The forum seeks to fulfill one of the key requirements of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative, which is meant to share knowledge on the country’s current eligibility status as well as tease out fiscal transparency reform challenges.
It also designed to identify local best and hybrid exotic solutions that can match our local context to enhance good governance.
Ismaila Jarjue, chairperson of OSPG board of directors said the event will serve as an impetus to achieve national development goals and international commitments such as the UN Agenda 2030 and Africa Agenda 2065.
The event, he said, is designed to support government to take concrete steps and address some of the structural and policy challenges that hinder open governance for the Gambia to join other countries in the sub-region in terms of OGP initiative.
“A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) through the support of NDI, initiated Gambia OGP accelerator project to educate and mobilise large constituencies of reformers within and outside the government to achieve the laudable initiative. The outcome of the initiative can contribute to improve lives and livelihood of people. It will also restore confident and trust of the citizens in the government that derived its power from the people as enshrined in our Constitution.”
Raymond Esebagbon, resident programme director of NDI explained that OGP is an organization launched in 2011 to allow domestic reformers to make their own government open, accountable and responsive to their citizens.
The Open Government Partnership, he added, mandates that participating countries create National Action Plans (NAPs) detailing commitments towards good governance based on a participatory process that involves state and non-state sectors.
Raymond indicated that 11 African countries are currently members of OGP except The Gambia that is yet to qualify.
“The OGP peer learning mechanisms help in identifying governance deficiencies and assessing constraints to political stability, economic growth and sustainable development of a country.”
Hussien Thomasi, Solicitor General also emphasised the achievements of The Gambia during the transitional justice period.
The Gambia government, he added, has made sure that all regions are represented at the just concluded Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) hearing to respect the will of the citizens.
