The National School of Government (The NSG) has organised a learning exchange visit to China on City Governance, hosted by the Beijing Jiaotong University and is supported by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
The programme on City Governance runs from the 7th to the 27th of July and is attended by public officials. It seeks to promote knowledge exchanges on enhancing local government performance as municipalities increasingly face growing complexity and public expectations that they must respond to. The programme explores the Chinese advancement in local government innovation in service delivery, modernisation of governance, construction of smart cities, participatory governance, poverty alleviation and development.
Local government is an important sphere of government for implementation of national policy and China’s successes in the performance of this sphere of government has contributed to the abolition of absolute poverty in 2020, ten years before the 2030 deadline which the world set in the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. This is the same deadline that South Africa has set in the National Development Plan to eliminate poverty and inequality by the year 2030 and states “South Africa can realise these goals by drawing on the energies of its people, growing an inclusive economy, building capabilities, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society”.
The South African government, in the 7th Administration, has committed itself to drive inclusive growth and job creation; to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living with a developmental and capable state playing a central role. “Municipalities therefore have a critical role in the achievement of this commitment. The exchange programme on City Governance is part of the NSG’s international exchanges that are aimed at facilitating public servants’ access to specialist knowledge and skills needed to enhance public sector performance and development among others and learning from the development trajectory of other countries in the global South and North,” said NSG Principal, Prof Busani Ngcaweni.
Prof Ngcaweni added that partnerships were a key focus for the NSG “as they enable us to expand the depth of training delivery, diversity and allow access to expertise that we do not have”.
Enquiries:
Dikeledi Mokgokolo
Media Liaison
Cell: 082 888 2355
E-mail: Dikeledi.Mokgokolo@thensg.gov.za
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