Action plan – Ouellé, Côte d’Ivoire, 2025 – 2028

At-a-Glance

Duration

Sep 2028

Date Submitted

23rd October 2025

Foreword(s)

The OGP Strategic Plan of the Commune of Ouellé represents a major step in consolidating open, transparent, and participatory local governance. Jointly developed by the Municipal Council, the decentralized State services, and civil society, it reflects a shared 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... to embed transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, accountability, and citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to m... More at the heart of public management.

In a context of decentralization and the pursuit of efficiency, Ouellé aims to institutionalize a culture of open government based on trust, dialogue, and shared responsibility between citizens and local institutions. This approach aligns with Côte d’Ivoire’s national commitment to the Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP), as well as with the guidelines of the National Development Plan (NDP 2021–2025) and the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies.

The development of the plan was based on a participatory process involving elected officials, women, youth, community leaders, economic actors, the media, and civil society organizations. These consultations helped identify concrete priorities centered on budget transparency, citizen participation, access to public information, sustainable environmental management, and digital innovation.

Its implementation will rely on collaborative governance, embodied by a multi-stakeholder monitoring committee composed equally of representatives from local government and civil society, ensuring coordination and regular dissemination of results. Continuous consultation mechanisms—such as the radio program Appel Citoyen, community forums, and interactive digital platforms—will further strengthen ongoing dialogue between authorities and citizens.

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

What is the long-term vision for open government in your context and jurisdiction?

The Commune of Ouellé aspires, by the year 2035, to become a model of open, inclusive, and participatory local governance, where every citizen actively contributes to the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies. Rooted in democratic renewal, the commune aims to foster a public sphere built on transparency, trust, and collaboration among institutions, civil society, the private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat... More, and the population.

Young people, women, and marginalized groups fully participate in consultation bodies. Public data and municipal decisions are accessible, and innovative tools such as the radio program “Appel Citoyen” facilitate ongoing dialogue. Elected officials regularly report on their management, and the co-creation of policies becomes a common practice, thus strengthening sustainable development and citizen trust.

What are the achievements in open government to date (for example, recent open government reforms)?

To date, the Commune of Ouellé stands out as a pioneering actor in local open government in Côte d’Ivoire through several concrete initiatives promoting transparency, citizen participation, and accountability. The project “Appel Citoyen”—a quarterly radio program dedicated to accountability and dialogue between elected officials and the population—was recognized with the Excellence Award for Local Leadership in the category of Innovation in Public Service Management.

The commune has also initiated the decentralization of Municipal Council meetings to the villages, thereby bringing decision-making closer to the citizens. Popular consultations for the preparation of the municipal budget have strengthened 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 and the legitimacy of budgetary choices.

Furthermore, the completionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin... More of the Communal Development Strategic Plan has helped structure a shared vision for local development. The “Water for Dignity” project has improved equitable access to drinking water, while the creation of the Ouellé Volunteer Corps for Development promotes youth civic engagement.

These actions reflect the commune’s long-term commitment to open, participatory, and accountable local governance.

What are the current challenges/areas for improvement in open government that the jurisdiction wishes to tackle?

Despite notable progress, open government in Ouellé still faces several challenges. Administrative transparency remains limited, with insufficient dissemination of decisions, budgets, and reports, as well as a still-weak level of digitalization. Citizen participation remains uneven—especially among youth, women, and vulnerable populations—and dialogue mechanisms need to be extended to all villages.

Institutional and technical capacities are modest, hindering the effective adoption of accountability tools. Monitoring and evaluation of initiatives such as Appel Citoyen lack structure, and their sustainability is not yet guaranteed. Finally, communication and public awareness remain weak, limiting citizen engagement and trust in the municipal administration.

What are the medium-term open government goals that the government wants to achieve?

Medium-term Open Government Objectives (2025–2027)

The Commune of Ouellé aims to strengthen transparency, citizen participation, and accountability. It plans to regularly disseminate budgets, reports, and decisions through a digital platform, public noticeboards, and the radio program “Appel Citoyen.” Inclusive participation will be institutionalized, involving youth, women, and vulnerable groups, with budget consultations extended to all villages.

The commune will develop participatory monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, establish performance reports, and encourage social and digital innovation to facilitate dialogue and the co-creation of local solutions. Finally, training for elected officials and community actors, along with the establishment of a permanent consultation framework, will consolidate open and participatory governance in Ouellé.

