eighteenth joint un/intosai seminar on government...

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EIGHTEENTH JOINT UN/INTOSAI SEMINAR ON GOVERNMENT AUDITING

Auditing EAuditing E--Government as a Tool Government as a Tool to Empower Citizens and Further to Empower Citizens and Further SocioSocio--Economic and Human Economic and Human DevelopmentDevelopmentPresentation by Esther Stern, Presentation by Esther Stern, Interregional Adviser Interregional Adviser Division for Public Division for Public Administration and Development Administration and Development Management, UNDESAManagement, UNDESA

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SAIs HAVE MADE MANY INROADS INTO THE AUDIT OF E-GOVERNMENT

Some SAIs have carried out audits of eSome SAIs have carried out audits of e--government to government to assess the accrued benefits at the operational level, such assess the accrued benefits at the operational level, such as costas cost--effectiveness, quality, integrity, reliability and effectiveness, quality, integrity, reliability and timeliness in the delivery of services and goods; and of timeliness in the delivery of services and goods; and of ee--procurement and eprocurement and e--taxation taxation

Much remains to be done to promote the audit of the Much remains to be done to promote the audit of the real or potential benefits of ereal or potential benefits of e--government in terms of government in terms of transparency and accountability to the public, citizen transparency and accountability to the public, citizen empowerment, and furthering of socioempowerment, and furthering of socio--economic and economic and human development human development

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PROPOSAL FROM UN-DESA TO THE PARTICIPANTS

SAI participants will not limit their focus to the highly SAI participants will not limit their focus to the highly complex technical ITC audit issues and trends concerned complex technical ITC audit issues and trends concerned with ewith e--government government

They will also focus on the advantages of eThey will also focus on the advantages of e--government in government in creating "public good" and in furthering human creating "public good" and in furthering human development and other sociodevelopment and other socio--economic goals encapsulated economic goals encapsulated in the 2000 United Nations Millennium Development in the 2000 United Nations Millennium Development GoalsGoals. .

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What is E-Government?

When referring to eWhen referring to e--government, people in general tend to government, people in general tend to think, first and foremost, of the ICT side of the equation. think, first and foremost, of the ICT side of the equation. We should, nonetheless, stress that We should, nonetheless, stress that the key element, in ethe key element, in e--government, is not the “e”government, is not the “e” [electronic], [electronic], but but “government“government.” .”

The “e” is just an enabler that can catapult governments to The “e” is just an enabler that can catapult governments to deliver services in a more efficient, transparent and costdeliver services in a more efficient, transparent and cost--effective manner. effective manner.

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Lessons from the World Public Sector Report 2003: “E-Government at the Crossroads”

EE--government is justified if it enhances the capacity of government is justified if it enhances the capacity of public administration to increase the supply of public public administration to increase the supply of public value, i.e. the things that people want.value, i.e. the things that people want.

Without strategic commitment to a developmental Without strategic commitment to a developmental vision/change programme, the hierarchy will use vision/change programme, the hierarchy will use technology to reproduce itself. Technological technology to reproduce itself. Technological developments, in absence of institutional and developments, in absence of institutional and organizational innovation, will be assimilated into the organizational innovation, will be assimilated into the status quo.status quo.

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Lessons from the World Public Sector Report 2003: “E-Government at the Crossroads”(Cont’d)

ICT [can] produce “politics as usual” by reinforcing the ICT [can] produce “politics as usual” by reinforcing the power of established institutions, such as major political power of established institutions, such as major political parties, interest groups and media corporations that are parties, interest groups and media corporations that are already well entrenched players in the policy processalready well entrenched players in the policy process

With the political will to effect change, providing for eWith the political will to effect change, providing for e--participation could become a tool for citizen empowermentparticipation could become a tool for citizen empowerment

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Conceptual framework: The Millennium Development Goals

In the 2000 UN Millennium Declaration, the Member States have pledged: to work “for more inclusive political process, allowing genuine participation by all citizens” “to ensure (…) the right of the public to have access to information”

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Objectives of the UN E-Government Surveys

to provide an appraisal of the use of Eto provide an appraisal of the use of E--government government as a tool in the delivery of services; and in the delivery of services; and

to provide a comparative assessment of the willingness and to provide a comparative assessment of the willingness and ability of governments to involve the citizen in eability of governments to involve the citizen in e--participation.participation.

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The E-government Survey 2004 presents a comparative ranking of the 191 member states according to two primary indicators:

the state of ethe state of e--government readiness; andgovernment readiness; and

the extent of ethe extent of e--participationparticipation

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What is the E-Government Index?

