UK’s new aid package help governments in developing countries to stamp out corruption and improve accountability. The funding is an allocation from the Governance, Open Societies and Anti-Corruption programme budget for 2018/19.
The support, announced at the Open Government Partnership’s (OGP) Fifth Global Summit in Tbilisi, Georgia, will drive transparency reforms through locally-led National Action Plans produced by governments and civil society, with the support of expertise from OGP.
Minister of State Harriett Baldwin said, “UK aid package will help some of the world’s poorest people access easily understandable information so that they can really see how their taxes are spent, and properly hold their leaders to account. Transparency transforms people’s lives for the better by helping developing countries to collect taxes, improve public services and ensure a level playing field in which businesses can flourish.
The programme also includes up to £4.7m for a new World Bank managed Multi-Donor Trust Fund which will provide technical and financial assistance to design and implement open government reform commitments.
The UK helped to found the Open Government Partnership in 2011. It has since grown from eight to 76 participating countries.