{"id":33448,"date":"2013-10-31T09:19:05","date_gmt":"2013-10-31T09:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=b44054052865c19fcd3cec5a92cf3c66"},"modified":"2013-10-31T09:19:05","modified_gmt":"2013-10-31T09:19:05","slug":"speech-pm-speech-at-open-government-partnership-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=33448","title":{"rendered":"Speech: PM speech at Open Government Partnership 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

It\u2019s great to be here this morning.<\/p>\n

The Open Government Partnership is helping drive a transparency revolution around the world\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and I\u2019m enormously proud that Britain has been at the heart of it since its foundation\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026pushed along every step of the way of course by Francis who you\u2019ve just heard from. <\/p>\n

Now, people sometimes say that open government is quite an abstract topic \u2013 something for academics and think tanks. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s good to do – but really, where\u2019s the urgency, where\u2019s the relevance?
\nSo today I want to explain why I believe all of this is so important. <\/p>\n

Why open government isn\u2019t some kind of optional add-on or a \u201cnice to have\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026but why it is absolutely fundamental to a nation\u2019s success in the 21st Century. <\/p>\n

About why – in the global race we\u2019re in today \u2013 it is a vital part of any country\u2019s plan for prosperity. <\/p>\n

Economic success \u2013 open institutions<\/h2>\n

To make this argument at its starkest though we can\u2019t begin in this room.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got to travel 5,500 miles around the world to the 38th parallel on the Korean peninsula. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s currently early evening there \u2013 and picture the scene as the sun goes down. <\/p>\n

Look one way and you see South Korea \u2013 whose President I\u2019m delighted to be welcoming next week.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a beacon of light, literally and metaphorically\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026the 4th largest economy in Asia, its teenagers second in the world for reading\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026a hub for global business, average life expectancy 81. <\/p>\n

And then turn the other way and look into its Northern neighbour: dark as far as you can see\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026living standards among the lowest in the world, disease rife\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026almost a quarter of its children severely malnourished, and an average life expectancy almost fifteen years lower.<\/p>\n

Two countries, side by side, who couldn\u2019t be further apart today.<\/p>\n

And we know why this difference exists.<\/p>\n

One is an open, vibrant market economy \u2013 and that is underpinned by an open, vibrant successful democracy\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026a place where people have a say in the future of their nation.<\/p>\n

The other of course is a closed, backward economy \u2013 and that is underpinned by a closed, corrupt, secretive dictatorship\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026decisions taken behind closed doors – mostly by the grandsons of those who were taking them seventy years ago.<\/p>\n

It was Amartya Sen who wrote of the remarkable empirical connection between political freedoms and economic prosperity. <\/p>\n

And, more recently, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson have argued that open political institutions are critical to whether nations succeed or fail.
\nAnd they\u2019re right. <\/p>\n

Look at the difference between Equatorial Guinea and Botswana \u2013 both blessed with bountiful, precious natural resources. <\/p>\n

For years, payments for Botswana\u2019s diamonds have been managed by transparent institutions \u2013 and that wealth has been shared with the nation. <\/p>\n

Whereas for decades, Equatorial Guinea has seen its mineral wealth siphoned off by a corrupt elite \u2013 all under a veil of secrecy. <\/p>\n

A few people have got rich, but the majority have stayed gut-wrenchingly poor\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026a tragic result of broken institutions and a closed, secretive government. <\/p>\n

The truth is this \u2013 closed governments breed poverty.<\/p>\n

Look at Cuba and look at the United States \u2013 which way do the boats go? <\/p>\n

Look at Zimbabwe and South Africa – people crawling on their hands and knees to go from one to the other. <\/p>\n

Look at the people who so tragically have lost their lives crossing from the tip of Africa to Europe. <\/p>\n

For years I\u2019ve argued there is a golden thread of conditions which allows countries to thrive\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026the rule of law, the absence of conflict and corruption, the presence of strong property rights and institutions. <\/p>\n

And an open government should be woven deep into the heart of this thread. <\/p>\n

There are those who say a nation\u2019s prosperity is determined by its geography, its climate, its religion. <\/p>\n

I say: nonsense.
\nAs the two Koreas show, as all these examples show, countries rise and fall depending on the economic system they adopt. <\/p>\n

And an open inclusive economic system, backed by open, inclusive political institutions\u2026 <\/p>\n

