Under Secretary Maria Otero for Democracy and Global Affairs today stressed that “Open Govenrment Partnership” strengthens government accountability.
In her remarks at International Right to Know Day Celebration, Ms. Otero stressed that OGP continues to grow and develop. She said it will remain a unique international initiative.
“OGP is unique in that it relies on productive collaboration with civil society – from the Steering Committee itself, to the development and assessment of country action plans. As President Obama said last week, “our countries are stronger when we engage citizens beyond the halls of government…our civil society representatives [are a part of OGP] not as spectators, but as equal partners in this initiative.” -Ms. Otero
She highlighted that through OGP, 46 nations are now committed their respective members of civil society to improve transparency, openness, and civic engagement.
She reported that thirty eight governments – in addition to the eight founding countries of OGP – have committed not only to open government in name and theory but also in action. Forty six total governments that, with the help of civil society and the private sector, will take concrete steps to make their governments work better, respond better, and serve better.
“The really phenomenal point – even beyond the sheer number of countries – is that they have signed up voluntarily, entirely out of appreciation for OGP’s founding premise: that open is good for all of us, and that the tools of our digital, globalized age make it easier than ever for governments to be more accountable, more transparent and more engaged with citizens.” -Ms. Otero
According to Ms. Otero, the Open Government Partnership had a big month. She cited that last Tuesday, President Obama joined world leaders from forty six nations to launch OGP in a historic demonstration of commitments from governments to improve the way they do business in the service of their people.
She stated that the partnership was born out of President Obama’s 2010 speech to the UN General Assembly – just one year ago – in which he called on governments around the world to recommit to transparency and accountability, to increase civic engagement, and to harness new technologies in the pursuit of better governance and a better world.