LocationsUNDP supports the development of the Business Continuity Plans
July 15, 2022
From left to right : Professor Ramesh Dubarry, Director General of the Civil Service College, Mauritius; Ms. Renooka Beejan, UNDP Head of Socio-Economic Development Unit; the Honorable Teeruthraj Hurdoyal, Minister of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms; and Mr. Bojrazsingh Boyranboli, Secretary for Public Service
A workshop aimed at showcasing the Business Continuity Plan of 13 line Ministries was organized by the Civil Service College, Mauritius, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, on 14 and 15 July. The two-day event provided the opportunity to showcase the draft business continuity plans of these ministries, and enhance the preparedness, efficacy and resilience of their officers to serve the population in the advent of future shocks.
Mauritius is vulnerable to Business Continuity disruptions which can impact the delivery of essential services during times of crisis, among which adverse weather conditions, cyberattacks, security incidents, fires and pandemics. At the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020, the UNDP Mauritius Country office initiated the Prevent, Respond and Early recovery Project (PREP) in line with the UNDP Prepare, Respond and Recover Global Offer. Aimed at supporting the transformation agenda of Mauritius’ Government across the civil service, the PREP project significantly contributed to strengthen Government’s response to the sanitary crisis. In addition to interventions to support vulnerable groups and provide medical commodities, PREP also contributed in the area of socio-economic assessment and towards business continuity planning. In this context, public officers were enrolled in Business Continuity Management Training sessions, delivered by the Civil Service College Mauritius, to be sensitized to best teleworking practices and ultimately develop consolidated Business Continuity Plans for their respective Ministries and Departments.
The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the importance, for the Civil Service, of being prepared to shocks to maintain the undisrupted delivery of public services in times of crisis.
In his opening speech, the Honorable Teeruthraj Hurdoyal, Minister of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, acknowledged the UNDP for the financial support provided to ensure Business Continuity Plans for the Civil Service. The minister recalled that the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the importance, for the Civil Service, of being prepared to shocks to maintain the undisrupted delivery of public services in times of crisis. The Minister added that the implementation an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) is on the way and that “such initiatives will not only contribute to address the inefficiencies inherent in a bureaucratic setup but will allow for business continuity and foster a work from home culture.”
Representing UNDP during the event, Ms. Renooka Beejan, Head of Socio-Economic Development Unit, emphasized the importance of knowledge transfer, coaching and mentoring within and across Ministries so that best practices pertaining to Business Continuity are adopted. She further encouraged “the adoption of digital solutions throughout the public sector as part of a new way of operating by leveraging information technologies.”
The importance of digital resilience in ensuring business continuity was also emphasized by Professor Ramesh Dubarry, Director General of the Civil Service College, Mauritius. Professor Dubarry also stressed that an annual course on Business Continuity will be developed by the Civil Service College to ensure the training of civil servants throughout the year.
Following the presentations of their respective draft BCPs and inputs from independent reviewers, officers from the 13 ministries have to finalize and start the implementation at the earliest.
