Governments are introducing innovations in their organizations, practices, and capacities.

1. Strengthening Capacities of Least Developed Countries to
Deliver Quality Services through the Transfer and Adaption of
Innovative Practices
14 January 2016, Shanghai, China
Distinguished guests,
Respected Participants
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the UN Department of Economic & Social Affairs I would
like to thank Ms. Mei Lihong, the respected Provost of the Chinese
Academy of Governance, Shanghai and the colleagues of the

2. Academy for the opportunity accorded us to continue our important
study tour in this beautiful city.
Today we see that national governments around the world are faced
with a challenging and complex global environment and an increasing
demand to ‘do more with less’. To accomplish this governments are
introducing innovations in their organizations, practices, and their
capacities.
In Beijing we learnt about the history of China’s impressive growth in
the last two decades and the leadership, structures and mechanisms
that led to enviable progress in poverty reduction in the last two
decades and the rapid rise in standards of living.
We come to Shanghai to continue to learn and experience from such
lectures and our site visits about other aspects such as in trade and
investment which has contributed to this development.
Learning of successful initiatives from other countries’ experiences
has proven to be an effective tool which can inspire new ideas and
reforms, and in some cases help countries leapfrog across the stages
of development.
As part of its regular programme the UN Department of Economic &
Social Affairs focuses on capacity-building in developing countries,
including LDCs, through training programs, study tour and workshops
for strengthening public sector human resources and institutions. This
study tour forms part of an important step in peer to peer learning.

3. As we continue with our programme we are looking towards weaving
what we learnt in Beijing to what we anticipate in Shanghai. Some of
us are already thinking of how certain practices can be adapted to
solving issues back home. Some new ideas are germinating on what
can be done for the future.
In this context I would like to encourage our esteemed participants
who are experts in their fields to take the opportunity to both learn
from the Chinese experience and to interact among each other,
discuss and create. In this way new ideas can be born.
For as Confucius says ‘In learning and straightway practicing is there
not pleasure also?’
Thank You