CoST Head of Members and Affiliates, Evelyn Hernandez and Programme Director, John Hawkins speak to Richard Calland, Associate Professor in Public Law at the University of Cape Town, on the key aims and tenets of the CoST approach. Evelyn and John dive into issue areas including the relationship between transparency and accountability and how the process of infrastructure project disclosure achieves change at a practical level.

As the interview explores, by opening infrastructure up to greater scrutiny the CoST approach seeks to inhibit and deter corruption where it exists. When framing the issue however, Evelyn and John stress the importance of recognising the various governance challenges which are present across different contexts. They also underscore the need to recognise that transparency is not an end in itself: where data is being disclosed at scale, the aim of the CoST approach is to ensure it is used to ask the right questions, whether through the media, civil society or other stakeholders.

Listen to the full interview below.