Project for the Institutionalization and Broader Use of the E-Consulate System for Increased Efficiency in the Service Delivery of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

What is the project about?

The Project aims at efficiency and cost-effectiveness with a focus on enhanced citizen-satisfaction from the services of the Ministry all over the world. The objective of the project is expected to be achieved through following outputs: i) use of the improved e-Consulate system for efficient service delivery institutionalized through enhanced institutional and individual capacities of the MFA, ii) broader and full-fledged application of the existing e-consulate system realized through the outreach strategy aiming to increase awareness of the citizens and respective stakeholders.

What is the situation?

Turkey is one of the leading countries in its region that achieves broader application of the ICT system in service delivery. In its national policy documents e-governance is identified as one of the key priorities for national and sectoral development and an important pillar for evolved public administration system to increase effectiveness and efficiency, enhance transparency and accountability as well as a tool for strengthening international competitiveness of Turkey.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the identification of the ICT development as a key area in its Strategic Plan for better services and good governance developed and applied the e-consulate system. It is a distinguished example of the ICT use in the consulate services with an aim of increased efficiency and cost effectiveness for increased citizen satisfaction.

In Turkey, the Prime Ministry has the leading institutional responsibility for promoting ICT for improved public administration. In this respect, an Information Management System Center has been established within the Prime Ministry to launch and coordinate the “e-state” initiative which incorporates sub-components such as “e-citizen”, “National Information System”, “National Public Network. This initiative is conducted with the participation of all relevant government agencies and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its demonstrated know-how and experience in this field, has become a key-player and resource institution within the overall study.

UNDP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperation in the field of e-consulate have started in 1989 to improve the services of MFA with the increased use of ICT and achieve the model of a paperless e-consulate service. In the scope this cooperation a software system is developed for the use of all MFA civil servants in Turkey and missions abroad. The process starting from late 80s has included the development of the software, creation of an efficient backstopping mechanism, training of the staff to respond the requirements of the system and conduct of a visibility work for increased awareness of the citizens.

What is UNDP’s mission?

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is an increasingly powerful tool for participating in global markets; promoting political accountability; improving the delivery of basic services; and enhancing local development opportunities. UNDP helps countries draw on expertise and best practices from around the world to develop strategies that expand access to ICT and harness it for development.

UNDP Turkey has been working in close relationship with public and private sectors as well as with civil society to formulate and implement sound "e-governance" initiatives. UNDP Turkey has been particularly active in helping Turkey achieve a number of committed goals involving the harnessing of ICT for development. The e-Europe + Action Plan was launched by the European Commission in December 1999. Implementation of the Action Plan in Turkey is known as e-Turkey. The Action Plan requires action in three main areas: i) inexpensive, fast and reliable Internet, ii) investment in people and skills, iii)encouraging Internet use.

Within this context, UNDP Turkey supports a number of initiatives to harness the potential use of ICT such as i) a model for e-governance in the city of Yalova focusing on increased use of ICT for improved delivery of services of the local government, and creation of an "e-citizen" by educating the wider city population to enable interaction, ii) a partnership with Cisco to expand Cisco’s Networking Academy Program in order to enhance employment opportunities for Turkey’s young people and to strengthen Turkey’s human resources capacities, and iii) UNDP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperation in the field of e-consulate started in 1989 to improve the services of MFA with the increased use of ICT and achieve the model of a paperless e-consulate service. In the scope this cooperation a software system is developed for the use of all MFA civil servants in Turkey and missions abroad. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its cooperation with UNDP has developed and applied the e-Consulate system for increased efficiency in its service delivery. Within this perspective, the current Project aims at efficiency and cost-effectiveness with a focus on enhanced citizen-satisfaction from the services of the Ministry all over the world.

How are we doing this?

The current project at hand builds upon the accumulated experiences of the previous phases with an increased emphasis on the e-consulate system’s institutionalization and full-fledged application through enhanced institutional and individual capacities and raised awareness and ownership of the citizens and respective stakeholders by the outreach strategy. The Project aims at efficiency and cost-effectiveness with a focus on enhanced citizen-satisfaction from the services of the Ministry all over the world. The objective of the project is expected to be achieved through following outputs: i) use of the improved e-Consulate system for efficient service delivery institutionalized through enhanced institutional and individual capacities of the MFA, ii) broader and full-fledged application of the existing e-consulate system realized through the outreach strategy aiming to increase awareness of the citizens and respective stakeholders.

How will Turkey benefit?

The project will ensure e-consulate system’s institutionalization and full-fledged application through enhanced institutional and individual capacities and raised awareness and ownership of the citizens and respective stakeholders by the outreach strategy. It will enable MFA to benefit from the growing expertise and broad international experiences that UNDP can offer in this field at the regional and global levels. Furthermore, experiences and expertise gained within the project will be shared by other relevant government agencies through a number of activities defined in the scope of the outreach strategy which will pave the way for scale up of this model in other public-service sectors.