Governance and Security
Lauren Pfeifer from ONE’s policy team reports on Transparency Camp, a 2-day “un-conference” on open data and open government hosted by the Sunlight Foundation. Instead of writing a regular blog post, she compiled an interactive social media story using tweets, photos and Facebook updates from the web. Scroll through to read her story.
As part of ONE’s agenda on Open Development, we’re encouraging citizen engagement to unlock the potential of public resources through transparency and accountability, and sharing stories about how technology can help.
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Update: To read ONE’s asks of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, Mexico 2012, click here.
2012 is an exciting year full of opportunities for opening governance to accelerate progress on poverty reduction. ONE’s new Transparency and Accountability Team has a full agenda, spearheading the organization’s efforts to push for more open, transparent and accountable governance.
Our aim is to drive progress toward open development, a world in which people in developing countries have the information and resources that they need to hold their governments to account and to make well-informed decisions to improve their lives. As a stepping stone toward that, we are pushing for more transparent and accountable financing for development, so that resources (including but not limited to aid) are spent effectively to deliver improved results in health, agriculture, infrastructure and other issues that are key to the fight against poverty and building prosperity. We are not short on ambition!
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Malawi’s new president, Joyce Banda, was recently sworn into office following the death last week of President Bingu wa Mutharika. The former vice president is taking office as Malawi’s first female president and only the second female African head of state next to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.
President Banda has her work cut out for her as she takes office in a country that is battling high unemployment and a struggling economy. In recent years, President Mutharika, a former World Bank official, was accused of economic mismanagement, becoming increasingly autocratic and souring his country’s relations with important donors, particularly the United States.
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Next week is an exciting and important week for ONE’s efforts to promote more open, transparent and accountable governance that can accelerate progress on poverty reduction. In Mexico, the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group will meet. ONE will be there making the case (read the letter below) for greater budget transparency and better natural resource governance so that people can hold their governments accountable for the use of public resources.
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After spending the better part of 20 years under house arrest, the Burmese political icon and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will enter Burma’s parliament — and not a minute too soon. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) party should have claimed 80 percent of the seats back in 1990, but the country’s military government annulled that year’s election results, opting instead to suppress Suu Kyi and other opposition party leaders. This week, NLD supporters rejoice publicly for the first time in what Suu Kyi calls a “triumph of the people.”
This “triumph” marks another turning point in the country’s recent transformation. After two decades in power, the junta officially ceded power last year, stunning a disbelieving international community as leaders finally agreed to release political prisoners, curtail violence with rebels, and allow for more press freedom. In another unexpected yet welcome move, former general President Thein Sein hailed the election as successful, and one of his advisers admitted that Suu Kyi could be awarded “any position of responsibility because of her capacity.”
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Please welcome Aliou Goloko to the ONE Blog. Aliou is a Senegalese journalist who his passionate about Africa and football. He offers his take on the Senegal elections. Image courtesy of SeneNews:
After several months of uncertainty and tension, the Senegalese people have again expressed themselves through the ballot box. The election of their fourth president, Macky Sall, stands as another fine example of African democracy.
Wade, victim of his supporters
Sall defeated incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for a third term after nearly twelve years in office. Many ordinary citizens, along with the opposition, denounced his campaign. The outgoing president’s supporters, most notably his family, only made matters worse by behaving poorly in the public spotlight. Wade’s stubborn defense of his controversial son, politiican Karim Wade, cast a dark cloud over his candidacy. Other members of his entourage have been arrested for financial misconduct and physical assault, but have yet to stand any punishment. To these stains we must add the stress of increasing demand for staple foods and resulting price hikes, the skyrocketing unemployment rate, and the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by state offcials.
The N’diguël: End of a tradition?
Senegal’s population breaks down into 94 percent Muslim, 5 percent Christian, and 1 percent animist. During election season, politicians tend to seek the public approval of religious leaders, who issue voting instructions called the n’diguël.
Previous presidents, including Wade, used this opportunity to consolidate their power. This election proves that today’s voters, especially youth, don’t’ see the n’diguël as a mandate. Even with religious sanctioning, Wade still lost the election — which means that religious leaders’ hold on the voting booth is loosening.
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Rui Landim, a political analyst based in Guinea-Bissau, reports on the country’s first round of presidential elections. Overall, Bissau-Guineans are skeptical and worried about the election process, due to a number of factors outlined below:
The challenges of the vote
First of all, we should note that since the advent of democracy in Guinea-Bisseu in the mid-90s, no democratically elected president has managed to complete his five-year mandate. This observation is also valid for the governments.
After the unexpected death of President Malam Bacai Sanha, on January 9th, the country had to organize an early presidential election to ensure constitutional continuity.
Bissau-Guineans were expected this election to consolidate peace, stability and above all a national harmony. Wishful thinking!
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