ASEAN representatives study public service modernisation during Canada tour

Source:  ASEAN Secretariat

OTTAWA, 20 March 2019 – Representatives of the ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) and ASEAN Secretariat participated in the Canada-ASEAN Public Service Modernisation Study Tour on 18-20 March in Ottawa, Canada.

ASEAN delegates exchanged views with senior officials from the Public Service Commission, Treasury Board Secretariat, Global Affairs Canada, and Department of Women and Gender Equality. They were introduced to Canada’s human resource management throughout the lifecycle, staffing system and integrity, and new models for internal and external workforce mobilisation. The delegates learned about non-partisanship of public service, diversity and inclusion in public service, and implication of overall policy framework on gender equality for public service management in Canada. The delegates also shared practices and perspectives of ASEAN Member States in these areas.

“We are grateful to the Government of Canada for this opportunity of learning about their public sector human resource policies and practices – especially on promoting diversity and inclusivity in the public service, and also of sharing policies and programmes of ASEAN Member States,” said Alicia de la Rosa-Bala, Chairperson of Civil Service Commission of the Philippines who participated in the study tour. “We hope that this study tour would usher in a more active exchange and cooperation between ACCSM and its counterparts in Canada,” she added.

Suttilak Uechittaworn, Director for Bureau of Research and Development of Office of Civil Service Commission of Thailand, shared that “the study tour provides a great opportunity for learning and understanding among civil service of ASEAN Member States and Canada. Experiences of Canada especially in promotion of equity and use of innovative approach to attract talents and young generations in public service recruitment will inspire ASEAN Member States to further enhance their own systems.”

ASEAN delegates had an interface with Ambassadors/representatives of ASEAN Member States based in Ottawa who are members of the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa (ACO). They discussed the roles of ACO in supporting ASEAN cooperation with Canada and ACCSM’s priorities under Thailand’s Chairmanship 2018-2020.

ACCSM is a sectoral body under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community pillar that was established in 1981 to foster regional cooperation to build and sustain a high performing, dynamic and citizen-centric civil service for the people of ASEAN. It provides a platform for exchange of information, innovations and best practices on workforce competencies and standards in public sector, institutional capacities, leadership and public sector reform, among others.

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