[6] The meeting in Brasília brought together countries and organizations united in their belief in the power of transparency, with participation from anti-censorship campaigners in Yemen to reformers using data on primary schools to improve education in India.
[8] According to the then Minister of the United Kingdom's Cabinet Office responsible for public transparency and open data, Francis Maude, Britain sought to "further secure the foundations of OGP as a globally recognized and respected international initiative….
[and to] strengthen the role of civil society organizations, encouraging greater collaboration with governments to forge more innovative and open ways of working.
In an era of hyperconnectivity, openness and transparency, as well as citizen participation and collaboration, are increasingly viewed as essential components of good governance.
[11] Later in December 2016, the Government of France, in partnership with the World Resources Institute (WRI), hosted the fourth OGP Global Summit in the nation's capital, Paris, gathering 3000 representatives from 70 countries.
[14] It is a voluntary partnership that countries choose to join, allowing civil society organizations to collaborate with governments on initiatives aligned with their reform agendas.
Governments are expected to actively collaborate with civil society when drafting and implementing country commitments, as well as when reporting on and monitoring efforts.
[14] The OGP Steering Committee provides guidance and direction at the international level in order to maintain the highest standards for the initiative and ensure its long-term sustainability.
It also serves as a neutral third party between governments and civil society organizations, ensuring that OGP maintains a productive balance between the two constituencies.
[20] The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is the key means by which all stakeholders can track OGP progress in participating countries.
[21] The International Experts Panel (IEP) oversees the IRM by helping to ensure the quality of the reviews, assess procedures, and promote findings.
[23] For an eligible country to join, all that is required is a letter from a ministerial representative indicating agreement with the Open Government Declaration and intent to participate in the OGP, as well as the leading agency and an individual point of contact for future work.
The action plans are "the driving device" for OGP, as they are the instrument through which government and civil society develop their agreed reforms, or commitments, every two years.
An effective public consultation process during the development of action plans can help build broad support for commitments with a wider set of actors to rely on for successful implementation.
[39] OGP participants gather regularly at regional and global events to share their findings in person and to strengthen international cooperation.
[41] In addition to providing spaces where participating countries and civil society groups could share information in person, OGP wanted to find a way to showcase the standout efforts of global transparency leaders.