[open-development] Big steps forward in the US

Fri Dec 17 12:54:25 UTC 2010

Dear Karin,

Thanks for sharing this; an important step indeed.

If you missed it, check out PWYF's blog post on this here:

http://www.publishwhatyoufund.org/news/2010/12/us-launches-foreign-assistanc
e-dashboard/

In particular the "Christmas wish list" for version 2.0 of the dashboard:

---

* Build in data comparability to other donors, but particularly to recipient
country systems so taxpayers in both donor and recipient countries can see
the impact of their efforts in relation to others.

* Clarify who gives and who gets what: separating out activities from USAID
and State Department in the short term as well as the other agencies as they
are added

* Let¹s get the data to project level and disbursement across agencies

* Support others to use the data  don¹t try and make the dashboard the only
way to explore the data, but democratise it by supporting and encourage
others to build websites, dashboards and ways of exploring the information.

---

These are important points. I hope/expect the project-level data
comparability will evolve through engagement with IATI. I'm particularly
keen to see user and community support for using this data. I  worry that
open data contests and hackdays are often seen as the only show in town.

I'm keen to hear about ideas this group has for supporting and "encouraging
others to build websites, dashboards and ways of exploring the information."

With kind regards,

Tariq   

On 17/12/2010 12:29, "Karin Christiansen"
<karin.christiansen at publishwhatyoufund.org> wrote:

> Dear Open Development members,
> 
> There have been two significant steps forward in the U.S. this week that
> affect aid transparency and access to information.
> 
> The long-awaited Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review was published on
> Wednesday 15th. In a major step, aid transparency has been promoted to one of
> the 6 key Foreign Assistance Effectiveness Principles. The role of
> transparency and technology to enhance accountability, ownership and results
> are key themes running through the document. We look forward to the report¹s
> implementation.
> 
> And yesterday, the U.S. Government launched the new Foreign Assistance
> Dashboard. This new website is a tool to disclose, visualize and allow people
> to explore U.S. aid information. It responds to the principles of the Paris
> Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, steps agreed in the Accra Agenda for Action
> and President Obama¹s Open Government Initiative focusing on making government
> transparent, participatory and collaborative.
> 
> The most important and exciting thing about the site is that it is the
> beginning of more and better things to come. This is the first output of an
> important interagency transparency process working to develop a common
> framework and publish aid information, documents and data across all of the
> agencies providing foreign assistance.
> 
> Best wishes,
> 
> Karin

Tariq Khokhar
Technology Innovation Analyst

Mob:  +44 (0) 7896 442055
Skype: tariq.khokhar
Email: tariq.khokhar at devinit.org

Development Initiatives, Keward Court, Keward Business Park, Jocelyn Drive,
Wells, Somerset, BA5 1DB, UK
Tel:  +44 (0) 1749 671343 (switchboard)
Fax:  +44 (0) 1749 676721
devinit.org | globalhumanitarianassistance.org | aidinfo.org