OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2011. Several government officials and more than 40 representatives of nongovernmental organizations from Almaty and Astana cities, as well as Karaganda and Pavlodar oblasts gathered at the roundtable in Astana. The meeting initiated the launch of a new joint project of UNDP Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade "Strengthening responsive governance for acceleration Millennium Development Goals in Kazakhstan."

During the round table, participation procedures for NGOs and independent experts were explained in order to assess the effectiveness of the government performance. This program was implemented in accordance with the Presidential Decree "On the system of annual performance evaluations of the central government and local executive bodies of oblasts, cities of republican status, and the capital city”. Starting 2011, an annual performance evaluation of central government and local executive branches will take place in the following areas:

• Achievement of strategic goals and objectives in assigned industry/area/region;

• Execution of acts and orders of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan and his deputies, Chief of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

• Implementation of budget programs;

• Provision of public services;

• Human Resource Management;

• Application of information technology.

Methodology of the performance assessment of state bodies, as well as the procedure for engaging non-governmental organizations and independent experts was presented by the Deputy Director of the Department of Public Administration Development of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade Ministry, Sergei Evdokimov.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, Ekaterina Paniklova, opened the roundtable, emphasizing that the involvement of civil society can greatly increase the effectiveness of assessment of public bodies. It can also increase the importance of public monitoring in general, strengthening governance based on the results.

Objectivity and transparency of assessment, as well as a broad account of public opinion in the process of its implementation was discussed at the round table. NGO representatives also raised the issues of government financing of NGOs’ participation in the performance assessment of state bodies.

Also, a joint UNDP project will help to improve the evaluation methodology, mechanisms for effective interaction between government and civil society institutions, and attracting international expertise.