ESCWA, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour of the Sultanate of Oman and the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO), organized to the 25th Annual General Conference on “Government Readiness for a Sustainable Future,” held in Salalah, Oman. The conference brought together more than 350 high-level participants, including senior government officials, experts, academics, and representatives of Arab, regional and international organizations from 15 Arab countries.
The conference provided a regional platform for exchanging experiences and discussing approaches to strengthening government readiness for future challenges. Discussions focused on future government leadership, institutional transformation, climate change, digital transformation, data and AI governance, strategic foresight, fiscal sustainability, the circular economy, cybersecurity, and international partnerships.
The conference concluded with a set of recommendations aimed at enhancing government effectiveness, resilience and sustainability across the Arab region, including:
- Government Leadership Development and Capacity-Building: Strengthening the capacities of government leaders to manage institutional and future transformation in the context of rapid technological advancement and artificial intelligence applications, while moving towards a competency- and skills-based employment system in the public sector.
- Institutional Transformation and Enhanced Sustainability: Developing national roadmaps for institutional transformation, simplifying procedures and redesigning government services, alongside developing an Arab Guiding Framework for Assessing Government Readiness, covering performance efficiency, fiscal sustainability, digital transformation and risk management.
- Strategic Foresight for Governments: Promoting the shift from traditional planning towards strategic foresight and developing early-warning systems and future scenario analysis to strengthen governments’ capacity to respond proactively to emerging challenges.
- Digital Transformation, Data Governance and Artificial Intelligence: Strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks for digital governance, protecting personal data, improving data quality and integration and ensuring secure data exchange, while promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence in government services.
- Cybersecurity and Protection of Digital Infrastructure: Strengthening cybersecurity and developing business continuity and incident-response plans to protect government digital infrastructure.
- Environmental Sustainability and the Circular Economy: Supporting national strategies to reduce emissions, strengthening policy resilience to climate risks, and adopting circular economy principles and integrating them into government policies, projects and procurement.
- Fiscal Sustainability and Innovative Financing: Developing an accounting indicator to assess government readiness for fiscal sustainability and digital transformation in support of stronger governance, and adopting innovative financing instruments to bridge financing gaps through partnerships with development funds and institutions.
International Partnerships and the Role of Scientific Research: Expanding cooperation with Arab and international organizations, including ESCWA, to strengthen institutional capacities, while enhancing the role of universities and research centres in public policymaking and developing practical and innovative solutions to government challenges.
The recommendations are expected to provide a basis for translating the conference discussions into actionable initiatives that contribute to more efficient, resilient and future-ready governments and support sustainable development across the Arab region.
Brazil and Uruguay
