New ‘open-government’ initiative to trigger more accountability

Leah Good is an Executive Coordinator to Transparency International’s Management Group

In New York City yesterday afternoon, President Barack Obama was joined by representatives of 45 nations and nine civil society organisations for the official launch of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a new initiative championed by the US and Brazil, which invites governments to join together in a common pledge; to ensure greater transparency, accountability and effectiveness in national governance.

Credit: Open Government Partnership

The Open Government Declaration, thus far signed by the OGP Steering Committee of eight nations (Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States) outlines four key commitments:

• Increase the availability of information on government activities
• Support increased engagement of citizens in government decision making
• Ensure professional integrity throughout government administrations
• Increase access to new technologies for openness and accountability.

Each of the Steering Committee governments has also published their own Action Plan for increased openness, detailing individual country-specific commitments to transparency (a fantastic analysis of the Commitments can be found here).

What is most notable about the OGP initiative is the broad spectrum of governments, from north and south, seeking to work together with civil society and private sector actors at the national level to develop concrete plans for reform. A further 38 countries that attended the OGP launch are now due to formulate their own Action Plans. The hope is for a voluntary race to the top, as governments drive change at home with the support of civil society organisations, as well as the innovations and best practice identified through the Partnership.

“Access to information is moving to a new stage, moving beyond citizens’ access to documents and websites towards a bolder approach…Citizens will soon have the opportunity for exercising a new sense of public control. OGP creates a space for creativity and innovation that will transform our understanding of our right to know”

The OGP signifies a considerable step forward for the international anti-corruption movement. The recognition from 46 national governments of the fundamental role that openness and transparency must play in twenty-first century democracy is to be applauded. In the closing remarks of the session, the UK representative, Cabinet Minister Francis Maude, quoting Victor Hugo, recognised that “an invasion of armies can be resisted; but one cannot resist an idea whose time has come… Transparency is an idea whose time has come”.