Meeting DETAILS of Conference Programme
for the 32nd NISPAcee Annual Conference 2024, Tbilisi, Georgia

The discussion panel will be moderated by:

Prof. Jean-Michel Eymeri-Douzans, President of European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) and Vice-Rector at Sciences Po Toulouse.

Prof. Calin Hincea, Dean, College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babes Bolyai University and immediate Past President, Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee).

Moderators will set the scene by overviewing PA reforms in the EU’s enlargement process and highlighting theoretical and practical areas of significance (5 min. each). 

Panel speakers (TBC) will have 15 minutes each, followed by a moderated discussion:

Ms. Ketevan Tsanava, Director, Policy Planning and Government Coordination Department, Administration of the Government of Georgia

Mr. Jaba Devdariani, Policy Advisor, UNDP Georgia

Ms. Maia Dvalisvhili, Deputy Head, Civil Service Bureau of Georgia

Background:

In June 2022, Georgia was granted a European perspective, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards EU integration. This was followed by obtaining EU candidacy in December 2023, with anticipation building for the start of accession talks. This trajectory underscores the central role that the EU integration process plays in stimulating ongoing democratization reforms within Georgia, particularly in Public Administration.

Aligned with the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, which expressly addresses public administration and civil service reform alongside the fight against corruption, Georgia embarked on the Public Administration Reform (PAR) process in 2015.

The first PAR framework identified six priority areas for reform: Policy planning, Public service and Human Resource Management (HRM), Accountability, Service Delivery, Public Finance Management, and Local Self-Government. The "PAR Roadmap 2020" was formulated to achieve these objectives, with three action plans implemented between 2015 and 2020.

Following a three-year gap, the Georgian government adopted the "Public Administration Reform Strategy for 2023-2026" in 2023, accompanied by its Action Plan for 2023-2024. This strategy covers critical aspects of public administration, including Policy planning and coordination, Civil service and HRM, Accountability, and Public service delivery. Moreover, it serves as a guiding document for various policy frameworks, such as the Decentralization Strategy, Public Service Development Strategy, Public Finance Management Strategy, Digital Governance Strategy, OGP Georgia Action Plan, and National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

Donors and civil society institutions supporting PAR actively engage in monitoring and assessing ongoing reforms, advocating for robust and comprehensive measures in PA reform to ensure alignment with the latest EU enlargement methodology and accession criteria, while adhering to the EU Principles of Public Administration. In the context of becoming a candidate country, PAR reform assumes an even greater significance, serving as the foundation for aligning Georgian public institutions with the EU and fostering synergy between them.

The discussion panel will center on the key areas of Georgia's public administration system, essential for EU integration, and will examine and discuss the progress made thus far, along with the challenges faced.

Discussion Points:

●      Georgia’s PA Reform: Progress and Future Steps: Evaluate the progress made in Georgia's PA reform efforts and identify key areas for future enhancement, considering the EU accession process's evolving dynamics.

●      Lessons Learned from PA Reform During and After EU Accession: Reflect on past experiences of PA reform in countries undergoing EU accession and extract valuable insights to inform future strategies and approaches.

●      Digital Governance & Transparency: Explore the role of digital governance in enhancing transparency and efficiency within public administration systems, drawing on best practices and emerging trends in the field.