From August 5th to 7th, 2024, Dr. Piyawat Siwarak, the Secretary-General of the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC), as the Head of ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (ACCSM) for Thailand, along with Mr. Kitipong Maharatnavong, Deputy Secretary-General of the OCSC, in his capacity as an ACCSM Senior Official for Thailand, and their delegation, attended the 22nd ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (22nd ACCSM), the 7th ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (7th ACCSM+3), and other related activities in Negara Brunei Darussalam. The participants are from civil service agencies of ASEAN member countries, ASEAN Plus Three, and Timor-Leste. The meetings were hosted by Negara Brunei Darussalam under the theme “Strengthening ASEAN Public Sector: Fit For The Future” and included the following:
1) The 22nd Senior Official Meeting for ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (SOM ACCSM)
2) The 7th Senior Official Meeting for ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (SOM+3 ACCSM)
3) A Forum on Good Governance titled “Revolutionizing the Public Sector: Artificial Intelligence for Good Governance”
4) The 22nd Heads of Civil Service Meeting for ASEAN Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (HCS ACCSM)
5) The 7th Heads of Civil Service Meeting for ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation on Civil Service Matters (HCS+3 ACCSM)
Key outcomes included:
1) Implementation of the 2021-2025 ASEAN Civil Service Plan and ASEAN Plus Three Civil Service Work Plan: The meeting reported on the progress of the Work Plans. Thailand has carried out the activities as outlined in the plans and aims to complete all activities by 2025 as scheduled.
2) Exchange of views on developing the 2026-2030 ASEAN Civil Service Plan and ASEAN Plus Three Civil Service Plan: The meeting continued to support the existing priority areas, which include:
– Enhancing workforce competencies and standards in the public sector
– Building institutional capacities and inter-agency coordination
– Transformative leadership
– Strengthening ASEAN Resource Centers (ARCs)
– Public sector reform and modernization
Additionally, it was suggested that the new Work Plans align more closely with the ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan and address emerging challenges such as AI development, quality workforce development, and mechanisms for knowledge and expertise exchange.
3) The ASEAN Statement on Strengthening Government Strategies on Mental Health and Well-Being towards Achieving Work-Life Balance (WLB) in the Public Sector: Negara Brunei Darussalam, as the chair of ACCSM drafted this statement to support the development of principles, guidelines, and strategies for mental health in the public sector. The meeting approved the statement in principle, with final endorsement to be completed through an ad-referendum process.
4) Handover of the ACCSM Chairmanship: On this occasion, Negara Brunei Darussalam handed over the chairmanship of ASEAN civil service cooperation to Cambodia. Cambodia will now chair the 23rd ASEAN Civil Service Cooperation from 2025 to 2026 under the theme “Innovation for Better Service Delivery.”
