Emily O’Reilly Appointed as Open Government Partnership Ambassador

The Open Government Partnership is thrilled to announce that Emily O’Reilly, former European Ombudsman, has been appointed to serve as an OGP Ambassador.

At a time of democratic backsliding and rising authoritarianism, O’Reilly’s extensive experience makes her exceptionally well-suited to help raise the Partnership’s profile and promote its sustainability.

“The work of OGP has never been more vital,” notes O’Reilly. “My ambition is to replace narratives of hate and polarization with a hope that is built on action, and visible in people’s everyday lives.”

As European Ombudsman, O’Reilly acted as a watchdog over the EU administration, including the European Commission and regulatory bodies such as the European Central Bank, the European Medicines Agency, and the European Investment Bank. She also led investigations into cases of poor administration, ethical breaches, human rights violations, and refusals to release public information. In her role, she actively supported Ombudsman institutions across Europe promoting and implementing open government reforms. 

Before that, O’Reilly served for a decade as Irish Ombudsman and Freedom of Information Commissioner, following an early career as an investigative journalist and author. Her lifelong commitment to open government, ethical leadership, and citizen empowerment reflects the very principles OGP was founded to uphold.

O’Reilly now joins our OGP Ambassadors, including The Right Honorable Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former United Nations Development Programme Administrator; Mo Ibrahim, entrepreneur and founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; and Sanjay Pradhan, President of the World Forum for Ethics in Business, former CEO of OGP, and former Vice-President of the World Bank.

O’Reilly will work with the OGP Steering Committee, CEO, and fellow Ambassadors to advocate for the principles of transparency, accountability, and participation and will work together to fight the tides of rising authoritarianism, citizen distrust, and closed government.