Posts Tagged ‘implementation’
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9 February 2005
On-line Networking Solves Potential Secrecy Problem in Slovakia in 4 Hours
International openness advocates assist Slovakian reformers in debate over EU directive and its effects on Slovak law concept of "silent refusal" Freedom of information advocates in 10 countries plus the U.S. state of New York today combined forces on-line within an elapsed time of four hours to help Slovakian openness reformers refute a legal interpretation […]
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21 December 2004
Critics Fault ADB Draft Public Communications Policy
The Asian Development Bank’s second draft of a new communications policy is meeting with some praise, and also with continuing criticism. Common themes included: demands for more disclosure about private sector operations, recommendations for releasing the key documents as they go to the board, and appeals for an independent appeals process. The comments are posted […]
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5 November 2004
Serbian Parliament Adopts Access Law
The Serbian National Assembly, in its Plenary Session on November 2, 2004, adopted the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance. The Law will enter into force eight days after its publication in the Official Gazette of Serbia. The Law establishes the right of free access to information in the possession of public […]
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30 June 2004
Bibliography of MKSS Writings, Articles and Other Reports
The following documents are available for sale in a CD with the MKSS. To obtain a copy of this CD please contact the MKSS at mkssrajasthan@yahoo.com. From Information to Accountability – Reclaiming Democracy Survival And Right to Information – Gulam Rasool third memorial lecture by Aruna Roy Information, Democracy And Ethics – Aruna Roy (12th […]
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28 May 2004
World Bank Board Poised for Breakthrough on Disclosing Draft Documents
The World Bank Executive Board is poised to consider three significant improvements in its disclosure policy, including the experimental release of certain key staff documents at the same time they are sent to the board. Such a “pilot project” would begin to address a long-standing set of demands from disclosure activists dating back to 1992. […]
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20 May 2004
Ecuador Enacts ‘Transparency and Access to Information Law’
By Carlos Osorio and Katherine Costar With refreshing democratic language, the new Ecuadorian Transparency and Access to Information Law establishes that "[a]ccess to information is a right of the person guaranteed by the State" and requires that government agencies proactively publish functional, operational and financial information. At the same time, a number of inconsistencies within […]
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20 April 2004
Shanghai Advances the Cause of Open Government Information in China
While the Chinese State Council mulls over a draft of China’s first freedom of information legislation, the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, home to some 16 million people, adopted China’s first provincial-level open information legislation on January 20, 2004. The Provisions of Shanghai Municipality on Open Government Information (the Shanghai Provisions) represent the most comprehensive framework […]
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13 April 2004
African Development Bank Issues New Disclosure Policy
The African Development Bank on March 30, 2004 published a new disclosure policy going further than other international financial institutions in the release of draft documents. The new policy is available here. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the draft AfDB policy announced in October was the flirtation with the release of draft Country Strategy […]
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13 April 2004
The Transparency Labyrinth in Argentina
[See also: “The Freedom of Information Campaign in Argentina,” by Martha Farmelo, 14 OCTOBER 2003] A leader of Argentina’s openness movement, María Baron of the Centro de Implementacion de Politicas Publicas Para la Equidad y la Crecimiento, describes for freedominfo.org the reasons why President Nestor Kirchner decreed access to information rights in December 2003 (while […]
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10 March 2004
World Bank Staff Backs More Disclosure by Extractive Industries
The World Bank Group should begin requiring that extractive industries receiving Bank loans disclose what payments they make to governments, according to an internal Bank document obtained by freedominfo.org. The revenue disclosures, however, should not begin for two years for existing loans, according to Bank staff recommendations, the "draft management response" to external and internal […]
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24 February 2004
IMF Seeks Comment on Relations with Parliamentarians
The International Monetary Fund has asked for public comment on recommendations that the Fund staff increase their interaction with parliamentarians. While supportive of expanded IMF dialogue with parliamentarians, the recommendations of an internal working group also suggest limitations. The staff is cautioned against doing anything with legislators that would subvert the bargaining authority of government […]
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24 February 2004
Parliamentarians Flex Growing Organization, Make Request of Bank
The chairman of an international group of parliamentarians has asked the World Bank to help assure a larger role for legislatures in setting the poverty-fighting strategies within their countries. The request marks one of the first times the parliamentarians have proposed a significant and specific policy change, according to persons familiar with the group’s history. […]
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23 February 2004
ARMENIA: Amendments threaten to undermine FOI law
Freedom of Information Civic Initiative Yerevan, 19.02.2004 STATEMENT Proposed amendments to the Armenian Law on Freedom of Information will undermine the right of access to information if adopted by the Armenian parliament. The amendments, to the FOI law adopted in September 2003, limit the information which should be made available under the law and provide […]
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10 February 2004
World Bank Board to Meet in March on Disclosure Policy
The World Bank Executive Board will return to the topic of disclosure policy at a meeting in March 2004, to again address whether to disclose more draft documents and board minutes. The board last deferred action on these topics, asking for more Bank staff research. In the intervening six months, the research appears to have […]
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11 October 2003
“The Right to Know is Gaining around the World”
by Thomas Blanton The International Herald Tribune, October 11, 2003, p. 6 Last month (September 23, 2003), Armenia became the 51st country in the world to guarantee its citizens the right to know what their government is up to. Armenia’s new freedom of information law is the latest outpost of the worldwide movement towards opening […]
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1 October 2003
African Development Bank Proposes New Disclosure Rules
The African Development Bank in September proposed modifications of its information disclosure policy. Overall, the bank does not appear to be making many substantive improvements, but does propose to update the disclosure policy to reflect new documents that have come into use since 1997, when the last policy was written. The draft Information Disclosure Policy […]
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14 July 2003
China’s Pioneering Foray Into Open Government: A Tale of Two Cities
By Jamie P. Horsley Guangzhou Municipal Provisions on Open Government Information (Decree No. 8 of the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government dated November 6, 2002) (PDF – 158 KB) China’s initial reticence in sharing information about the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic highlighted anew the culture of secrecy that has for centuries shrouded the Chinese […]
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1 July 2003
Asian Development Bank Begins Disclosure Policy Review
The Asian Development Bank has kicked off its review of the ADB information disclosure policy, appointing a steering committee to manage the effort. The five-person steering committee, composed of senior-level Bank officials, which held a closed meeting May 29, announced plans to “bear in mind the views of all stakeholders. The ADB opening a new […]
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1 July 2003
World Bank Disclosure Report Makes Recommendations for Change
The World Bank has encountered some difficulties implementing its disclosure policy, according to a Bank progress report published June 6, but overall the experience has been "generally good." The report acknowledged some areas of weakness, particularly in disclosure policy awareness among Bank employees and in the Bank’s ability to monitor and evaluate its disclosure practices. […]
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1 July 2003
World Bank Reviews Disclosure Policy, Postpones Action on U.S. Reform Ideas
The World Bank’s Executive Board has asked its staff to examine several transparency issues raised by the United States and other members, including the possibility of releasing draft documents prior to board discussions and disclosure of board minutes, according to informed sources. The ideas for expanded disclosure were raised when the Board on July 3 […]