Press Release: Fifteen Local Governments Chosen for International Open Government Partnership Pilot Program
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dietlind Lerner, Communications Director
Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More 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....
dietlind.lerner@opengovpartnership.org
WASHINGTON, DC- The Open Government Partnership (OGP) announced 15 subnational governments from around the world chosen to participate in a new pilot program, established to promote more transparent, accountable, open government at a local level.
OGP is an international partnership between governments and civil society organizations[1] where governments commit to changes to promote transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, empower citizens, fight corruption and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. OGP was founded in 2011 by eight governments and nine civil society organizations who recognised that governments are more likely to be effective and credible if they open their doors to public input and oversight.
At the time, President Obama said: “this is exactly the type of partnership we need now…showing how innovations in open government can make countries more prosperous and more just.” Since then 69 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations have joined the partnership and OGP has become a global movement of reformers working to make their government more accountable and responsive to citizens. OGP participating countries have already made over 2,250 commitments to make their governments more open and accountable.
Governments chosen for the subnational pilot project are: Austin, US; Buenos Aires, Argentina: Jalisco, Mexico: La Libertad, Peru; Ontario, Canada; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Egeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya; Kigoma Municipality, Tanzania; Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana; Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; Scotland, UK; Bojonegoro, Indonesia; Seoul, Korea and Tbilisi, Georgia.
“Every one of the subnational governments chosen for this project has already distinguished itself by recognising that open and responsive governments are better governments,” said incoming OGP Chief Executive, Sanjay Pradhan, “OGP is tapping into a growing desire from governments who are looking for new ways to interact with citizens, build trust in government and harness the opportunities provided by new technologies to improve the lives of all citizens.”
This first cohort, chosen from close to 50 applicants, will join a broader network of reformers and work with OGP to advance their existing open government programs.[2] They have each committed to work with civil society groups and citizens, in order to share ideas about how to reform government and to develop specific commitments. OGP has an Independent Reporting Mechanism, which will recruit researchers in each area to assess the implementation of these commitments and hold the governments to account for their progress.[3]
“I am so excited about this wealth of interest in transforming people’s experience of their governments at a local level” said Pradhan. “I know from my earliest experiences in Bihar, India, how important transparency and accountability are at all levels of government, and how much their absence impacts all levels of society. Strengthening open government at the local level can directly improve citizens’ lives because many crucial public services are administered locally. I am thrilled that OGP is able to support and encourage some of the most interesting reform and innovation we’re seeing anywhere in the world.”
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The governments that are part of this pilot program are listed below. Their letters of application can be found here:
Americas:
Austin, US
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jalisco, Mexico
La Libertad, Peru
Ontario, Canada
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Africa:
Egeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya
Kigoma Municipality, Tanzania
Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
Europe:
Madrid, Spain
Paris, France
Scotland, UK
Asia:
Bojonegoro, Indonesia
Seoul, Korea
Tbilisi, Georgia
NOTES TO EDITORS:
For more information about the subnational government pilot program, please go to: http://www.opengovpartnership.org/how-it-works/subnational-government-pi…
More resources:
Blog: Calling All Subnational Reformers!
About OGP
OGP is a unique multilateral initiative aimed at securing concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, increase civic participation, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to make governments more open, effective, and accountable to citizens around the world.
OGP was formally launched in September 2011 when eight founding governments – Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States – endorsed an Open Government Declaration, and published OGP National Action Plans with specific open government reform commitments. In just four and a half years OGP has grown to include 69 governments, seven multilaterals and hundreds of civil society organizations.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dietlind Lerner, Communications Director, Open Government Partnership Support Unit
dietlind.lerner@opengovpartnership.org
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1. Non-governmental organizations and other groups and institutions that are distinct from government and business, and represent the interests and will of citizens.
2. OGP will also be creating a broader network of reformers working in and around subnational governments. OGP will also encourage national governments to involve more subnational participants in the development of commitments in National Action Plans. At the end of the pilot period (end 2017) OGP’s 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... will review how each of these elements of the pilot have worked and decide what the ongoing role for subnational governments should be.
3. More information on the Independent Reporting Mechanism is available here.