Côte d’Ivoire Action Plan Review 2024-2026

Côte d’Ivoire’s fifth action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... expands civic participation reforms, with promising commitments in the areas of open parliamentEnsuring access to legislative information and creating mechanisms for public participation are critical to building an open, trusting relationship with citizens. Technical specifications: Commitments... More, local open government, and health service delivery. The inclusive co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive... led to an action plan that reflects both government and citizen priorities. Côte d’Ivoire can continue to build on its solid foundation by strengthening government-civil society coalitions for implementation.

Côte d’Ivoire’s 2024–2026 action plan comprises twelve commitments focusing on local open government, open budget, access to information, public services improvement, community health, high cost of living, and anti-corruption. This review highlights four commitments (1, 2, 8, and 9) with the greatest potential to open government.

Commitment 1 aims to establish a network to support local open government, starting with five pilot communes. This reform builds on previous efforts in participatory budgeting at the local level and the recent inclusion of Ouellé in the OGP Local Program.^[1] In the longer term, reformers aim to expand open government practices to all communes.

Commitment 2 continues Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to increase transparency and participation in budget processes. Notably, it seeks to create spaces for civil society to engage in parliamentary budget discussions and contribute to audits. A civil society priority, this commitment has substantial potential to open government and is complemented by Côte d’Ivoire’s 2025 Open Parliament Plan.^[2]

Commitments 8 and 9 aim to strengthen community participation in health management. CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... 8 focuses on improving primary health services by expanding community health mechanisms such as Community Action Groups and Community Health Workers. Commitment 9 works towards the inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... More of affected individuals in the planning and evaluation of programs addressing neglected tropical diseases.

Côte d’Ivoire’s fifth action plan is more ambitious and relevant to open government than its predecessors. While the action plan has a two-year implementation period, two commitments (9 and 12) submitted to the Open Government Challenge are four years in length. The IRM’s assessment of potential for results is based on activities planned during the two-year implementation period. However, the IRM acknowledges that these reforms, such as Commitment 12’s aim of developing a draft Whistleblower Protection Law, are more ambitious in the longer term.

Members of the OGP Côte d’Ivoire Technical Committee^[3] reported an increasingly stronger co-creation process compared to previous efforts. This inclusive approach resulted in an action plan that is representative of the consensus among involved stakeholders. The process included targeted visits to government agencies, virtual and in-person public consultations, and a meeting to select the final twelve commitments from fifty proposals alongside ongoing feedback mechanisms. The steering committee also raised awareness about OGP process through outreach to government agencies and private sector members.^[4] The process concluded with a validation meeting on 21 November 2024^[5] and a public launch on 19 February 2025.^[6]

Table 1. Promising Commitments