From 24 to 27 November 2020, the 25th edition of the CLAD International Congress on State and Public Administration Reform was held, with the Portuguese Republic as host country. A total of 220 international panelists in 60 panels reported the most recent topics of debate in the public administrations of the region.

The inauguration was carried out by the Secretary-General of CLAD, Francisco Velázquez, who thanked Portugal for the great capacity of the country to hold a virtual conference for the first time.

He also referred to four challenges proposed by CLAD and which public administrations should have in the current context: (1) Strengthening institutions, (2) operational improvements, (3) restoring public confidence, and (4) preparing for the fourth industrial revolution. He also described the pillars of innovation in public administrations: strategic thinking, knowledge management, collective intelligence, artificial intelligence and a democratic, inclusive, open and transparent model.

He concluded by announcing the upcoming activities approved by the Governing Council of the International Agency for 2021, and that by unanimous decision of its members, its mandate for the period 2021-2023 was renewed.

Subsequently, CLAD Board President Fernando Grillo stressed the importance of advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through partnerships and technology to advance in reducing inequality, decent work, institutional strengthening and economic growth.

He referred to the work of CLAD to promote innovation in the 23 Member States, through the approval of the Ibero-American Charter of Innovation in Public Management, as well as the different discussion spaces of CLAD, among which is the International Congress.

Finally, the representative of the Government of Portugal, Alexandra Leitão, Minister of Modernização do Estado e Administração Pública, also highlighted in her intervention four pillars to modernize the public administration with which they are aligned: Valorization of people, State innovation, technology and proximity logic. He also highlighted Portugal’s attachment to the 2030 Agenda; a priority topic for discussion throughout the International Congress.

At the end of the Congress, the “Lisbon Declaration” was presented, which summarizes the set of topics and actions agreed for the Ibero-American public sector, which can be consulted here.

The XXV edition of the International Congress of CLAD had participants from Colombia, Paraguay, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Peru, and was sponsored by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), CAF, Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina, Fundación Internacional y Caribe