In September 2021, The Government of the Republic of Korea and UNDP in Kazakhstan - utilising the capacity of the Astana Civil Service Hub (ACSH) - launched a regional joint project on digitalization and innovation in the public sector in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia). 

For this purpose, the UNDP in Kazakhstan and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) of the Republic of Korea signed a Grant Arrangement Agreement for the implementation of the regional project “Capacity Building for Innovation in Governance and Digitalization of Public Services”.

This project was initiated by the ACSH in November 2019, during the visit of the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the ACSH, Mr. Alikhan Baimenov to the Republic of Korea, during which he met with the leadership of the MOIS. 

The project is designed for three years and is implemented by the UNDP in Kazakhstan and the ACSH in partnership with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) of the Republic of Korea. 

Objectives:

In the framework of the project, it is envisioned to conduct analytical studies, workshops to upgrade the skills of civil servants with involvement of leading Korean experts, as well as to organize study visits to government agencies of the Republic of Korea. As a result, civil servants are expected to gain necessary knowledge and skills to identify and implement the best-fit innovative approaches in governance and various methods of delivering public service. 

Outcomes:

• Enhanced knowledge of public officials in the participating countries on the concept and practice of innovation in government and on digitalisation processes in public service delivery;

• Enhanced capacity of public officials in the participating countries to introduce innovative practices and digitalise public services delivered through differentiated channels;

The main areas of activities:

Topics of capacity building activities: 

• "Ecosystems and Conducive Environments for Innovation and Digitalization to Flourish"

• "Policy Making for Development of Innovation and Digitalisation"

• “Innovation and Digitalisation Policy for Efficient Implementation”

• “Digital Government Policies and Best Practices of the Republic of Korea”

• “Appraisal of the Needs-Assessment Survey Results on Digitalisation” 

• "Cooperation and Capacity Development in Digital Government" 

• “Digital Government Policy Frameworks” 

• “Provision of public services using the latest digital technologies” 

• “Open Data Policies, Practices, and Cases”

• “Change Management for Digital Transformation”

Period: 

2021-2023 

Donor: 

Government of the Republic of Korea (MOIS/NIA) 

Results achieved:

• 3 online workshops

• 1 self-paced training course 

• 1 regional conference (Kazakhstan)

• 4 offline workshops (Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan)

• 1 study visit to Korea 

• Feasibility (Needs-assessment) Survey Results Report 

• Case study “Open (Government) Data Policies and Practices 

• 189 unique government officials engaged