Africa and the Middle East

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a voluntary multi-stakeholder initiative that began in 2011 with the aim of securing concrete commitments from government to their citizenry to promote transparency, accountability, active citizen participation, and the use of technology and innovation to…

On March  3rd  2015, the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) releases a report assessing Ghana’s compliance with OGP process and implementation of open government commitments in the country. OGP is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on…

Despite the reported importance of e-skills for successful open goverment data (OGD) initiatives, there are no studies found reporting on this topic. Hence, using the case study methodology, this study has explored e-skills needed for efficient and effective provision of…

In this section of the OGP newsletter, we feature open government champions both from government and civil society, and ask them about their OGP experiences. Here is what they have to say:   Give one example or anecdote of why…

In this section of the OGP newsletter, we feature open government champions both from government and civil society, and ask them about their OGP experiences. Here is what they have to say: How does open government make a difference in…

The government of South Africa will serve as Support Chair on the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee from October 2014, and Lead Chair in October 2015. Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration, Ms Ayanda Dlodlo as Special Envoy…

Freetown.jpg The Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership has successfully submitted the Sierra Leone National Action plan on time mainly due to its citizen’s engagement strategy using the media as a major instrument in the engagement plan. Work on…

Martin Tisne of the Omidyar Network in his blog The Missing Link: How to Engage the Private Sector in Open Government Partnership, discusses the nascent Private Sector Council, which was set up to provide recommendations to the OGP Steering Committee…

The past years of turmoil in the Middle East as well as anti-austerity protests in Europe and other on-going struggles for freedom of expression and political participation remind us of the importance of stable, transparent, and accountable government. In light…

The South Africa IRM report captures well a reality which has been evident for a while. There is strong government commitment to accountability and responsiveness – but citizens are often excluded from decision-making and able to ensure that government does…