Whilst rapid digitisation accelerated by Covid-19 has many benefits, it poses a threat to heightening polarisation across actors working in open government. As part of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit 2021, our CoST-hosted session demonstrated the strength of joint approaches across key open government organisations, helping to excite new and existing OGP members and emphasise how collaboration results in easier wins with impact.

In a panel format we brought together influential advocates and practitioners to share success stories resulting from heightened transparency in infrastructure and extractive industries, beneficial ownership and open contracting.

Leaders and representatives of the OGP partners EITI, OCP, CoST and Open Ownership reflected on the scale-up they have seen across those committing to their initiatives, aided by partnerships which have resulted in joint tools, standards and a strategic approach. Importantly, the floor was given to OGP practitioners who told their stories working tirelessly on the frontline in contexts as diverse as Armenia, Scotland and Ecuador, the greater benefit brought from committing to OGP and its core partners and what the impact of collaboration means in practice.

Speakers
Katherine White, Interim Deputy Director for Infrastructure and Investment, Scottish Government
Ani Varderesyan, Expert at the Centre for Legislation Development and Legal Research, Ministry of Justice, Armenian Government
Bady Balde, Deputy Director and Africa Director, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
Gavin Hayman, Executive Director, Open Contracting Partnership and Chair, Steering Group, Open Ownership
Mauricio Alarcon, Executive Director, Fundacion Ciudadania y Desarrollo, MSG member of CoST Ecuador and EITI Ecuador

Moderator
Petter Matthews, Executive Director, CoST International Secretariat