Opening Remarks by Ms. Nashida Sattar

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Mongolia

10 September 2020

Corporate Convention Center

Your Excellency, the Speaker of the Parliament ZandanshatarGombojav, Ambassador of Canada to Mongolia Catherine Ivkoff,Members of the Parliament, Ladies and Gentlemen and esteemed colleagues,

Ethics no doubt, must be a core value for civil servants to embrace, as it promotes public trust in governance and is the cornerstone for creating just, inclusive, and stronger societies. This is all the more needed now as we gather our collective efforts to build Mongolia forward from the devastating socio-economic impacts of COVID-19. 

Exactly two years ago, in September 2018, over 800 public managers representing public institutions from 330 soums, 21 aimags and the capital city convened at the Government Palace to conceptualize a much-needed strategy for civil service reform in Mongolia. At the meeting, an Ethics Councils was envisioned as the medium to promote and enforce ethics in the civil service.  

It is a pleasure to be here today at this inaugural meeting of the council, a key milestone achieved in Mongolia’s civil service reform.   

UNDP is pleased to be associated with this process, supporting the Civil Service Council, Cabinet Secretariat, and the Parliament of Mongolia through our “Towards a Professional and Citizen-centred Civil Service in Mongolia” project, generously funded by the Government of Canada.

Mongolia has signed on to Sustainable Development Goals. A highly ambitious global agenda of the United Nations, to build a world free of poverty, reduced inequality, and sustain ourenvironment by 2030. Strong institutions and engaged citizens are undoubtedly foundational aspects to achieve these mandates. As we all can expect, ethical civil service is certainly at the core to build such institutions and cooperation.

I would also like to highlight, given that ethical civil service needs to be inclusive and well represented, that although Mongolia continues to make  progress in reducing gender equality, the country is still yet to reach the global average of women representatives in the electedpositions. According to the National Statistics Office, women represents 17.1% in the Parliament, 12.5% at Minister level and 7.7% in State Secretary level as of 2019.

Before I end my remarks, I would like to commend the civil servants of Mongolia for your extraordinary sense of duty and responsibility in working toward ensuring safety of the public in these challenging times Mongolia continues to be one of the few countries in the world without locally transmitted COVID-19 cases. 

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for being here. Your commitment to create and uphold highest ethical standard in civil service with the establishment of the Ethics Council is truly commendable. UNDP has a long history of supporting Mongolia in reforming its civil service. As a trusted partner of the government of Mongolia, we assure you of our continued support. 

Thank you and I wish you a successful meeting!