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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development-professionals-network/2013/jun/10/live-chats-transparency-and-development
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| Transparency: more than a tick-box exercise? | Transparency: more than a tick-box exercise? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| As the British government prepares to host the G8 summit next week, we'd like to take a closer look at one of the issues on its agenda – transparency. | As the British government prepares to host the G8 summit next week, we'd like to take a closer look at one of the issues on its agenda – transparency. |
| Outlining in January what the focus of his G8 presidency would be, prime minister David Cameron said: "We're going to push for more transparency on who owns companies; on who's buying up land and for what purpose; on how governments spend their money; on how gas, oil and mining companies operate; and on who is hiding stolen assets and how we recover and return them." | Outlining in January what the focus of his G8 presidency would be, prime minister David Cameron said: "We're going to push for more transparency on who owns companies; on who's buying up land and for what purpose; on how governments spend their money; on how gas, oil and mining companies operate; and on who is hiding stolen assets and how we recover and return them." |
| Ambitious targets by the PM's own admission – and worthy – but what does it actually take to achieve this degree of transparency? And what does the kind of transparency that leads to accountability look like? | Ambitious targets by the PM's own admission – and worthy – but what does it actually take to achieve this degree of transparency? And what does the kind of transparency that leads to accountability look like? |
| The call for open government has shown that simply publishing government contracts online is not synonymous with being transparent – if the documents or information you are looking for are hard to find or if details are obscured so as to make the entire document incomprehensible. What do you do about information that is 'hidden in plain sight'? | The call for open government has shown that simply publishing government contracts online is not synonymous with being transparent – if the documents or information you are looking for are hard to find or if details are obscured so as to make the entire document incomprehensible. What do you do about information that is 'hidden in plain sight'? |
| In addition, what are the capacity and skills needs for countries and companies now facing the call to be transparent? Writing for the Network, DfID minister Justine Greening said: "DfID will require, over time, any organisation we work through to deliver our aid programmes to adhere to the International Aid Transparency Initiative's standards of transparency and accountability for DfID funds. I would urge all donors – bilateral, multilateral and non-traditional – to do the same." | In addition, what are the capacity and skills needs for countries and companies now facing the call to be transparent? Writing for the Network, DfID minister Justine Greening said: "DfID will require, over time, any organisation we work through to deliver our aid programmes to adhere to the International Aid Transparency Initiative's standards of transparency and accountability for DfID funds. I would urge all donors – bilateral, multilateral and non-traditional – to do the same." |
| But some African policymakers have spoken of the importance of recognising that transparency is a journey, rather than a destination; that it might take time to find the people who are able to collect, interpret and communicate information sought of them. Similarly, grassroots NGOs – though not usually direct recipients of large donor grants – are often resource-strapped and as Tim Smedly reports, the push for transparency could potentially hinder development work. | But some African policymakers have spoken of the importance of recognising that transparency is a journey, rather than a destination; that it might take time to find the people who are able to collect, interpret and communicate information sought of them. Similarly, grassroots NGOs – though not usually direct recipients of large donor grants – are often resource-strapped and as Tim Smedly reports, the push for transparency could potentially hinder development work. |
| So, how do you get a system that truly makes aid more effective, rather than simply creating a tick-box exercise, ignored once satisfactorily completed? Join our live chat this Thursday, 13 July, at 1pm BST, to share your experiences and thoughts on making development more transparent. | So, how do you get a system that truly makes aid more effective, rather than simply creating a tick-box exercise, ignored once satisfactorily completed? Join our live chat this Thursday, 13 July, at 1pm BST, to share your experiences and thoughts on making development more transparent. |
| The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). To join the panel, or give your views before the chat, email globaldevpros@guardian.co.uk. Follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive | The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). To join the panel, or give your views before the chat, email globaldevpros@guardian.co.uk. Follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive |
| Panel | Panel |
| Petter Matthews, director, International Secretariat for the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST), London, UK. @CoSTransparency | Petter Matthews, director, International Secretariat for the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST), London, UK. @CoSTransparency |
| Petter is a senior international development and built environment specialist with over thirty years' experience. He has worked for government, international agencies and NGOs in many parts of Africa, Asia and Oceania and is executive director of Engineers Against Poverty. | Petter is a senior international development and built environment specialist with over thirty years' experience. He has worked for government, international agencies and NGOs in many parts of Africa, Asia and Oceania and is executive director of Engineers Against Poverty. |
| Paolo de Renzio, senior research fellow, International Budget Partnership, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Paolo de Renzio, senior research fellow, International Budget Partnership, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Paolo coordinates a research programme on fiscal transparency, participation and accountability at the IBP. Previously, he worked as a researcher at the University of Oxford and the ODI. He co-edited 'Open Budgets: The Political Economy of Transparency, Participation and Accountability'. | |
| Josie Cohen, land campaigner, Global Witness, London, UK. @josiecoh | Josie Cohen, land campaigner, Global Witness, London, UK. @josiecoh |
| Following 3 years running ActionAid's campaign against biofuels, Josie Cohen became the land campaigner at Global Witness in 2012. She now campaigns to end the culture of secrecy and impunity currently shrouding large-scale land deals, with a particular focus on Cambodia and Laos. | Following 3 years running ActionAid's campaign against biofuels, Josie Cohen became the land campaigner at Global Witness in 2012. She now campaigns to end the culture of secrecy and impunity currently shrouding large-scale land deals, with a particular focus on Cambodia and Laos. |
| Nathan, representative, NotInMyCountry.org, Kampala, Uganda. @NMCountry | Nathan, representative, NotInMyCountry.org, Kampala, Uganda. @NMCountry |
| NotInMyCountry.org is a platform that aims to fight corruption by allowing citizens to rate performance and report corruption of public officials. We also assist in the prosecution of individuals for acts of corruption to bring justice to victims. [Because of the nature of what they do, Nathan cannot disclose his full identity.] | NotInMyCountry.org is a platform that aims to fight corruption by allowing citizens to rate performance and report corruption of public officials. We also assist in the prosecution of individuals for acts of corruption to bring justice to victims. [Because of the nature of what they do, Nathan cannot disclose his full identity.] |
| Andre Standing, advisor, Chr. Michelsen Institute, Nairobi, Kenya | Andre Standing, advisor, Chr. Michelsen Institute, Nairobi, Kenya |
| CMI is an independent development research institute in Bergen, Norway. Andre is a criminologist with a focus on natural resource sectors and marine fisheries. Andre is also an advisor to the U4-Anti-Corruption resource centre. | CMI is an independent development research institute in Bergen, Norway. Andre is a criminologist with a focus on natural resource sectors and marine fisheries. Andre is also an advisor to the U4-Anti-Corruption resource centre. |
| Hope Mubanga, programmes manager, Foundation for Democratic Process, Lusaka Zambia | Hope Mubanga, programmes manager, Foundation for Democratic Process, Lusaka Zambia |
| Fodep was formed as a successor to the Zambia Election Monitoring Coordinating Committee. Before joining Fodep, Hope worked as capacity building and cultural expert in China. She is a co-author on the Zambia State of Democracy Report 2011 and the IDASA Democracy Index of Zambia 2012. | |
| More to follow | More to follow |