How does this action plan contribute to achieve the Open Government Strategic Vision?

The OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan of the Commune of Ouellé is a key lever for realizing the strategic vision of an open, transparent, and participatory local government. By strengthening administrative transparency, it promotes the regular dissemination of public information and enhances understanding of municipal decisions. Through inclusive citizen participation, it gives an active voice to youth, women, and vulnerable groups in local governance.

Using innovative tools such as the radio program “Appel Citoyen” and the decentralization of municipal council meetings, it reinforces accountability and ongoing dialogue between elected officials and citizens. This plan thus consolidates trust between the administration and the population, while establishing a sustainable culture of co-creating public policies in support of local development and collective well-being.

How does the open government strategic vision contribute to the accomplishment of the current administration’s overall policy goals?

Engagement and Coordination in the Open Government Strategic Vision and OGP Action Plan

Please list the lead institutions responsible for the implementation of this OGP action plan.

• Municipal Council of the Commune of Ouellé
• Regional Council of Iffou
• Prefecture of Ouellé
• Women’s Associations of the Commune of Ouellé
• Youth of the Commune of Ouellé
• Association of Traditional Chiefs of the Commune of Ouellé
• Association of Persons Living with Disabilities of the Commune of Ouellé
• Volunteer Corps for the Development of the Commune of Ouellé
• Association of Artisans of the Commune of Ouellé
• Association of Retired Persons of Ouellé
• Village Development Cooperatives of the Commune of Ouellé
• Conference of Religious Ministers of the Commune of Ouellé

What kind of institutional arrangements are in place to coordinate between government agencies and departments to implement the OGP action plan?

The Commune of Ouellé has established an institutional framework to effectively coordinate the implementation of its OGP Action Plan. The OGP Multi-Stakeholder Committee, composed equally of representatives from the municipal government, the decentralized state services, and civil society, oversees the management, monitoring, and evaluation of the plan.

It is supported by a Technical Secretariat, attached to the Mayor’s office, responsible for operational coordination and report production. Sectoral Point of Contacts within the municipal departments ensure that actions remain aligned with the principles of open government. Finally, quarterly consultation forums bringing together the municipality, youth, women, and community actors strengthen participation and shared responsibility. These mechanisms ensure collaborative governance and transparent monitoring.

What kind of spaces have you used or created to enable the collaboration between government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of this action plan? Mention both offline and online spaces.

For the co-creation and implementation of the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan, the Commune of Ouellé has established several offline spaces for dialogue and collaboration involving civil society, the population, and local institutions. These include: community forums in villages to gather local priorities; decentralized Municipal Council meetings that encourage direct interaction between elected officials and citizens; co-creation workshops bringing together government, civil society, youth, women, and community leaders; participatory budget consultations; and sectoral consultation frameworks (educationAccountability within the public education system is key to improving outcomes and attainment, and accountability is nearly impossible without transparent policies and opportunities for participation ..., environment, local development).

These physical spaces foster inclusive, continuous, and constructive dialogue, strengthening trust and collaboration between the municipal administration and citizens.

What measures did you take to ensure diversity of representation (including vulnerable or marginalized populations) in these spaces?

To ensure diverse representation in the consultation spaces related to the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan, the Commune of Ouellé has implemented several inclusive measures. These include participation quotas in workshops and multi-stakeholder committees for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and rural leaders, as well as decentralized consultations in villages to include remote populations.

Local associations are engaged as institutional partners, and the use of the local language and accessible materials facilitates participation. Finally, the radio program “Appel Citoyen” highlights citizen initiatives and provides a platform for underrepresented groups. These measures strengthen social justiceTo address barriers that prevent citizens from having their justice needs met, OGP participating governments are working to expand transparency, accountability, and inclusion into all systems of justi..., inclusion, and equity, which lie at the heart of open governance in Ouellé.

Who participated in these spaces?

The co-creation and implementation spaces of the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan in the Commune of Ouellé brought together a diverse range of actors representing local society and public institutions. Participants included local elected officials (Mayor, Municipal Council, neighborhood and village leaders); municipal and decentralized technical services (planning, finance, environment, social development); civil society (women’s associations, youth groups, community organizations, NGOs); local media; citizens—particularly youth, women, and marginalized groups; as well as technical and financial partners of communal projects, such as access to drinking water and social innovation initiatives.

This multi-stakeholder composition ensured inclusive co-creation, strengthening legitimacy, transparency, and shared accountability in local governance.

