The Open Government Partnership’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... is in the process of publishing 35 progress reports on the group of countries that joined OGP at the Brasilia Summit in 2012 – known as Cohort 2. IRM progress reports are designed to assess implementation of National Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... commitments, provide feedback on public consultation and engagement with civil society, and make recommendations to improve the following National Action Plan.
Three countries from this group will not be receiving an IRM progress report at this time: Lithuania, Malta and Turkey. The decision not to produce a report for these three countries was taken for a number of reasons. First, a considerable number of attempts were made during the report research period by both the Support UnitThe OGP Support Unit is a small, permanent group of staff that work closely with the Steering Committee and the Independent Reporting Mechanism to advance the goals of the Open Government Partnership.... and the IRM team to make contact with a government representative without success. Second, no self-assessment report was submitted on the National Action Plan. Third, other independent attempts to verify activities related to the National Action Plan found little evidence that commitments were being implemented. The IRM therefore concluded there was not sufficient activity related to OGP to produce a report.
The Support Unit will now work with these three countries to meet the requirements of continued participation in OGP, including improving consultation with civil society and the creation of their second OGP National Action Plan by June 15th, 2014. The consequences of not receiving an IRM progress report will be considered by the Criteria and Standards subcommittee of the OGP Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru... in due course. The subcommittee will also be considering the implications of the IRM’s findings for the other Cohort 2 countries.