Local authorities from Chile shared Open Government experiences in a workshop at ECLAC

Community authorities from Chile and specialists agreed on the need to strengthen the capacities of local governments to develop initiatives under the principles and axes of an Open State, during the Local Open Government Workshop: Generating synergies and exchange of peers between local governments, held on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), through the Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES), in conjunction with the Chilean municipalities of Rancagua and Peñalolén.

In her opening remarks, Cielo Morales, Director of ILPES/CEPAL, highlighted the horizontal, collaborative and practical nature of the event, aimed at sharing experiences on the design and implementation of local Open Government initiatives for the benefit of citizens and, in general, for the deepening of democracy.

Goal 16 (SDG16) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development -launched in 2015- precisely seeks to “configure a new public governance framework and a renewed state architecture, in order to guarantee peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, facilitate access to justice for all and create effective, responsible and inclusive institutions at all levels”, recalled Cielo Morales, who warned that only a third of the goals agreed within the framework of this agenda would be met if the current path is maintained. .

“The political will that you demonstrate today is a fundamental step in the right direction to achieve SDG16” and the entire 2030 Agenda, the international official said, explaining that “ECLAC, through ILPES, has worked on Open Government, in the promotion of this new paradigm of managing the public, for more than a decade and has developed a series of instruments, methodological guides, manuals, training courses, awareness events.

ECLAC -he pointed out- promotes the construction of new social, political and fiscal pacts, with the participation of all development agents. “We are convinced that Open Government, at all levels of the State, can contribute to this negotiation process, to develop those capacities, both within the citizenry and at the different levels of government, to agree, reach consensus and compromise. that benefit everyone so that, as indicated in the 2030 Agenda, no one is left behind”, concluded Cielo Morales.

Also in the opening session, Carolina Leitao, Mayor of the Municipality of Peñalolén and President of the Chilean Association of Municipalities (AChM), thanked ECLAC for its support on this issue and indicated that Open Government has become “a priority for the municipalities in all their decisions” in order to promote participation, transparency and accountability and to be able to better manage the multiple citizen demands. So much so, she said, that a few days ago the Executive Committee of the AChM unanimously decided to create the Open Government, Transparency and Integrity Commission.

In the same way, the mayor maintained, the Open Government initiatives can contribute to the discussion process on a new Constitution that will take place in the country after the results of the plebiscite on September 4, in order to actively involve the municipalities from the beginning. and communities.

Mayor Leitao shared with the attendees the lessons learned in the process of joining the Municipality of Peñalolén to the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which took place in 2020, starting the implementation of the plan in 2021 The Alliance is a multilateral initiative created in 2011 and is based on the collaborative creation and implementation of voluntary commitments by the national and local governments that comprise it.

Following the opening remarks, Alejandra Naser, Senior Assistant for Economic Affairs at ILPES/ECLAC, and Peter Sharp, ILPES/ECLAC Consultant, gave a talk entitled “Open State, Open Government Partnership and Local Action Plans”.

Subsequently, an exchange of peers was held between the Chilean municipalities that have already led local Open Government initiatives, including those of Peñalolén, Renca, Calle Larga, Maipú and those that are in the process of raising Open Government policies, such as the case of the Municipality of Rancagua. Invited representatives from the municipalities of Talagante, Cerro Navia, Recoleta, Santo Domingo, Providencia and Vitacura also participated.

In addition to Mayor Leitao, in that block Fabián Aguilera, Director (S) of Community Development of the Municipality of Renca; Tomás Vodanovic, Mayor of the Municipality of Maipú; Sebastián Mallea, representing the Mayor of the Municipality of Calle Larga; and Juan Ramón Godoy, Mayor of the Municipality of Rancagua.

The final reflections were given by Valeria Torres, Officer in charge of the Public Management and Open Government Area of ​​ILPES/ECLAC.