Pretoria, Feb 18 (IANS) The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has allocated $2 million to help African countries strengthen and deepen reforms in governance and public service, South African news agency BuaNews reported Monday. “This money will be used to fund prioritised high impact activities within the African Governance and Public Administration Programme (AGPAP),” South Africa’s Minister of Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said Saturday.

The minister was delivering the chairperson’s address at 5th Pan African Conference of Ministers on Public/Civil Service on the AGPAP.

The Preparatory Assistance Grant by the UNDP includes the development of long-term support to the AGPAP for the period 2008-2011 and to provide effective support to the implementation of urgent activities under the AGPAP.

According to the Ministry for Public Service and Administration, the meeting allocated over $700,000 for the work of African Management Development Institute Network, which is regarded as a major player in building public administration capacity across the African continent.

In addition, money has been set aside to prop public sector innovation across the continent through an awards programme and to pave the way for ratification of the current African Public Service Charter by member states as a legally binding document.