Public Sector Reform in Central Asia

SMEC's Social Infrastructure Group (SDG) has recently won a World Bank funded project preparation assignment in the Kyrgyz Republic focused on public sector and public administration reform. The Government of Kyrgyzstan has received a Policy and Human Resource Development Grant from the Government of Japan for the cost of preparing the Governance Structural Adjustment Credit.

Part of this grant has been used to engage SMEC to undertake three studies to support reforms in the legal and regulatory framework of the public service; remuneration and size of the public service; and the institutional framework of public administration.

These activities are aimed at enhancing the transparency, efficiency and accountability with which public sector resources (financial and human) are used.

They are intended to make the financing, provision and delivery of basic public services more efficient and effective and to improve the accountability and performance of the public service and its personnel. The proposed overarching activities of the project are intended to result in:

• enhanced public sector accountability and performance, especially through improved management of public expenditures, improved capacity for policy formulation and for improved delivery of basic public services
• reduced public sector impediments to private sector development through further reforms in tax and customs administration and policy; and
• facilitating wider civil society participation in the institutional reform process.

The project commenced in late June and will be finalised by the end of September.

The recommendations and findings will be incorporated in the design of a much larger loan program currently being considered by the Bank and the Government of Kyrgyzstan.

Contact: Les Douglas,

General Manager Corporate Development

Telephone: (02) 6452 0205

Email: les.douglas@smec.com.au