EE--Government readiness is a quantitative composite Government readiness is a quantitative composite index of website assessment; telecommunication index of website assessment; telecommunication infrastructure and human resource endowment. infrastructure and human resource endowment.

EE--Participation index is a qualitative assessment of Participation index is a qualitative assessment of the quality, relevance and usefulness of government the quality, relevance and usefulness of government websites in providing online participatory tools to the websites in providing online participatory tools to the people. people.

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E-Government Readiness Index 2004 by Region - RESULTS

North AmericaNorth America (0.875) and (0.875) and EuropeEurope (0.587) lead followed by (0.587) lead followed by South and South and Eastern AsiaEastern Asia (0.460); South & Central America (0.456); Caribbean (0.410); (0.460); South & Central America (0.456); Caribbean (0.410); Western AsiaWestern Asia (0.409); and South & Central Asia (0.321).(0.409); and South & Central Asia (0.321).Oceania (0.300) Oceania (0.300) and and Africa Africa (0.253) have the lowest average e(0.253) have the lowest average e--government government readiness.readiness.

0.250.30

0.32

0.41 0.410.46 0.46

0.59

0.88

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1.00

Africa Oceania South & CentralAsia

Western Asia Caribbean South & CentralAmerica

South & EasternAsia

Europe North America

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13E-Readiness Index 2004Top 15 countries

Rank Country E-Gov ReadinessIndex

1 United States 0.9132 Denmark 0.9053 United Kingdom 0.8854 Sweden 0.8745 Republic of Korea 0.8586 Australia 0.8387 Canada 0.8378 Singapore 0.8349 Finland 0.824

10 Norway 0.81811 Netherlands 0.80312 Germany 0.78713 New Zealand 0.78114 Iceland 0.77015 Switzerland 0.754

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E-Participation Index 2004Country E-participation Rank IndexUnited Kingdom 1.000 1United States 0.934 2Canada 0.902 3Singapore 0.836 4Netherlands 0.803 5Mexico 0.770 6 (tie)New Zealand 0.770 6 (tie)Republic of Korea 0.770 6 (tie)Denmark 0.738 7Australia 0.672 8Estonia 0.639 9Colombia 0.623 10Belgium 0.607 11Chile 0.607 11 (tie)Germany 0.590 12Finland 0.574 13 (tie)Sweden 0.574 13 (tie)France 0.459 14 (tie)Malta 0.459 14 (tie)Austria 0.443 15

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Progress in E-Government in the last two years

E-government features/services 2004 2003 percentage of countries

Integrated single entry portal 35 26Sources of archived information (laws, policy documents, etc.) 92 90Databases (e.g., web access to/do 85 79With online transactions provision 20 17

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Survey Conclusions

Governments are making steady progress worldwide in Governments are making steady progress worldwide in embracing ICT technologies each year embracing ICT technologies each year

However, at present information and services via the eHowever, at present information and services via the e--network reaches only the privileged few in the network reaches only the privileged few in the developing countries. developing countries.

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Survey Conclusions (cont’d)

There is a real possibility of the digital divide widening There is a real possibility of the digital divide widening between ebetween e--haves and e havehaves and e have--notes, in the developing notes, in the developing world.world.

Inequities between, and among, nations in Inequities between, and among, nations in telecommunication and human capital development pose telecommunication and human capital development pose serious constraints on the use of eserious constraints on the use of e--government for government for knowledge and empowerment of the people.knowledge and empowerment of the people.

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Hopeful experiments in E-Participatione.g. City of Tampere (Finland):e.g. City of Tampere (Finland):

On-line discussion platforms for topical issuesSystem for on-line consultation about citizens’ development priorities On-line facility for commenting on administration plans and their fundingQ&A e-booths that assure administration’s response in matter of daysOn-line open to all facilities for content provision by citizens and group communicationIntensive ICT skills training program for all

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However…

Doubt persist…Doubt persist…“Why should I participate in a ‘virtual’ room when I “Why should I participate in a ‘virtual’ room when I

have not been taken seriously in the ‘real’ ones?”have not been taken seriously in the ‘real’ ones?”

