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Leaders at OGP summit call for greater government openness in response to global trends
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France President François Hollande, current OGP government co-chair and summit host, delivers speech at opening ceremony of The 4th Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit on Dec. 7 in Paris, France. (JP/Dandy Koswaraputra)
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he 4th Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit began on Wednesday in Paris with over a dozen heads of state, thousands of civil society leaders and other high-level government reformers calling for greater openness in government to serve as a countervailing force to rising authoritarianism and receding civic space in many parts of the world.
France President François Hollande, the current OGP government co-chair and summit host, opened the summit by reminding guests of the current global geopolitical backdrop, saying that everywhere, civil society demands more transparency, more consultation by rejecting corruption and fraud, and the indifference and resistance of government.
“All over, citizens are demonstrating their desire to engage, to be listened to, to participate in public life and to help build their society,” President Hollande said at the summit's opening ceremony.
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Over 4000 participants are attending the three-day event, to advance crucial open government issues such as the fight against corruption, opening up public contracts, harnessing the data revolution for the collective good, and encouraging public participation in climate change policies. Indonesia has been a member of the OGP since 2011 and is a participant of the current event.
“We, therefore, have to make a considerable effort together to renew our democracy in order to become more open, participatory and impactful. So it [democracy] can become a symbol of hope for people again,” Hollande asserted.
