NGO leaders urge to create an open government platform

A group of NGO and media leaders supported the creation of the Partnership Platform for Open Government of Azerbaijan (PPOGA).

The appeal, adopted by 22 activists reminded that in 2011 Azerbaijan was among the first to join the Partnership Open Government.

70 countries supported this international initiative, taking the obligation to use an open and effective management system, expand civic education, fight corruption effectively. Provision was also made to ensure citizens' access to government information, participation in management, the use of a high code of ethics in public administration, the new reporting technology, and open government. One of the important principles of the Open Government Partnership is a partnership of government and civil society.

One year after joining the initiative the Azerbaijani government adopted an action plan for the promotion of open government in the 2012-15 biennium and the National Action Plan to combat corruption for 2012-2015.

This year was adopted another document - the "National Action Plan for the promotion of open government in the 2016-18 biennium."

However, in the preparation of these documents were not provided the participation of representatives of independent civil society to public scrutiny. Conversely, their activity has been limited. As a consequence, in May 2016 Azerbaijan's membership in the Partnership Open Partnership was downgraded from an inactive to an active participant member.

Now the government has less than a year to fulfill obligations, and restore the previous status of the country.

The authors evaluated positively that the National Action Plan for the promotion of open government in the 2016-2018 biennium authorities announced their intention to create a platform of open government partnership with NGOs. "For this must be eliminated restrictions on NGO activities and the consultation mechanism set up with them,"  said in the appeal.

The authors call on the authorities to promote dialogue between the Government and NGOs, to contribute to the formation of a consultative mechanism, to support initiatives of civil society, and to promote the restoration of full-fledged membership in the Open Government Partnership.

The appeal was signed by Asabali Mustafayev, Akif Gurbanov, Anar Mammadov, Azer Mehdiyev, Alasgar Mammadli, Gubad Ibadoglu, Khalid Agaliev, Mehman Aliyev, Samir Aliyev, Rovasha Hajibeyli, and other civil society activists, total of  22 people .- 06D-