The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), through its Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES), participated in various events held within the framework of the International Open Government Week , which was held from May 8 to 19, 2023.
Among the activities, the International Congress on Open Government stands out, held in the city of Concepción, in southern Chile, between April 26 and 28, which was organized by the University of Concepción and the Chilean Open Government Academic Network.
On the occasion, specialists from ILPES/ECLAC gave an inaugural talk on “Open State in Latin America and the Caribbean: good practices, challenges and opportunities.” Likewise, a workshop was given to undergraduate and postgraduate students on the preparation of a Citizen Participation Strategy, in which 50 students from various universities in the country participated.
Another activity in which ECLAC actively participated was the Open Government Meeting for Municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of Chile, organized by the United Nations Regional Commission jointly with the Government of Santiago, the Chilean Association of Municipalities, the Tribe Foundation and the Municipality of Peñalolén. This event, which took place on Wednesday, May 10, had the objective of raising awareness among local authorities about the relevance of applying transparency, participation and collaboration in their management.
On Thursday, May 11, ECLAC participated in the launch of the new Chilean Open Government Multi-stakeholder Forum called the National Open State Table, which is made up of stakeholders from various sectors whose function is to monitor (before, during and after) the the implementation of the action commitments contained in the National Action Plan. In this National Table, ECLAC acts as an observer body.
The same day, in the Plaza de la Constitución, located next to the Palacio de la Moneda -the seat of the Government of Chile-, the Open Government Fair was held. In this activity, ECLAC participated by setting up a stand with publications, which was located next to other displays promoted by various public institutions in Chile, which have participated in Open Government Plans co-created within the governance framework of the Alliance for the Open Government (OGP).
For its part, from May 9 to 11, the Commission began a process of technical assistance to the Secretariat for Transparency and the Fight against Corruption of Honduras, for the implementation of Open Government in that country. The objective is the promotion of a culture of transparency, citizen participation, accountability and technological innovation as part of the mechanisms promoted by the Secretary of State. Meetings were held with officials from the Executive Branch, the Judiciary and the Association of Municipalities of Honduras (AMHON).
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, May 16, specialists from the Public Management and Open Government area of ILPES/ECLAC gave a workshop for implementers of the 1st Local Action Plan of the Municipality of Maipú, a commune located in the western sector of Santiago, Chile. This workshop was held at the ECLAC facilities.
Finally, also on May 16, ECLAC participated in the event Justicia Abierta: un camino necesario, organized by the Chilean Network of Open Justice and whose objective was to promote the notion of justice among actors in the justice ecosystem and civil society. open and generate a space for interaction that allows reporting on its progress, both in Chile and at a comparative level.
