Government

Dubai, February 9, 2015: His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, presented a Main Address at the third Government Summit in Dubai, calling for increased government transparency and cooperation between the public sector and private enterprises to drive economic growth and societal change.

This is a time of turmoil, and various recent phenomena undermine the possibility of long-term peace. The UN is taking the lead in forging a global response, which will see capable governments and the UN coming together to foster peace and a sustainable future, he said.

He called upon governments to assure human rights and dignity, and address the marginalization that often drives radicalism. It is the duty of leaders to listen to the voices of their people their aspirations, hopes and fears, particularly from women.
Governments need to ensure transparency. Those who engage with citizens and residents will emerge stronger, while corrupt and abusive systems and red-tape will lead to hopelessness and instability, he added.

Ban Ki-moon stressed that economic and societal stability requires trusted institutions. Efficiency in government is about more than just functioning well the processes, systems, and plans should truly serve the common good.

I commend the UAE Government and leadership on their vision for the Government Summit, their success in pursuing modernization while retaining their heritage and culture, and for declaring 2015 as the year of Innovation. I believe this will drive the strategic cooperation of the government and private enterprise.

The private sector has proven that they can serve the public interest with creativity and innovation. Our governments and leadership now need to explore incentives for sustainable business practices, which is something that the UN can work with governments on, he said.

The most respected governments are those that ensure equal rule or law and justice for all, and those that fight corruption. It is shown that people actually respect governments that punish corruption. The government also needs to ensure the same openness when receiving feedback and criticism from citizens, which will create an efficient cooperation climate.

This communication can actually create an environment wherein citizens are involved with their governments in co-designing solutions. On the back of innovative Information Technology networks and solutions, a society where the government and its businesses come together can be a showcase for sustainable growth, collaborative governance, and economic success, he concluded.

The Government Summit is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In total, there will be 50 sessions, more than 100 speakers and 3,000 participants from 87 countries to discuss the future of education, health services and smart cities. The third edition of the Summit, which is the biggest event of its kind in the world, is held under the theme Shaping Future Governments.

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