Notwithstanding the airiness of a late spring day in Ontario after a long winter or the charm of the Rideau Canal, the OGP Summit in 2019 was bound to be gloomier than previous ones I’d attended. I was at the launch in New York in fall 2011, when it felt as if a global, organic anti-corruption movement was picking up so much steam that it had helped bring down dictators and gave once-in-a-life-time hope to youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More across the Middle East. In London in 2013, it still felt as if technology was playing a largely positive role in advancing governance. At USAID, where I was lead on democracy, human rightsAn essential part of open government includes protecting the sacred freedoms and rights of all citizens, including the most vulnerable groups, and holding those who violate human rights accountable. T..., and governance, we were launching all sorts of initiatives to harness tech for good, including “Making All Voices Count,” a Grand Challenge for Development that we hoped would enable those in government to listen and respond to the elevated voices of citizens using affordable technologies.  

In 2015, I came to Mexico City as part (again) of the US delegation just days after being confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador to the UN’s Economic and Social Council. The demands of the new job dominated my thinking; I don’t remember much except surprising my boss in the swimming pool early one morning and being inspired at a reception by the passionate Ukrainian delegation and their 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 ending corruption in their country, still drawing energyEnsuring universal access to sustainable, dependable, and affordable energy is critical to every aspect of prosperity. Increasing public oversight and transparency in the energy sector can help to ens... More from the Euromaidan.

Rakesh Rajani at the OGP Global Summit in Canada.

The gloom that hangs over so much these days was to me perhaps best and unintentionally personified by Rakesh Rajani. In 2013, he had memorably shared the stage with President Kwikete. By now, Tanzania has left OGP, and Rakesh in Ottawa was asking hard questions about whether OGP was delivering for citizens. The closing civic space epidemic  has made OGP more indispensable but also has put burdens on the entire enterprise. I remember raising this issue at an OGP meeting in 2012 to be met with largely blank stares. Now, closing space, the rise of authoritarians, threats to freedom of the press are all topics of discussion at any OGP gathering.

The one bit of good news I see in 2019 is the power of aligning OGP with the Sustainable Development GoalsOGP countries are experimenting with open government innovations to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16+ which includes peaceful, just and inclusive societies... (SDGs), especially around the 16+ agenda—creating peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. It was on that topic that I chaired a panel of distinguished speakers from government, international organizations, and civil society journeying from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the United States, and Europe. The conversation suggested that the SDGs and OGP seem to be experiencing benefits from localization, making these agendas real for people.

Session on SDGs at #OGPCanada moderated by Ambassador Sarah Mendelson.

The SDGs can benefit OGP and vice versa. For example, harness the access to justiceAccessible justice systems – both formal and informal – ensure that individuals and communities with legal needs know where to go for help, obtain the help they need, and move through a system tha... More metrics in the SDGs and pull forward transitional 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... mechanisms tomake the OGP agenda relevant for societies emerging from conflict. Increase demand for uncovering beneficial ownershipDisclosing beneficial owners — those who ultimately control or profit from a business — is essential for combating corruption, stemming illicit financial flows, and fighting tax evasion. Technical... More as an effective pushback to those advancing closed societies and corruption, agendas favored by the Putins and the El Sisis of the world. Step up our ambitions around reducing all forms of violence and reducing inequality.

As a voluntary independent platform, OGP can help increase public awareness of the SDGs.  OGP can help nudge greater collaboration (including from donors) around the 16+ agenda, as is occurring with other SDG clusters, such as those around climate. Collectively, by 2030, OGP can help grow a new generation of human rights activists using data to demand 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 and accountability and demonstrating an SDG effect in governance. Nothing gloomy about that!