Amman, April 28 (Petra) – Minister of State for Public Sector Development Khair Abu Sa'ilik on Monday underscored that the government's programs are anchored in a comprehensive approach to political, economic, and administrative modernization, forming the cornerstone of the state's future vision.

He stressed that modernizing the public sector is the essential driver for all reform paths, noting that public administration reform is no longer a deferred option but a collective national responsibility that "excludes no one and tolerates no delays."

His remarks came during the opening of the 9th International Conference of the Middle East and North Africa Public Administration Research Network (MENAPAR), held under the patronage of Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, in cooperation with the Public Service and Administration Authority, under the theme: "Public Administration in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Transformations, Resilience, and Future Prospects."

Abu Sa'ilik highlighted the Ministry's belief that the public sector is the principal engine of any developmental project, and that its modernization necessitates a new administrative culture rooted in efficiency, accountability, and innovation. He outlined a vision for a public administration that serves as a development catalyst, a values-based institution, and a productive body capable of navigating future challenges with competence and fairness.

He emphasized that the challenges facing Arab societies require intensified regional and international cooperation, experience-sharing, and learning from successful global models. He noted that the conference provides a valuable platform to advance such cooperation and to chart practical developmental paths.

Abu Sa'ilik affirmed Jordan's commitment to proactive and steady reform, exemplified by His Majesty King Abdullah II’s launch of the Public Sector Modernization Roadmap, aimed at reengineering the administration to enhance its efficiency, equity, and responsiveness.

He pointed to key achievements in government services, notably the establishment of nine comprehensive government service centers, with a total of 15 planned by the end of 2025. These centers offer more than 180 services across over 30 government institutions and have served more than one million visitors, completing approximately three million transactions by March of this year. He added that the government aims to digitize and automate around 80 percent of services by 2025 and activate over 1.5 million digital identities.

For his part, Chairman of the Civil Service and Administration Authority, Fayez Nahar, noted that this year's conference comes amid rapid political, economic, social, cultural, and technological changes, placing significant demands on public administrations to adapt with flexibility and professionalism.

Nahar stated that despite the challenges, there are real opportunities for public administrations to review their methodologies and leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to modernize their systems and services, provided there is political will and effective management.

He highlighted that the Public Sector Modernization Roadmap, adopted by Jordan in 2022, serves as a comprehensive guide for administrative reform. It integrates critical components of public administration development and modernization, with institutional culture identified as a decisive factor in achieving sustainable success.

He further pointed to the issuance of a new public sector human resources management system, which introduces global best practices by adopting competency-based management and transitioning to a job classification system to ensure fairness and flexibility in salary and employment structures.

Meanwhile, Minister Musa Abu Zeid, President of MENAPAR and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Palestinian National School of Administration, emphasized that the conference showcases Arab capabilities that meet international standards in public administration modernization and development.
He stressed the importance of turning challenges into opportunities through adaptive leadership, practical decision-making, and technological advancement.

On the sidelines of the conference, a memorandum of understanding was renewed between Jordan’s Civil Service and Administration Authority and the General Personnel Council of the State of Palestine, aiming to strengthen bilateral cooperation and expertise exchange in public administration and service.

//Petra// AJ

28/04/2025 14:59:59