YBhg. Tan Sri Shamsul Azri bin Abu Bakar, Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia undertook a working visit to Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 to 20 November 2024.
The Chief Secretary was invited by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to be a panelist at the expert seminar on the promotion and protection of economic, social, and cultural rights in anti-corruption efforts in the context of recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Chief Secretary highlighted national efforts in anti-corruption, such as the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, and explained how Malaysia aligns its anti-corruption measures with human rights principles to ensure that public funds are directed toward education, healthcare, and other essential services to promote and protect economic, social and cultural rights.
The Chief Secretary held two bilateral meetings with international organizations. The first was with Ms. Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. Both sides discussed various human rights issues, including institutional reforms in Malaysia, Malaysia’s priorities as Chair of ASEAN in 2025 and collaboration between Malaysia and OHCHR in the forms of capacity-building and technical assistance.
The second bilateral meeting was with Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The Chief Secretary discussed his vision for digitalizing public services in Malaysia, collaboration between Malaysia and the ITU in the area of artificial intelligence and Malaysia’s role as a member of the ITU Council.
The Chief Secretary also undertook a short visit to the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, to exchange views on various issues, including strengthening a high-performance work culture, developing leadership with integrity and innovating in delivering services to the public. The Chief Secretary also discussed matters related to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
During the visit, the Chief Secretary took the opportunity to meet and engage with all Malaysian home-based staff in Switzerland, which comprised officers and supporting staff in the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as the Embassy of Malaysia in Berne, during a dinner hosted by H.E. Dato’ Nadzirah Osman, the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Geneva. The Chief Secretary was also given a tour of the chancery buildings of the Permanent Missions to the UN and WTO.
