The “Partnerships for Civil Service Excellence: Trends from the Astana Civil Service Hub Participating Countries” panel session was held in Atlanta in the framework of the ASPA (American Society of Public Administration) Annual Conference.

Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Regional Hub of Civil Service in Astana A. Baimenov and ASPA President-Elect Janice Lachance welcomed the participants of the session.  

During the event the representatives of the Astana Hub participating countries - Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan - presented the recent developments in the civil service reform. Deputy Director of Civil Service Bureau of Georgia Maya Dvalishvili gave an overview of the reforms, implemented in her home country, underlining the common challenges, the countries of the region are facing. She also pointed out the importance of the Hub’s assistance in improving the civil service in participating countries. The role of the Regional Hub as an effective platform for exchange of knowledge and practice was stressed out by many other participants as well.  

The main tendencies in the system of civil service in Central Asia and the Caucasus region were the key topic of the presentations by Sayan Akhmetzhanov, Staff of Agency for Civil Service Affairs and Anti-corruption of Kazakhstan, Vafadar Misirov, Executive Director of the State Examination Center of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Almaz Nasyrov, Rector of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kyrgyz Republic.

The trends from Estonia, particularly about the role of e-governance in shaping a more efficient, transparent and accountable public service were presented by Hannes Astok, Deputy Director for Strategy & Development, e-Governance Academy of Estonia.

The discussions about the transformational changes in the systems of civil service of the countries of the region were also fueled by the experts and practitioners, representing the state bodies, higher education  institutions, international organizations of the CIS, the Caucasus and Central Asian countries. Leading international scientists, experts and researchers in the field of public administration - Chester Newland, Professor Emeritus in Public Administration, USC, Dr. Steve Condrey, former ASPA President, Dr. Demetrios Argyriadis, Professor, City University of New York, Mr. Fletcher Honemond, Director of International Leadership, US OPM Federal Executive also shared their feedback on the development of public administration in the Hub participating countries.