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CORRUPTION NEWS

Addressing a gap – how to better support civil society

By Kersty McCourtFirst published on Open Government Partnership Robust and vibrant civil societies play a critical role in contributing to development. Civil society helps shape policies, advocate for the needs and demands of citizens, provide essential services, protect human rights, and strengthen public participation in democracy. Yet, over the past decade, there has been insufficient Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

OGP at 10: toward democratic renewal around the world

Source: Open Government Partnership When eight governments and nine civil society leaders launched the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in 2011, no one expected it to reach its current size and scope. Over the last 10 years, however, OGP has grown in ways that have exceeded expectations. Governments and thousands of civil society members have, together, Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Accelerating beneficial ownership transparency in Africa

By Maureen Kariuki, Karabo Rajuili and and Edwin Wuadom WardenFirst published on Open Government Partnership Corporate anonymity poses significant risks to domestic resource mobilisation in Africa. Research by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) suggests that African countries can retain an estimated US$89-billion per year if illicit capital flight can be addressed. Accelerating Read more >

GOVERNANCE

SA making progress on beneficial ownership, but CSOs left out

South Africa launched its latest Open Government Partnership (OGP) action plan, covering the period 1 July 2016 – 30 June 2018, on 6 May 2016. This was the country’s third national action plan since joining the OGP programme, which provides a platform for governments and civil society to work together to develop and implement ambitious Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Open Government Week aims to curb distrust in govt

An open, transparent, accountable and ethical government is possible when citizens, civil society and governments come together. This week, 7 – 11 May, is Open Government Week (OGW), an occasion during which countries belonging to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) will focus on developing the culture and practice of transparency, participation and accountability both in Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Access to information in Africa: highs and lows

In its 2017 State of Access to Information in Africa report, the Open Democracy Advice Centre (Odac) studies 12 African countries in terms of their access to information (ATI) laws and practices. The countries are Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Of the 12 countries under Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

Osisa report: efficacy of SADC’s anti-corruption bodies

Results of a study on anti-corruption bodies in the Southern African region were released in the region towards the end of July. Titled Effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the report was commissioned by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

SA falling short on OGP commitments

The Open Government Partnership’s (OGP) second end-of-term report for South Africa shows that, while the country made a start on its stated commitments, it did not complete any of them. The progress report covers the period from 2013 to 2015, and was prepared by the independent reporting mechanism (IRM), an independent body which is overseen Read more >

CORRUPTION NEWS

OGP marks 5 years, but faces coordination challenges

South Africa, with the other seven founding members of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), this week celebrated the initiative’s fifth anniversary. The OGP was launched in 2011 to provide an international platform that enables domestic reformers to make their governments more open, accountable, responsive to citizens, and corruption-free. Since then, the OGP has grown from Read more >