Dar-es-Salaam - African countries have been urged to integrate public administration systems as one way of pooling resources and cushioning themselves against adverse effects of the global recession.
The call came as the Chairman of the 6th African Ministers for Public Service Dalmas Otieno disclosed that African countries are racing to establish a basic framework of public administration systems to be preceded by a charter ratified by the African Union (AU).
Mr Otieno, who is Kenya's Minister for Public Service, made the remarks on Tuesday at the official opening of the African Public Service Week, being held in Tanzania's port city of Dar-es-Salaam.
While formally opening the show, Zanzibar's Vice-President Ali Shamuhuna called on African countries to take advantage of the global financial meltdown to come up with alternative strategies for curbing wastage in public administration and cutting costs.
He urged African countries to strive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015 if they hoped to join the league of developed nations.
Mr Otieno said the Council of African public service ministers had identified key sectors within the public service that needed to be agreed on for a common policy to be adopted by all the countries. The minister said the policy was expected to be formulated by the end of next year.
