Head of Georgian NGO selected as Open Government Partnership Steering Committee member

Executive Director of Georgian non-governmental organisation IDFI (Institute for Development of Freedom of Information) Giorgi Kldiashvili has been selected as a new member representing civil society in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee.

The OGP is a multilateral initiative of the United States and Brazil, in which about 70 governments work together with citizens to promote transparency, fight corruption and use technology as an enabler of governmental openness.

The OGP Steering Committee is the executive, decision-making body that develops, promotes and safeguards the values, principles and interests of OGP. The Committee consists of 22 members - 11 from government and 11 from civil society. The standard term of its member is three years - with the possibility of a one-term renewal.

Kldiashvili was nominated as the Steering Committee member by Niels Scott, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Georgia, while endorsement letters were sent by Veronica Cretu, President of Open Government Institute Moldova and civil society member of the OGP Steering Committee in 2013-2016, and Tom Blanton, Director of National Security Archive at George Washington University and civil society member of the OGP Steering Committee in 2011-2013.

"Joining the OGP Steering Committee is a great opportunity and responsibility for me, especially now when Georgia is to serve as a chair country of OGP Steering Committee”, Kldiashvili said.

"I do hope that by sharing my skills and experience, I will significantly contribute to strengthen OGP at the global, regional and national level”, he added.

Georgia is getting ready to assume the chairmanship of the OGP Steering Committee in September 2017. The country will assume the chairmanship for a year. During this period Georgia’s strategic goals will be:

• Ensuring citizen engagement
• Promoting citizen-oriented governance
• Promoting transparency and fighting corruption
• Supporting innovative ideas in delivering public services