Foreword
in their country, IRI Vice President for Policy and Strategic Planning
and a former U.S government official involved in Latin America,
Daniel W. Fisk , connects the need for partnership between those who
govern and the governed. Focusing on the roles and responsibilities
of government, he explores ways in which officials can perform more
effectively andmore responsively through partnerships with think tanks,
civil society and the media. Effective and consistent communication
between government and its citizens that allows for continual citizen
input into policy and governance processes, he argues, will ensure
deeper democratic cultures and positive returns for those willing to
innovate and embrace reform.
The final contribution to this collection is an in-depth exploration
of an oversight tool, the Index of Open Government, designed and
implemented by the Government of Colombia. Carlos Augusto Mesa
Diaz, Deputy Solicitor General of Colombia and Juan Pablo Remolina
Pulido, Deputy Attorney Advisor for Decentralization and Territorial
Entities outline the structure of this best practice and details its
application and outcomes throughout the country. When implemented
effectively, the tool has worked to improve open government practices
and mitigate the risk of corruption, thereby providing both a monetary
benefit to government as well as a deeper systemic benefit to the overall
democratic system.
IRI is pleased to have gathered these voices for this study and notes
that the opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, not
necessarily those of IRI or anyone else involved in the publication of
this book. This publication was generously funded by NED, a private,
nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of
democratic institutions around the world.
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