Sri Lanka formally joins Open Government Partnership

Wednesday, 2 November 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka has formally expressed the intention of the Government to join the 70-nation Open Government Partnership (OGP) following an invitation from the group. Sri Lanka is one of the newest members of the Open Government Partnership and South Asia’s first.

The Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe in a letter to the co-chairs of the OGP said Sri Lanka meets the eligibility criteria for participation in the OGP and is strongly committed to its objectives as set out in the OGP Declaration.

“The OGP’s goals and principles are in line with the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to transparency, openness and good governance,” he wrote.

Formally launched in 2011, Open Government Partnership (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.

The OGP brings governments and civil society together on a single platform, to pursue good governance goals including, most importantly, anti-corruption.

The Cabinet of Ministers last month, approved Sri Lanka’s first OGP National Action Plan formulated through a process of wide consultations. The plan includes measurable commitments in the areas of health, education, information and communication technology, environment, local government, anti-corruption, the right to information and women’s issues.

President Maithripala Sirisena at the occasion of the fifth anniversary of OGP last month said Sri Lanka is in the process of taking steps to significantly strengthen anti-corruption efforts, not only in the area of enforcement but in prevention as well.

The Government has released its first ever OGP National Action Plan for the two-year period from 2015-2017 affirming commitments to promote transparency, accountability and public participation (TAP) in the thematic areas of health, education, information and communication technology, environment, anti-corruption, local government, right to information and women’s issues.

The President will head a National Steering Committee that will monitor the Government’s ambitious Open Government Partnership.

The Justice Minister in his formal letter said Sri Lanka will share its experiences, learn from others in the partnership and contribute positively to global initiatives.