Max Planck Foundation organises a workshop on civil service and public administration in federal systems for staff at the Somali Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs
On 5 August 2016, the Max Planck Foundation organised a workshop for the Somali Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs (MoIFA) on civil service and public administration in federal systems. The workshop is part of a series of knowledge building trainings and was attended by 26 participants who work at the MoIFA on questions directly or indirectly related to the federalisation process in Somalia.
Somalia is rebuilding its civil service and public administration after an extended period of instability. Also affecting the organisation of the civil service is the adoption of a federal system. The Provisional Constitution dedicates an entire chapter to the civil service and contains specific regulation on the interaction of the civil service at the two levels of government.
The twelfth workshop organised for selected staff of the MoIFA introduced a detailed overview of Somalia’s historic and current regulations on the civil service and public administration. With reference to practical comparative examples, the participants learned about fundamental principles shaping the functioning of the civil service. They also discussed the application of these fundamental principles – such as diversity, accountability, merit, independence, equality and political neutrality – in the Somali context.
The workshop was enriched by the personal experiences of the participants who have worked in different capacities in public institutions and could contribute rich accounts on the operation of the civil service. Participants also welcomed comparing their experiences with case studies on the administration of civil service in other federal countries.