Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Kazakhstan Rule of Law Program, implemented by American Bar Association/Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), in cooperation with the Committee for Civil Society Affairs under the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MISD), organized a meeting focused on Kazakhstan’s potential application to join the Open Government Partnership (OGP). The OGP is an international platform that includes 78 governments and thousands of civil society organizations (CSOs) that are committed to making their governments more open, accountable and responsive to citizens. The event provided local CSOs, government officials, and international experts a platform to discuss the value and benefits of joining the OGP, and the challenges and opportunities of Kazakhstan’s potential membership.
OGP representative for the Asia Pacific region, Shereya Basu, provided an overview of OGP eligibility criteria and the steps to take to qualify. International expert Goran Kucera, who facilitated Bosnia and Herzegovina’s process of joining the OGP shared lessons learned from that country’s experience. Kurcera noted “the OGP is a platform for partnership between government and citizens to work towards the same goal: transparency, accountability and efficiency. At its core, the OGP is a promise given by both government and civil society to jointly explore all possibilities to make government better and closer to its citizens. Through this journey, you’ll have the opportunity to share experiences, listen and learn from other member countries, and have access to OGP expertise and assistance.”
CSO experts from Kyrgyzstan also shared their experience in promoting and implementing the OGP national action plan to accelerate reforms. The Government of Kazakhstan and CSOs agreed to consolidate efforts in meeting eligibility criteria for joining the OGP.
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ABA ROLI works with in-country partners in 60 countries to build sustainable institutions and societies that deliver justice, foster economic opportunity, and ensure respect for human dignity.