UN-sponsored forum calls for more transparent, participatory governance

A United Nations-backed forum today wrapped up its meeting in the Republic of Korea by adopting a declaration calling on world governments to implement measures to increase civic participation in and the transparency of their operations.

Adopting the “Seoul Declaration,” the Sixth Global Forum on Reinventing Government called for policy measures that will increase transparent and participatory governance to ensure that the people of all societies can achieve sustainable development. The Declaration also recommends that governments urgently address challenges such as socio-economic inequity by working in cooperation with businesses and civil society.

“It is our hope that participants from this forum are returning home with new perspectives and practical ideas that can be adapted to their own local needs.” said the UN Director of Public Administration and Development Management Guido Bertucci. “Equally important is that they are going back with an enhanced understanding of the problems that all countries, no matter how big or small, share and what they can learn from each other.”

The Declaration closely mirrors the aim delegations had set for the meeting this year, which brought together government officials from around the world to discuss strategies for improving governance and building partnerships among governments, business and civil society.

This year's meeting, which drew nine Heads of State and more than 5,000 participants, focused on the importance of increasing transparency within the public sector and developing mechanisms that will enable and encourage greater participation.

Stressing the importance of reducing the growing inequality between rich and poor, urban and rural, connected and unconnected, the Declaration recommends the development of sound indicators to accurately evaluate government performance and outcomes.

Concrete outcomes of the four-day meeting, held for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region, include plans for a UN Governance Institute in Seoul. The participants also accepted the United Nations offer to host the next Forum at the world body’s New York Headquarters.