June 23 is a date to which CAFRAD attaches particular significance. This day marks a dual celebration: United Nations Public Service Day, observed globally, and African Public Service Day, whose history is closely linked to that of the Centre.

A Day Established by the United Nations

On December 20, 2002, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 57/277, designating June 23 as United Nations Public Service Day. This day aims to celebrate the value and virtue of public service. It pursues three objectives: to celebrate the value and virtue of public service for the community, to highlight the contribution of public service to the development process, and to recognize the work of public servants while encouraging younger generations to pursue careers in the public sector.

Each year, this day is also associated with the United Nations Public Service Award, the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service, which rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public institutions leading to more efficient and responsive administration worldwide. The United Nations Public Service Forum accompanies this celebration, bringing together a host country each year for capacity-building workshops on public governance.

The 2026 edition of the United Nations Public Service Day was part of the United Nations Public Service Forum, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 23 to 25 June 2026, under the theme: “Transforming Public Institutions: Promoting Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion.” This theme emphasizes the need to strengthen the capacity of public institutions to meet the growing expectations of citizens, to foster more inclusive and participatory governance, and to develop more innovative, transparent, and efficient public services in support of sustainable development.

An African Day Born in Tangier

For the African continent, June 23^rd holds particular institutional significance. According to official statements issued during successive editions of this celebration, African Public Service Day is an initiative of the Pan-African Conference of Ministers in Charge of the Public Service, which, at its first session held in 1994 in Tangier, Kingdom of Morocco, chose June 23^rd as the commemorative date for this event.

Thus, the city of Tangier entered the history of this celebration by hosting the first session of the Pan-African Conference of Ministers in Charge of the Public Service, the origin of an initiative that has become, over the years, an essential event for African public administrations.

This dual celebration—global and continental—illustrates the coherence between the UN and African Union agendas regarding public governance. It is organized annually by the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission, in partnership with successive host countries, and brings together ministers of public service, public administration practitioners, researchers, and institutional partners from across the continent.

CAFRAD, Heir to this Founding Spirit

CAFRAD’s mandate resonates naturally with the objectives of this dual event. Since its inception, the Centre has worked to strengthen the capacities of African public administrations through training, applied research, and the sharing of experiences among member states—all essential levers for modernizing the continent’s public services.

This year’s celebration coincides with a period of particular mobilization for CAFRAD, which is actively preparing for its 61^st Governing board Session and the 17^th African Forum on Public Administration Modernization, scheduled for July 14 and 15, 2026, in Rabat. These meetings will continue, in the spirit of the 1994 Tangier Conference, the collective reflection on the paths to a more efficient, more inclusive, and more citizen-centric African public administration.

A Tribute to African Public Servants

Beyond the institutional framework, June 23^rd remains, above all, a day of tribute. A tribute to the women and men across the continent who bring public service to life every day: civil servants, administrative staff, and local government managers, whose commitment directly shapes citizens’ trust in their institutions.

On the occasion of this dual celebration, CAFRAD reaffirms its commitment to supporting African public administrations in their transformation and commends the dedication of all civil servants who, every day, contribute to the development of their countries and their continent.