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The United Nations Public Service Forum has opened in Tbilisi, Georgia, for the first time, bringing together 420 participants from nearly 100 countries to discuss public sector governance, digital transformation and citizen-centred service delivery.
Among the delegations attending the forum, Azerbaijan presented the results of its social insurance and pension reforms, highlighting progress in digitalisation and proactive public service delivery.
The opening ceremony featured addresses by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Justice Minister Paata Salia and UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua. The speakers underscored the forum's importance at a time when governments around the world are rethinking how public services are designed and delivered.
Over the coming days, participants will take part in panel discussions and working sessions covering digital transformation, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, data protection, inclusive governance, anti-corruption measures and strengthening citizen engagement.
The forum will conclude on 25 June with an awards ceremony recognising outstanding contributions to public service innovation worldwide.
Azerbaijan's delegation was led by Zaka Mirzayev, Chairperson of the Board of the State Social Protection Fund (SSPF) under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
In a dedicated panel session titled "Integrated Service Delivery Systems to Leave No One Behind", Mirzayev outlined reforms implemented in recent years across Azerbaijan's social insurance, pension and social security sectors, with a particular focus on digitalisation and proactive service delivery.
The presentation highlighted advances in efficiency, transparency and citizen satisfaction, as well as innovative tools introduced to improve access to social services for vulnerable populations.
Future strategic objectives for the country's social protection system were also outlined.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
IBM has warned that a surge in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure is weighing on its core business, in one of the clearest signs yet of how the AI boom is reshaping the technology sector.
Kyrgyzstan has introduced an indefinite ban on the export of crude oil and petroleum products by road and rail in an effort to prevent fuel shortages and strengthen the country's energy security.
The Iranian Army's Ground Force promised a crushing response to the U.S. after an air raid on its barracks in the southern city of Bampur on Wednesday (15 July) killed seven servicemen and wounded 13 others.
Pakistan's benchmark stock index recorded its steepest one-day fall in months on Tuesday as renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran unsettled global markets and heightened fears of disruptions to oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The benchmark KSE-100 Index closed down 3.56%.
A British inquiry has heard fresh allegations that UK special forces killed three Afghan farmers and abused detainees during operations in Afghanistan. The claims were published this week as part of an investigation into alleged unlawful killings and a possible cover-up.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have begun installing the first border markers along their shared frontier, marking the start of the physical demarcation of a boundary that was disputed for decades before being formally settled under a landmark agreement signed earlier this year.
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