And, globally, governments shy away from engaging And, globally, governments shy away from engaging citizens on line in political debate and decision making… citizens on line in political debate and decision making…

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Deficiencies of the current platform for genuine participation:

Problems with the public sphere:Problems with the public sphere:Access (inequality of status excludes)Access (inequality of status excludes)Freedoms (speech, association, assembly)Freedoms (speech, association, assembly)Collusion of interests (concern Collusion of interests (concern vs. vs. interest)interest)

Problems with deliberative resources of citizens:Problems with deliberative resources of citizens:Lack of time (“fiveLack of time (“five--minute activists”)minute activists”)Lack of expertise (prevalence of “experts”)Lack of expertise (prevalence of “experts”)Lack of deliberative experiences and skills Lack of deliberative experiences and skills

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Building new platform for genuine participation: Rules

Culture of civic engagementCulture of civic engagementFreedomsFreedomsInformation management (ICTInformation management (ICT--augmented)augmented)Gate keeping of electronic communication channels (ICTGate keeping of electronic communication channels (ICT--augmented)augmented)Separation of public and private valueSeparation of public and private valueAttentiveness and responsiveness of public officials / Attentiveness and responsiveness of public officials / public administrationpublic administration

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Building new platform for genuine participation: Tools

EE--government applications for making citizens government applications for making citizens knowledgeable and skilled:knowledgeable and skilled:

EducationEducation (on(on--line manuals, tutorials, training line manuals, tutorials, training materials to raise literacy, including ICT literacy and materials to raise literacy, including ICT literacy and skills; general knowledge; civic knowledge)skills; general knowledge; civic knowledge)Expertise Expertise (accountability information, but also (accountability information, but also “five“five--minute briefs” on demand)minute briefs” on demand)Skills for networking and organization for political Skills for networking and organization for political actionaction (manuals, tutorials, training materials)(manuals, tutorials, training materials)

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Building new platform for genuine participation: Tools (Cont’d)

EE--government applications for making citizens connected government applications for making citizens connected and networked:and networked:

EE--applications for establishing openapplications for establishing open--ended domains (networks) ended domains (networks) of shared interestof shared interestEE--lists of existing openlists of existing open--ended domains (networks)ended domains (networks)EE--bulletin boards for posting ideas bulletin boards for posting ideas Formal onFormal on--line consultation facility on policies, activities and line consultation facility on policies, activities and social outcomes of policies and activitiessocial outcomes of policies and activitiesOnOn--line decisionline decision--making facilities (including emaking facilities (including e--voting)voting)TwoTwo--way eway e--mailing connections to politicians and civil mailing connections to politicians and civil servantsservants

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SOME SUGGESTED AREAS FOR AUDIT OF E-GOVERNMENT AS A TOOL TO EMPOWER CITIZENS AND FURTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT-1

The audit of current approaches and techniques in the use The audit of current approaches and techniques in the use of ICT in various public processes as a tool to enhance of ICT in various public processes as a tool to enhance participation, transparency and citizen empowerment participation, transparency and citizen empowerment (e(e--participation); participation); The audit of current approaches and techniques in the use The audit of current approaches and techniques in the use of ICT in various public processes as a tool to increase the of ICT in various public processes as a tool to increase the costcost--effectiveness, quality, integrity, reliability and effectiveness, quality, integrity, reliability and timeliness in the delivery of services and goods, and timeliness in the delivery of services and goods, and human resource capacities;human resource capacities;

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The audit of eThe audit of e--government as a tool towards greater costgovernment as a tool towards greater cost--effectiveness in public spending and related disclosure and effectiveness in public spending and related disclosure and reporting;reporting;

The audit of the national eThe audit of the national e--government strategy;government strategy;

The audit of eThe audit of e--government readiness; government readiness;

The audit of the feasibility, costThe audit of the feasibility, cost--effectiveness and effectiveness and sustainability of esustainability of e--initiativesinitiatives in developing countries;in developing countries;

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The audit of eThe audit of e--management of development assistance and management of development assistance and sociosocio--economic programmes;economic programmes;The audit of eThe audit of e--government as it relates to humanitarian government as it relates to humanitarian affairs e.g. relief efforts for the Tsunami disaster;affairs e.g. relief efforts for the Tsunami disaster;The audit of the eThe audit of the e--government system as a tool to government system as a tool to minimize the risks of corruption; andminimize the risks of corruption; andThe audit of misuse or abuse of the eThe audit of misuse or abuse of the e--government government e.g. e.g. showing erroneous or inflated operational and financial showing erroneous or inflated operational and financial results or using it as a propaganda tool.results or using it as a propaganda tool.

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CONCLUSION

SAIsSAIs could play a pivotal role, through the audit of ecould play a pivotal role, through the audit of e--government, in the global communitygovernment, in the global community’’s transition to a s transition to a Knowledge Society with its potential for Knowledge Society with its potential for

optimizing service delivery; optimizing service delivery; increasing transparency; increasing transparency; encouraging the participation of constituencies;encouraging the participation of constituencies;strengthening peoplestrengthening people--centered governance; andcentered governance; andtransform sociotransform socio--economic and human development economic and human development institutionsinstitutions

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UNDESA/DPADM looks forward to collaborating with you

Thank youThank you

eighteenth joint un/intosai seminar on government...

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