Gearing Up for a Multi-Polar World

Last Updated on Thursday, 09 June 2011 22:26 Saturday, 28 May 2011 18:35

Written by Administrator

Pu Hau Do Suan is appointed to Director General of Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MOFA) on May 26, 2011. One of the few non-Burmans promoted at that level in Myanmar government. Pu Suan served in the MOFA as Deputy Director before being promoted. Pu Hau Do Suan held other important positions in the past : Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Nations, Embassy of Myanmar in Washington DC, and  as Myanmar Consul General at Kunming, China.

The other two participants in the Roundtable are Hon. Ike Chinwo, Member of House Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Dr Adel A. Al-Wugayan,, Secretary-General, Supreme Council for Planning and Development, Kuwait. To read the full text, please visit http://www.cscollege.gov.sg/cgl/pub_ethos_11i1.htm#top

ON THE RISE OF CHINA AND INDIA, AND THE EASTWARD SHIFT IN GLOBAL ECONOMIC INFLUENCE
HAU: I see the rise of the new powers as a good sign: it indicates the breakdown of ideological divides and a growing trend towards international cooperation and trade. Myanmar is situated right between India and China. There is tremendous opportunity, because ASEAN and Asia have become engines of growth, particularly with the free trade agreement between China and ASEAN. We don't need to look to the US or EU for our trade or investment; China's Yunnan province, along with India's north-eastern regions such as Assam and Bangladesh, can serve as our hinterland, and take whatever we can export at competitive prices. They are our neighbours and traditional economic partners, and we have always maintained friendly relations with them; security is not an issue. Of course, on the other hand, there are issues associated with such close proximity, such as trans-boundary crime, terrorism, pandemics and so on. But it also means we have a greater motivation to cooperate closely with one another. On balance, the benefits and opportunities outweigh the disadvantages.

ON THE KEY CHALLENGES FOR GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
HAU: There's no doubt that a strong, honest, competent and educated public service remains important. But its effectiveness can sometimes depend on other factors such as a country's political situation or cultural background, and so on. Nevertheless, as a consequence of globalisation and rapid advances in technology, we can no longer isolate ourselves. Transparency is a given — if you do something, everyone knows. Domestically, this also means the population is more savvy, more knowledgeable, more connected, and has greater expectations of the public service. If you do not deliver or if you do not satisfy the public, it's a sign of danger for the future. Therefore, the government and civil service have a responsibility to foresee and prepare for the future, making the necessary preparations, adjustments and corrections ahead of time. But you cannot set a rigid 5-, 10- or 15-year timeframe, which can sometimes become an excuse for inertia. If you have to take action now, then the time to do it is now.

OBSERVATIONS IN SINGAPORE

HAU: What interested me the most is the way all the public agencies are integrated in implementing the country's policies. We have been to different departments and sites and they are all independent in operation. Yet there is coherence and coordination between agencies; the policy guidelines are given from the top, and the implementation details are executed by the individual agencies. These agencies are empowered with the authority to carry out policies and projects, and are staffed by professional, effective, efficient civil servants and technocrats, who take their own initiative and use their skills and talents to carry out government policies to the utmost. That is most remarkable.

The ETHOS Roundtable was conducted by ETHOS Editor Alvin Pang in March 2010. Mr Chinwo, Mr Hau and Dr Adel were participants in the 3rd Leaders in Governance Programme (LGP) organised by the Singapore Civil Service College from 22 to 30 March 2010. Drawing from Singapore's development experience, the LGP offered practical insights into the fundamentals of good governance and effective policy implementation for sustainable economic development and social cohesion. Over the eight-day Programme, participants interacted with senior government officials and thought leaders, and visited key government agencies to understand their operating philosophies and values.