Open Government Data is Key to Increasing Transparency and Strengthening Public Participation in Governance
Chisinau, October 18, 2010 - The World Bank and the Government of Moldova are hosting a workshop dedicated to the role of Open Government Data in increasing transparency and efficiency in the decision-making process. The event brings together representatives of the Moldovan Government, World Bank experts, representatives of Moldova’s public, private and civil society sectors in a joint effort to discuss the benefits, challenges and future actions in opening Government data. The workshop is part of the early preparation activities for the Moldova Governance e-Transformation Project, currently under development by the Moldovan Government and the World Bank.
Across the world, 2010 has been a big year for open government data. Governments and public institutions from various countries have opened up official datasets for public use. This move has generated a global explosion of new applications, competitions and other initiatives from local and central authorities, international bodies and other actors in making use of available data.
The World Bank launched its Open Data Initiative on April 20, 2010. The initiative involves access to key databases such as the World Development Indicators, Africa Development Indicators, Global Development Finance, and Doing Business. Users from across the world can now easily find, download, manipulate, use, and re-use available data compiled by the World Bank without restrictions.
The Government of Moldova has embarked on reforms to improve transparency and public participation in governance as a means to reduce corruption. One way to improve collection and presentation of statistics in Moldova is an Open Government Data Initiative where citizens and businesses can access statistical data and downloadable datasets free of charge. For transparency to matter, it is important not only to make data readily available but also to make it available in a format that allows researchers and the public to interact with it.
The workshop, which is organized jointly by the Government of Moldova and the World Bank, aims to increase awareness of Open Government Data, learn from the successful experiences of other countries, and start planning for the opening of official data in Moldova. Several influential thinkers on the power of Open Data, information visualization, and innovations in governance and development will present their ideas of how Open Government Data can help transform Moldova.
