Yesterday, CoST launched its new Open Government Guidance Note during its sold out “Partnerships and pintxos: A networking event,” with over 200 people in attendance. With over 2000 people at the conference, this covers an estimated 10% of the total number of attendees across the entire conference, marking one of CoST’s most successful events. 

This guidance note builds on the partnership between CoST and OGP, and the synergies between CoST and OGP members. During the event, CoST Board member, Rueben Lifuka, said: “For around 10 years, we’ve worked very closely with OGP, and many CoST members are OGP members, and they utilise the CoST approach to deliver OGP Action Plan commitments around infrastructure open governance. The guidance note sets out how OGP members can work with CoST, and some of the success stories.”

José María Marín, Lead of OGP Local said: “It’s good that we continue to think about the schools, the roads, the services and the impact that we’re having on people’s daily lives with all the work that’s being done, thanks to CoST. That’s why it’s so exciting to be able to present this guidance note… What I like the most about the guidance note is that it’s practical. [OGP members] can take what’s in there, and put it in their action plan, you can be inspired by what’s in there, and adapt it, turn it into your own Open Government Challenge.”

During the event, CoST Kaduna’s new data publication platform was also launched – a milestone achievement with the platform being Nigeria’s first ever OC4IDS portal. 

This launch event is one of many events that CoST is involved in during the OGP Global Summit this year, covering a wide range of subjects relating to open government and accountability, participation and transparency in infrastructure. On Monday, CoST Programme Director, John Hawkins highlighted the importance of applying our tools and standards, such as the Infrastructure Transparency Index, and our updated data standards to the energy sector. 

On Tuesday, Isaac Aidoo, CoST Sekondi-Takoradi Manager and OGP Sekondi-Takoradi Coordinator, highlighted how being members of both organisations has led to real and practical change, including more regions in Ghana using CoST Tools and Standards. 

On Wednesday, Cynthia Patricia Cantero Pacheco, Secretary of Planning and Citizen Participation and Kaduna’s Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission, Mukhtar Ahmed, spoke on a panel on Local Open Government to Transform Democracy. Cynthia’s department hosts CoST Jalisco’s MSG, while Mukhtar works closely with CoST Kaduna, speaking at the networking event on Tuesday. During this session, the synergies between OGP members and key areas of CoST’s work, such as citizen participation and access to information was also highlighted. 

This was closely followed by CoST’s joint session with Open Contracting Partnership on “The power of open procurement: transparency, better public services & sustainable communities.” The panel included representatives from the British, Filipino and Brazilian Governments, as well as TI Kenya and the Inter-American Development Bank. During the session, Lead Research and Policy Adviser, Maria Prado, highlighted the work we’ve done with Brazil as a partner country, and the insitutionalising data standards in the country. 

This has been a great conference for CoST, with participation from the team in more sessions to come before the week ends.