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The Implementation of the Palestinian Code of Conduct

Strengthening Ethics and Contributing to Institution-Building

image of The Implementation of the Palestinian Code of Conduct

A set of clear standards of conduct for public officials can provide a critical tool for governments to promote openness, transparency and accountability in the public sector and eventually restore citizens’ trust in government. With a view to strengthening the ethics framework, the Palestinian Authority has undertaken significant progress to implement a Code of Conduct and Ethics for its civil service. This report analyses the underlining factors of an effective Code of Conduct in the overall framework of public governance reform to build open and transparent institutions. The report traces the evolution of the code from the first draft to the adopted document and discusses the final version against OECD recommendations and international good practices. The report provides actionable policy recommendations to operationalise the code towards a stronger governance framework for public sector integrity in the Palestinian Authority. The report points to the code’s strategic role alongside other measures to upgrade the ethics framework and sets an agenda to drive effective implementation in line with international principles of ethics and open government in the Palestinian Authority.

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From draft to the adopted document: Evolution of the text of the Palestinian Code of Conduct and Ethics

The final text of the code underwent substantial evolution before its adoption and reflects valuable feedback gathered during the consultation process. This chapter outlines the process that led to the adoption of the code and discusses the degree to which its provisions reflect international good practices and standards. The chapter finds that the code provides an effective reference document for the expected conduct of civil servants as it presents key values in a concise way and targets officials throughout the public administration. It discusses the provision of the code with a view to recurrent challenges to public sector integrity, such as wasta, conflict of interest, employment restrictions and gifts. While the code refers to such abuses of integrity and thus can play a prominent role in bringing about attitude change, the chapter draws the attention to legal frameworks that would usefully complement existing safeguards.

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