The African Public Service and Administration Charter: Aspirational statement or Implementable change initiative

Hanlie van Dyk-Robertson, CEO, AMDIN and Research Fellow at the Graduate School for Public and Development Management, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Historical overview

Charter time-lineRabat Declaration, December 1998: Mandate to develop Charter

Windhoek, February 2001 Adoption Charter for African Public

Administration

Midrand, Oct 2008 African Charter for the Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration

Addis Ababa, December 2006 Algeria entrusted with revision process

Gaborone, July 2007 SADC revision workshop

Algiers, December 2007 North & West Africa + Revision workshop

Content changes

Comparison of content between 2001 and 2008 versions• 2008 version structured in 7 Chapters, with 31 Articles (previously 3

main parts with 29 Articles)• 2008 version less elaboration, more point form• Choose to define different concepts• Substantial objectives statement (9) replaces articles on purpose and

scope• Norms and principles in line with what deemed international practice:

– respect for human right, – Rule of Law; – accessibility of public services; – people-centred public service; – open information systems; – efficiency and quality services; – modernisation and – provision for popular participation

Comparison of content between 2001 and 2008 versions• Some noticeable variations:

– Issue of skill and updating of knowledge removed from discussion re “professionalism”

– However, training systems and a network of training institutions specifically provided for

– New chapter dealing with rights of public service employees, most notably introducing right to freedom of speech and association, i.e. public service unionisation, social benefits

– Separate chapter re management and development of human resources

Comparison implementation modalities• 2008 version much more extensive, distinguishing roles

at national; regional and continental level. Previously focussed on sensitisation – now legislative, executive and administrative initiatives and alignment of national reform initiatives with Charter content

• Much stronger role at continental level with special role for the Ministers’ Conference

• Reporting requirement to the African Union and its structures, with scope for the AU Assembly to take measures against defaulting state members

What made implementation difficult during 2001-2008 period

Workshop findings 2007/2008: Problems with implementation• Instability at the political level• Inertia and active resistance by public servants to embrace a changed public

service culture; • Challenges with aligning national and sectoral programmes of public service

change/ reform with the Charter• Resource constraints• Little financial incentives available to support and reward change • Training budget which is constantly under threat for re-allocation to other tasks• Complex institutional arrangements• Inadequate monitoring and evaluation systems to track the change process;• Little attention to sensitization about and training programmes in terms of the

Charter – both public servants and ordinary citizens• Accessibility of the Charter document• The initial Charter not a formally adopted AU document with enforceability in the

AU structures

Implementation of the African Public Service Charter

Implementation AnalysisSubstantive content of the policy. • The more complex and far reaching the change the least likely the chances of successful

implementation. • The Charter is a wide raging document, touching on a very broad range of issue, seeking change on a

wide front of many intractable problems.The context in which the change is being sought. • Africa is the most difficult continent to achieve policy implementation• Many policy demands and resource restrictions• The political and administrative cultures themselves are also significant obstacles to implementation.Champions and commitment• The status of the “Champion” in the Minister’s Conference• The Ministers conference also saw a change in leadership that may affect the championing of this

particular initiative. • African Union processes and the structural relation of the AU with the Ministers conference is also

likely to make adoption and domestication challenging.Communications and consultation: • Charter consulted within relative closed policy community • No broad processes of communications and consultation have been opened up prior to the October

conference, nor in the subsequent 6 months. • Important constituencies that could make a significant contribution regarding the implementation

process is hitherto left out of the process, vide the SIAs and MDIs.

A Simplifying Factor B Complicating Factor C

√ √ √

Where did the impetus for the initiative come from?

Inside the country Outside the country √

Inside government √ Outside government

Who decided on the policy/ initiative and how?

With democratic legislative process

√ Without democratic legislative process

With widespread participation Without widespread participation

√

What is the nature of the benefits and to whom do they accrue?

Visible √ Invisible

Immediate Long term √

Dramatic √ Marginal

What is the nature of the costs and who bears them?

Invisible Visible √

Long term Immediate √

Marginal Dramatic √Source: Brinkerhoff, 2002

A Simplifying Factor B Complicating Factor C

√ √ √

How complex are the changes

Few changes Many changes √

Few decision makers Many decision-makers √

Small departure from current practices, roles and behaviours

Large departure from current practices, roles and behaviours

√

Limited discretion Large discretion √

Low technical sophistication √ High technical sophistication

Low administrative complexity High administrative complexity √

Geographically concentrated Geographically dispersed √

Normal pace √ Urgent/ emergency pace

Single event Permanent changes √

Low level of conflict about nature and value of the changes

High level of conflict about nature and value of changes

√

Source: Brinkerhoff, 2002

Concluding statements

CONCLUSIONS

• Implementation road will be difficult• Will not be able to prove causal

relationship• Symbolic policy• Opening the space and providing

structure to extensive public sector change on the continent