Open Government Remains Closed to Azerbaijan

Washington/ 11.12.18/Turan: The steering committee of the international organization Open Government (OGP) at its meeting on December 5 in Washington D.C. retained the inactive status of Azerbaijan in this organization.

OGP reports that some steps taken recently by the Azerbaijani government, such as the development of a new single-window electronic services platform for registering NGOs, are positive. However, the main issues raised by the Subcommittee on Standards and Criteria as far back as 2015 to the authorities of the country and reflecting the problems of civil society remained unresolved.

Thus, over the past 12 months, the government of Azerbaijan has not carried out systematic changes or reforms.

Civil society representatives point out that serious problems for their activities remain. Among them is registration and financing of NGOs.

According to the report, for this reason, the Steering Committee decides to extend the suspended status of Azerbaijan in the GP until the completion of the following steps:

I. By March 1, 2019 prepare a roadmap for 2019-21 with the implementation of OGP requirements and standards. This roadmap should also include OGP meetings and forums and engaging other stakeholders to create an action plan.

This roadmap must be published by the government and presented to the OGP by the deadline.

II. By June 1, 2019, appoint a high-level government representative (ministerial level or higher) to lead the OGP process in Azerbaijan.

III. By June 1, 2019, proceed to the development of a plan of action for the OGP with the participation of a wide range of participants, as well as reforms aimed at overcoming the limitations of the activities of civil society.

IV. By December 31, 2019 submit the finalized version of the Action Plan to the OGP Support Group.

V. By August 31, 2021, complete the implementation of the OGP Action Plan, evaluation of which will depend on the timely resolution of the issues listed above.

The suspension of the status of Azerbaijan will continue until the government of Azerbaijan provides evidence of compliance with the recommendations put forward in September 2017.

Only after meeting the criteria and standards of the OGP, the active status will be returned to Azerbaijan.

In the meantime, Azerbaijan will not have the right to vote in elections to the Steering Committee, and may attend the organization"s events as an observer, the report says.

* On May 4, 2016, at the meeting of the governing committee of the Open Government Partnership, it was decided to lower the status of Azerbaijan from a full member of the structure to an "inactive member of the initiative," that is, an observer country.

In June 2017, it was decided to retain the status of Azerbaijan as an "inactive member" of the Open Government partnership for another year, since the country did not remove obstacles to the normal work of NGOs.

** The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is an international organization officially established on September 20, 2011 with the goal of establishing the ideals of an open state: the development of administrative professionalism, open to civilian control. Eight countries participated in the creation of the organization: the USA, the UK, Brazil, Norway, Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, and South Africa. In January 2016, the organization united 69 countries. -02D-