Bamako has become the centre of attention for African public administration as ministers from the Observatory of African Public Services (OFPA) convened on 23 August 2025 to chart a new course for the organisation.
The 12th Conference of Ministers follows two days of preparatory expert meetings and seeks to modernize, digitalize, and strengthen public services across the continent.
During the session, officials reviewed and adopted the OFPA’s 2019–2024 activity and financial reports, assessed the status of member states’ contributions, and initiated the appointment of a new executive secretary.
Delegates also set out a strategic vision for transforming the OFPA into a training hub aimed at bolstering the capacities of national public administrations.
Founded on 5 November 1991 in Cotonou, Benin, OFPA brings together 26 African countries with the mission of promoting governance, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights while supporting administrative modernization.
Delegations in Bamako emphasised the importance of operational and measurable objectives, including clarifying member contributions, establishing a 2025–2026 budget aligned with priorities, and providing executive leadership to stabilise governance.
A major focus of the conference was the digitization of public services to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Experts highlighted structural constraints that have hampered the OFPA, such as unpaid dues, irregular statutory sessions, and a weakened executive secretariat. The Bamako meeting was therefore framed as a relaunch, aiming to align financial decisions, the statutory calendar, and the organisation’s operational roadmap.
Regional cooperation played a key role in the preparatory process, with neighbouring governments mobilised to support the conference. Burkinabe authorities confirmed the expert meetings and ministerial sessions, underlining a commitment to translating decisions into tangible outcomes.
The 12th edition of the OFPA conference faces a dual challenge: reaffirming the organisation’s role as a pan-African technical platform for monitoring and supporting civil service reforms, and ensuring that decisions translate into verifiable improvements in national administrations, from training and digitalisation to compliance with management standards and continuity of services.
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