for Senior Public Servants from the Perspective of the Agenda 2030 and Public Policy”, involved senior civil servants from eleven Arab countries, who were drawn from public institutions mandated to lead administrative reform and support their countries national development.
 
The focus on job competencies was part of ESCWA’s ongoing effort to support institutional development through focusing on supporting senior civil servants to carry out public policies and the attainment of the 2030 Development Goals.
 
This workshop was part of an ESCWA facilitated process and built on the outcomes and recommendations of two previous regional workshops (Amman-Jordan, 12-14 December 2017; and Beirut-Lebanon 11-13 December 2018), in addition to the sustained engagement of a “Standing Group of Experts” (from member states). The previous regional workshops brought together 54 senior civil servants in charge of administrative reforms, human resource development, and job competencies development from public sector institutions in Palestine, Jordan, Sultana of Oman, Kingdom of Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.

Participants had discussed extensively the research methodology for the development of a Common Arab Job Competencies Framework; the concepts, terms and definitions required for the development of the Framework; and the key competencies that would constitute the Framework from the Agenda 2030 perspective. Consultations resulted in a research agenda, and the formation of a “drafting committee”, where seven countries volunteered to draft the three chapters of the Framework.

This workshop reviewed and adopted the three chapters of the Framework. These were as follows: Chapter 1. Why are Competencies Important for Senior Civil Servants? Chapter 2. Identify the Job Competencies Required for senior civil servants for public policy implementation and SDG attainment and Chapter 3. Introducing the Job Competencies into the Civil Service. The workshop examined the role of Information Systems and Technology on Public administration and Human Resource Management. Finally, it discussed the Egyptian experience in the development of public administration and human resources, and the online examination system for staff recruitment.

The outcome of the workshop, was an agreement among participants on the following workplan: