Virtual Window of Public Administration (BF0009)

What is the public issue for which thecommitment is made to address?: Weak dissemination of public information ; Cumbersomeness of public information dissemination mechanics ; Weak dematerialization of administrative procedures and deeds ; What is the commitment?: Issues Functionality of the virtual window computer platform Availability of information on the most used services and procedures in 5 ministries (Ministry of National Education and Literacy, Civil service, Justice, Housing, MINEFID) Overall objective: operationnalize the virtual window platform for public administration. Results : The virtual window platform is operational ; A directory of the most used administrative services and procedures in 5 ministries is available The platform includes the basic documents of public administration ; Users have access to administrative information; How this commitment will contribute towardsaddressing the public issue?: It will come to develop an application which takes into account the basic documents the most sought by users of public administration. For this purpose, a diagnostic study on the needs of Citizen as regards information on Ministries and institutions basic documents will allow to determine information to be included in this platform and solve difficulties of access to public information by citizen through : Availability of information any time everywhere ; Greater efficiency, promptness, and transparency in services ; A simplification of mechanics for accessing to public information ; Why is this commitment relevant as regards PGO values?: Simplify mechanisms of access to public information Improve the accessibility to public information; Establish the right to the access to information ; Make clear administration services ; Make possible for citizens to come aware of administration deeds.; Additional details: The commitment comes from the following systems of reference : National Plan of Economic and Social development (PNDES). It’s main line 1 aims at « reforming institutions and modernizing administration » ; The decennial strategic plan for Modernization of Administration (PSDMA) which main line 3 aims at promoting accessibility and transparency of public administration Program 3 of PSDMA main line 3 : dematerialization of administrative procedures and services development online

9.  Operationalize the virtual window of public administration

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan:

“Operationalize the virtual window of public administration”

Issues:

Functionality of the virtual window computer platform Availability of information on the most used services and procedures in 5 ministries (Ministry of National Education and Literacy, Civil service, Justice, Housing, MINEFID)

Overall objective: operationnalize the virtual window platform for public administration.

Results: the virtual window platform is operational; a directory of the most used administrative services and procedures in 5 ministries is available;

the platform includes the basic documents of public administration;

users have access to administrative information

Milestones/Deliverables/Activities:

Make the diagnosis of needs

Train e-services and computer security development actors

Hire a firm to help the technical team in the development of the GV platform

Take measures for hosting the platform on the G-cloud

Carry out the computer application of the platform (coding, carrying out of tests, writing of users’ handbook, actors’ training)

Make basic regulations available on-line (laws, decrees, orders, sector policies, strategies, action plans and programs) of 5 ministries

Work out and put on-line a directory of the most used administrative services and procedures in 5 departmental ministries

Start Date:  November 2017                                                                                     End Date:  June 2019

Action Plan is available here

Context and Objectives

This commitment addresses the difficulties the government faced in operationalizing the Virtual Window of Public Administration. On 28 May 2013, the Ministries of Public Administration, Budget, Labor and Social Welfare held a workshop to highlight the need for developing a virtual window to improve the efficacy of public administration and strengthen ties between the government and citizens. [79]

This virtual window would consolidate, in a single source, all access to government services, forms, procedures and information. [80] Digitalization of information remains at the core of this initiative.

According to government sources, e-government tools are good for public administration as they help avoid waste of resources, increase productivity by reducing commuting times for users to submit information, decrease opportunities for corruption, and increase the quality of public services. [81] However, the process of digitalization of public information and e-governance in Burkina Faso has faced challenges. According to the Director of Regulation, Standardization and Digitalization of Administrative Procedures at the Ministry of Technology, effective digitalization of public services would depend on the simplification of procedures and a serious commitment from government agencies to comply with transparency and due diligence. [82] The former Technical Secretary for the Virtual Window, Hadja Ouattara/Sanon, regretted the Virtual Window not having enough financial and human resources for its implementation, [83] and feared that the government’s effort might not be matched with significant user involvement and interaction. [84]

While the country counts on legislation to ensure proper management of digital public information, [85] the government acknowledges the difficulties in digitalizing and disseminating public information. [86] A study conducted on the management of public archives in Burkina Faso revealed a lack of data control, and that unfamiliarity with data management legal and normative policies hindered the security and sustainability of digitalized data over time. [87]

In this context, the commitment seeks to improve Virtual Window operations. The commitment will train actors on e-services and security protocols and develop a platform to publish government information and key procedures from five ministerial departments (as revealed by a diagnosis study). This commitment is relevant to the OGP values of access to information and technology and innovation for transparency in that the government will disclose new information to the public through developing the Virtual Window.

Most of the objectives, expected results, and activities are specific enough to be objectively verified, such as the publication of the administrative procedures within the five ministries and procuring a team to support development of the platform. Activities number two and four (training officials and adopting provisions to include the platform in the G-cloud) are not clear enough to be verified; the number of officials and the regulations is not provided. It is not clear how or what regulations will be adopted.

If implemented, the commitment will contribute to solving the problem, although not completely. Therefore, its potential impact is graded as minor. One of the key expected results is that users will have access to administrative information.

According to information provided by Sidi Barry, the platform would allow citizens to access different government services via a single location and reduce corruption by reducing physical contact between the civil servant and the user. [88] However, the commitment does not provide any information regarding how exactly it will effectively engage citizens to use the platform, for instance, through socialization campaigns and continuous customer support.

A 2016 survey about open data sources in Burkina revealed that six out of 21 citizens knew about government open data sources, and all six stated difficulties in understanding and accessing the information due to poor data quality and slow download times. [89] This, in addition to the fact that approximately only 2 million people have internet access (out of more than 16 million habitants), [90] may significantly limit the scope of this commitment.

Next steps

• Frame activities to include more quantitative goals to facilitate monitoring and evaluation.
• Elaborate on the difficulties in data digitization and dissemination.
• Define criteria for operability, for instance, a number of decrees digitalized, a number of decrees consulted by public within a specific timeframe, etc.
• Reinforce the commitments’ activities to enable user access to the platform through campaigns and government support to users. These actions are of the utmost importance given the country’s challenges concerning internet access.