Examining practices, issues and challenges of public procurement in the Commonwealth

05 September 2011
News

Mauritius conference to focus on best practices and cost-effectiveness of public expenditure

Public procurement practices, issues and challenges will be the focus of a three-day meeting of the Pan-Commonwealth Public Procurement Network Conference and General Meeting to be held in Balaclava, Mauritius.

The event, which will take place from 28 to 30 September 2011, will promote the sharing of experiences and learning from each other as well as identifying ways to improve public procurement. The aim is to strengthen competencies to deliver sustainable development. The conference will bring together heads of government, procurement agencies and departments. A total of 68 senior officials from 30 Commonwealth countries will be participating in the conference.

The conference, which bears the theme 'Transformation of the Commonwealth Public Procurement Network: The Need for Partnership in Public Procurement', will enable the Commonwealth Secretariat to identify country-specific needs for the strengthening of key institutions of public administration and their capacities to promote best practices and to reduce corruption.

“The conference will capitalise on synergies from effective partnerships and networking, which will enhance the impact, effectiveness and value for money in public procurement projects, thereby maximising the taxpayers’ money,” said Andy Wynne, Acting Adviser, Public Expenditure Management at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

“The conference will help to strengthen relations between procurement regulatory and policy-making agencies in the Commonwealth. It will also examine the diversity and commonality of reforms which can be adapted to their own national environment.”

The conference is co-organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government of Mauritius.