How many groups participated in these spaces?

13

How many public-facing meetings were held in the 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...?

23

How will government and non-governmental stakeholders continue to collaborate through the implementation of the action plan?

Governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the Commune of Ouellé will continue to collaborate in a structured and dynamic manner throughout the implementation of the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan, using both formal and informal mechanisms for dialogue and monitoring.

This cooperation will rely on the OGP Multi-Stakeholder Committee to coordinate the municipality, municipal services, and civil society; quarterly meetings and participatory workshops; the radio program “Appel Citoyen” as a dialogue platform; sectoral working groups to co-create and monitor projects; and communication and results dissemination mechanisms (reports, bulletins, local media).

This approach will promote shared engagement, collective responsibility, and continuous improvement of open governance in Ouellé.

Please describe the independent Monitoring Body you have identified for this plan.

For the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan of the Commune of Ouellé, the independent oversight body is the Multi-Stakeholder Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (CMSE), established to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in implementation.

It includes representatives from the municipality and municipal services, local civil society (women’s associations, youth groups, NGOs), and local media to disseminate information. Its responsibilities are to monitor the progress of commitments, assess quality and transparency, provide recommendations, and regularly publish public reports.

This mechanism ensures objective and credible oversight, strengthening citizens’ trust in the commune’s open governance.

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• Jean-Jacques YAPO, Director General of the Regional Council of Mé, Expert in Public Administration, [email protected]
• Sana SORO, Prefect of the Ouellé Department, [email protected]
• KOUADIO Koffi Guy Henri Joel, Teacher, Union of Independent Teachers of Côte d’Ivoire, [email protected]

What types of activities will you have in place to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders?

To ensure transparent and participatory monitoring of the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan, the Commune of Ouellé has planned several activities with stakeholders. Quarterly meetings of the OGP Multi-Stakeholder Committee assess the progress of commitments and propose adjustments. Participatory workshops, community forums, and decentralized public consultations allow citizens—particularly youth, women, and vulnerable groups—to express their priorities.

The radio program “Appel Citoyen” ensures continuous dialogue and the collection of proposals. Finally, public reports and information bulletins, disseminated via noticeboards, media, and digital platforms, present achievements, challenges, and next steps. These activities guarantee transparent, inclusive, and iterative monitoring, strengthening shared accountability and trust between the municipality and citizens.

How will you regularly check in on progress with implementing agencies?

To regularly monitor the implementation of the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan, the Commune of Ouellé has established a structured and collaborative monitoring system with implementing agencies and municipal services. This system includes: quarterly meetings of the OGP Multi-Stakeholder Committee to assess progress and identify obstacles; sectoral reports detailing activities, results, and gaps; simple dashboards to track commitments, budgets, and impacts; technical coordination workshops to share best practices and adjust actions; and the integration of citizen feedback through forums and the radio program “Appel Citoyen.” This mechanism ensures continuous, transparent, and participatory monitoring aligned with the plan’s objectives.

How will you share the results of your monitoring efforts with the public?

The Commune of Ouellé will share the results of monitoring and implementation of the OGP 2025–2027 Action Plan in a transparent, regular, and accessible manner. Methods include: quarterly and annual public reports posted on noticeboards; the radio program “Appel Citoyen” to present progress, share indicators, and respond to questions; community forums and workshops to report results and gather citizen feedback; and digital platforms, local media, bulletins, and dashboards to reach a wide audience. These actions ensure open and continuous communication, allowing citizens to track commitments, evaluate performance, and actively participate in improving local governance.

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• KOUAKOU Kouadio Kan Venance, President of the Commune Youth, National Federation of Commune Youth Unions of Côte d’Ivoire (FENUJECI)
• NIAME Komoé Ahou Philomène, President of the Women of the Commune of Ouellé, Association of Women of the Commune of Ouellé
• N’ZOH Komenan Marie, President of the Association of Traditional Chiefs of the Commune of Ouellé, Association of Traditional Chiefs of the Commune of Ouellé
• DONGO Angaman Boniface, President of the Association of Artisans of Ouellé, Association of Artisans of Ouellé
• KOUAKOU Kouakou Kan, President of the Association of Retired Persons of Ouellé, Association of Retired Persons of Ouellé

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Commitments:

• Proactive publication of public information (CIOUE0001)
• Establish Permanent Participation Mechanisms (CIOUE0002)
• Organize public accountability sessions of the Municipal Council (CIOUE0003)