The second online session of the Council for Coordination and Monitoring of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) process and the National OGP Action Plan 2018-2020 (Council) was held on 9 June. The session reviewed, discussed and put to vote key issues for the functioning of the Council, such as the adoption of the Rules of Procedure of the Council and the election of co-chairs of the Council, and the situation, challenges and opportunities for the OGP process in the country and the implementation of the National Action Plan for OGP 2018-2020, preparation of a proposed time frame and manner of implementation of the process of co-creation of the Action Plan for OGP 2020-2022 and the opportunities to support the process by the Secretariat for OGP.
All 14 members of the Council were invited and participated in the session. Gordana Gapkj Dimitrovska, National Coordinator of the Republic of North Macedonia for OGP in the Ministry of Information Society and Administration (MISA) had the role of organizer and chair of this session. At the invitation of MISA, Sandra Pernar, Regional Coordinator of the OGP for Europe, also participated in the session, presenting the opportunities to support the process of co-creation of the OGP Action Plan 2020-2022 by the Secretariat for Open Government Partnership.
Two representatives from the expert-administrative service of MISA and Sunčica Kostovska-Petrovska from the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia (coordinator of the network of civil society organizations for OGP) provided administrative and logistical support for the preparation and organization of the session.
After the adoption of the draft agenda and the adoption of the minutes from the constituent session of the Council, held on 6 May 2020, the members of the Council reviewed and adopted the Rules of Procedure of the Council. Electronic voting was used for the adoption of the minutes and the Rules of Procedure.
The members of the Council, by electronic voting, elected the two co-chairs of the Council – one of the members representing the state administration bodies and one of the members representing the civil society organizations. From the two nominated representatives from the institutions and four representatives from the civil society organizations, the Council elected its co-chairs: Maja Petkovska Leses from the Cabinet of the Minister without portfolio in charge of Communications, Accountability and Transparency and Martin Todevski from the Center for Change Management.
At this session, the Council also adopted the Draft-Information on the status of implementation of the National Action Plan for Open Government Partnership 2018-2020 (semi-annual report for the period September 2019 – March 2020). The purpose of the report is to provide an overview of the activities undertaken by the holders of the action plan commitments (institutions).
In order to prepare a proposed time frame and manner of implementation of the process of co-creation of the Action Plan for Open Government Partnership 2020-2022, the Council established a working group that by the next session of the Council will prepare a proposed dynamics and procedure for implementation of the process of co-creating the new action plan. The working group will include Darko Antikj from the Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women, Ivona Stalevska from FOSM, Eli Čakar from the Ministry of Local Self-Government, Gordana G. Dimitrovska from MISA, Sunčica Kostovska-Petrovska from FOSM and a representative from the Foundation for Internet and Society Metamorphosis, which in its program has provided activities and provided funds from USAID’s Civic Engagement Project to support the process of co-creation of the plan.
Sandra Pernar from the Secretariat of the International OGP Initiative, in the role of Regional Coordinator for Europe, presented to the members of the Council the possibilities to support the process of co-creation of the Action Plan for Open Government Partnership 2020-2022 by the Secretariat for Open Government Partnership. At the same time, she pointed out the fact that the Republic of North Macedonia is a focus country in the new three-year OGP strategy. Following the support provided last year for the establishment of the Council, which has been successfully implemented, the OGP Secretariat this year will support the co-creation of the new two-year action plan, as well as the process of its implementation in the coming period. Support will be provided by the Independent Reporting Mechanism team and other partners and teams of the Secretariat for Open Government Partnership to assist in the progress and focus of the new action plan, to assist the working groups and the Council in setting priorities and preparing of the efforts in the new action plan for the next two years. Support will consist of mentoring, workshops and expert assistance. Ms Pernar emphasized that the Republic of North Macedonia already has high marks for the process, and the support will enable it to reach an even more advanced level.
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The Council for Coordination and Monitoring of the Open Government Partnership Process and the National Action Plan for Open Government Partnership 2018-2020 is an advisory body for Open Government Partnership of the Republic of North Macedonia, for coordination and monitoring of the development and implementation of action plans, with key advisory and a crucial role in all phases of the Open Government Partnership process, through the planning cycle, in the development of action plans and in the implementation, monitoring and reporting of action plans.
Open Government Partnership is a voluntary international initiative that aims to ensure that governments make concrete commitments to their citizens to promote transparency, foster civic participation, fight corruption, and use new technologies to strengthen good governance.
Our country is a member of the initiative since 2011 and has adopted four national action plans (in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018). The coordinator of government activities for OGP is the Ministry of Information Society and Administration (MISA).
To become part of the OGP initiative, Member States prepare two-year national action plans developed through public consultation, report regularly on progress, work with civil society to achieve agreed commitments, and commit to independent reporting on their progress. The preparation of the OGP Action Plan is inclusive, which means that various stakeholders contribute to the process, including public administration, civil society, local authorities, the business sector and the academic community.
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12 June 2020