Key Events

Singapore and Japan on 5 April 2011 signed the Planning Committee Meeting Report on the FY 2011 Annual Workplan of training programmes to be conducted under the framework of the Enhanced Japan-Singapore Partnership Programme for the 21st Century (JSPP21).

The JSPP21 Planning Committee Meeting was held in the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and concluded with the signing of the Report by Mr Koh Tin Fook, Director, Technical Cooperation Directorate, Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr Shigeo Shimizu, Director, First Country Assistance Planning Division, International Cooperation Bureau, Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The signing reaffirmed the commitment of Singapore and Japan to continue providing joint technical assistance under the JSPP21 to promote human resource capacity development in developing countries.

Singapore and Japan have a long-standing collaboration on technical cooperation that began in 1994. To date, Singapore and JICA have jointly conducted over 270 training programmes for the benefit of more than 4,700 government officials from around the world.

The FY 2011 Workplan offers 18 training programmes to developing countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East and the Pacific. The fields of training include public governance, environment, urban planning, community policing, disaster management, intellectual property, tourism, and transport safety management. In line with the flagship “Joint Initiative in Strategies on Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development in ASEAN" established in 2007, three environment-related training courses for ASEAN countries will be conducted in 2011. Singapore and Japan also agreed to collaborate for the first time on jointly providing training to Afghanistan in the area of public governance. There is also a course with the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) on urban planning and management.

Singapore and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly launched the book "Virtuous Cycles: The Singapore Public Service and National Development" on 24 March 2011. Commissioned by UNDP in collaboration with the Singapore Cooperation Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Singapore Civil Service College, this book highlights the lessons and best practices from the Singapore Public Service that may be replicable in other countries.

The book was launched by the Head of Civil Service Peter Ong, UNDP Resident Representative of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Kamal Malhotra and author Dr Naresh Saxena. In his opening remarks to more than 100 local and foreign dignitaries and guests, Mr Malhotra emphasised that "good governance is not only about policy. It is also dependent on the implementation of that policy". In his presentation on the book, Dr Saxena commended Singapore's civil servants, as well as political leaders, for leading by example. One example he quoted was how Singapore minimises corruption, which he summed up succinctly as a matter of converting "low risk, high rewards" to "high risk, low rewards".

In his keynote address, Mr Ong said that Singapore "sought to build up a public service that was proactive rather than reactive". For the Singapore Public Service "to better address emerging strategic challenges" that were highlighted in the book, it needs to be more responsive and forward-looking. He cited the Public Service in the 21st century (PS21) and the recent setting up of the Centre of Strategic Futures as examples of how Singapore continuously builds up its anticipatory capacity.

Those interested to read the book may access it here

The Aircraft Accident Crisis Preparedness and Management course took place from 21 February to 2 March 2011 at the Singapore Aviation Academy. The course was attended by 17 participants from 16 countries from the South East Asia, Africa, Middle East and Pacific Islands regions.

Over the course duration of eight days, participants immersed themselves in the programme to gain a better understanding of the responses involved in dealing with aviation crisis. Through a series of lectures, interactive workshops and site visits, participants learnt about the planning and preparation processes in aircraft accident crisis operations, media relations in the midst of crisis, and accident investigation procedures.

Mr Lahcen Boulahcen, Safety and Security Coordinator from the General Civil Aviation Authority of Morocco, said in his speech at the Closing Ceremony on 2 March 2011 that he and his fellow course participants were now "armed with the information and knowledge gleaned from the instructors", and they have a clearer understanding about dealing with such crisis.