The UNPOG Public Governance Quarterly
Governance of the Future: Challenges, Opportunities and New Frontier Issues
Governance of the Future: Challenges, Opportunities and New Frontier Issues
The 2018 United Nations Public Service Forum took place in Marrakesh, in the Kingdom of Morocco from 21-23 June 2018, under the overarching theme “Transforming governance to realize the Sustainable Development Goals”. Governments across the world need to rethink their governance models in order to be able to meet the 2030 Agenda’s core principles, as well as to respond to people’s demands for more responsive and inclusive services. New governance approaches are required to rebuild trust in government and enhance transparency and public accountability to realize the SDGs. Understanding these global mega-trends is therefore crucial, because multiple, evolving and mutually-reinforcing shifts are taking place at all levels of governance. New models of social innovation and new forms of business action are needed in support of the SDGs. Even as public institutions are focusing on the implementation of Agenda 2030 with the core principles of leaving no one behind, frontier technologies are presenting society with unparalleled opportunities and risks for future governance. For instance, the fourth industrial revolution and convergence of innovative technologies, such as big data, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and super-computing, geo-spatial data and broadband, artificial intelligence (AI), and deep machine learning, is promoting a dramatic shift towards more data and machine-driven societies, while development challenges and social inequality continue to rise. With no well-intentioned targeted measures, the digital divide will also be widened – and the principles of leave no one behind will be challenged. Going forward, contemporary governance models and capacities should be transformed to embrace the principles of the 2030 Agenda, while reducing the risks of disruptive technologies to addressing current and future mega-trends. This will require the determined efforts of government to widen innovation and harness its potential by developing capacities for change requiring a multi-stakeholder approach.
Keping Yao
Governance and Public Administration Expert, UNPOG, DPIDG, UN DESA
Park Mi Kyoung
Associate Research and Policy Analysis Expert, UNPOG, DPIDG, UN DESA
Bae Chaeyoon
Interns, UNPOG, DPADM, UN DESA
