The Good Governance Department (GGD) aims at supporting the country in the implementation of Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA). Among other activities, it seeks to integrate smaller communities, to support the creation of a multi-cultural education system, to build a professional public administration and support the country’s efforts to bring elections further in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

The GGD is divided into three Units:

• the Public Administration Unit, facilitating the creation of a professional public administration at the central and local level with special attention to the promotion of smaller communities’ rights;
• the Democratization/Election Unit, assisting the country in the implementation of OSCE elections principles and commitments; 
• the Education Reform Unit, promoting integration through education while protecting the educational rights of all communities in the country.

Public administration reform

Since 2003, the Mission has assisted the country in the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) provisions related to the decentralization process and to public administration reform. The Mission’s Public Administration Reform Team conducts first-hand assessments of the reform process and provides targeted policy advice. The Mission also facilitates the creation of a professional public administration at the central and local levels through training, coaching and consultancy. The Unit’s activities target newly-recruited civil servants, municipal councillors and municipal administration. The Unit also works to promote the country’s smaller communities (Roma, Serbs, Bosnians, Turks, Vlachs) through capacity-building activities and awareness campaigns regarding minority rights.

Education reform

Since its foundation in 2005, one of the Education Reform Unit’s core activities is the monitoring of developments in education from the perspective of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) recommendations for integrated education. These activities address the need for reform of the education system to promote integration through education while protecting the educational rights of all communities in the country. The results of the monitoring process are shared with national and international stakeholders.

Through its programmatic activities, the Unit promotes the professionalisation of education stakeholders at the national, regional and local level, including the training of municipal education officers and the development of education strategies at the municipal level. Since 2009 the Mission has been engaged in the improvement of the pre-service teacher training system to equip teachers with the skills they need for their career in a multi-ethnic society. The Unit also conducts large-scale studies among teachers and students on the relationship between the education system and inter-ethnic relations in society.

Democratisation/Elections

The Mission’s Democratisation/Elections Team assists the country in the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments and follows up on the recommendations of OSCE/ODIHR Election Reports and the Joint Opinions of OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. It supports long-term capacity- and institution-building activities by providing targeted support and expert advice to key election stakeholders. It also provides short-term assistance directly preceding and during elections. In 2009-2010, the Mission supported four Working Groups that were established by the Government to follow-up on OSCE/ODIHR recommendations. The Working Groups drafted action plans to address ODIHR’s concerns with the voters’ list, the election administration, and the Electoral Code.