\u2026.is the best guarantor of success. <\/p>\n

The connection between the economic and political systems of a nation can be absolutely crucial.<\/p>\n

Of course there are market economies in closed political systems. <\/p>\n

But the best way to ensure an economy delivers long term success for all its people\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026is to have it overseen by political institutions in which everyone can share.<\/p>\n

Where governments are the servants of the people, not the masters\u2026 <\/p>\n

\u2026where close tabs are kept on the powerful\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and where the powerful are forced to act in the interests of the people, not a narrow clique.<\/p>\n

This is why the transparency agenda is so important. <\/p>\n

In Britain we know this is true from our own history. <\/p>\n

We weren\u2019t the world\u2019s first industrial power just because of the coal and the iron ore beneath our soil. <\/p>\n

It was because we had secure property rights, relatively open and flexible markets for labour and capital\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and a system in which innovation, investment and enterprise could thrive. <\/p>\n

And \u2013 crucially – this was then all underpinned by relative political stability and the beginnings of a parliamentary democracy.<\/p>\n

We had closed the door on feudal economics and built political institutions that were capable of sharing power. <\/p>\n

Of course we must accept that one size will never fit all \u2013 and that different countries face different circumstances and challenges. <\/p>\n

But the fundamental principle still remains: open governments \u2013 backing open economies – make for successful nations.<\/p>\n

What should we do about it?<\/h2>\n

So that\u2019s the argument.<\/p>\n

And the question facing us at this summit is what should we do about it?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a question for all of us \u2013 leaders, politicians, businesses, civil society and transparency activists. <\/p>\n

And in the time I\u2019ve got left I want to tell you the four big things I believe we\u2019ve got to do. <\/p>\n

Making the argument<\/h2>\n

First, we\u2019ve got to go out there and really make the argument for open government. <\/p>\n

We can\u2019t just sit there and assume there is some great, inexorable trend towards political freedom. <\/p>\n

History isn\u2019t written for us. It is written by us. <\/p>\n

When people tell us that this is all self satisfied lecturing and pie-in the sky nation building\u2026
\n\u2026we\u2019ve got to say no, it\u2019s people who are demanding open government – from anti-corruption campaigners in India to the popular uprisings in the Arab world. <\/p>\n

When people say that pushing this agenda is an alternative to giving aid\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026we\u2019ve got to say no \u2013 we\u2019ve got to do both – aid and open government can and should reinforce each other. <\/p>\n

And when people say look at all those successful examples of authoritarian capitalism around the world\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026we\u2019ve got to say no\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026let\u2019s have the confidence and the guts to say that democracy, property rights, equality before the law and a proper rule of law will win the day in the end. <\/p>\n

Together we\u2019ve got to make open, inclusive institutions the international norm. <\/p>\n

As the Millennium Development Goals come to be replaced, open government must be at the heart of our efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. <\/p>\n

Things like health, education, nutrition – they\u2019re all absolutely vital. And so is open government.<\/p>\n

The recent High Level Panel on development\u2013 which I co-chaired with the Presidents of Indonesia and Liberia \u2013 made this very clear\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026we proposed concrete goals on the rule of law, property rights, free speech and media\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026open political choice, access to justice – and tackling corruption. <\/p>\n

And as the UN Secretary General himself has said\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026\u201cpeace and stability, human rights and effective governance based on the rule of law and transparent institutions are outcomes and enablers of development.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now we\u2019ve got to press ahead and make sure we get these kinds of goals embraced by the international community. <\/p>\n

Translating words into deeds<\/h2>\n

So that\u2019s the first thing we\u2019ve got to do.<\/p>\n

Second, we\u2019ve got to translate words into deeds. We can\u2019t just talk about open government \u2013 we\u2019ve got to deliver.<\/p>\n

During Britain\u2019s presidency of the G8 this year we promised a big push on transparency \u2013 in payments for natural resources, in open data, in property rights. <\/p>\n

We got world leaders to sign up to a Declaration which – in clear, plain language – commits us to action in all of these areas. <\/p>\n

Not least property rights. <\/p>\n

This is an area where we shouldn\u2019t be nervous about pushing our agenda.<\/p>\n

As a country you can\u2019t \u2018do\u2019 open institutions without \u2018doing\u2019 property rights as well.<\/p>\n

They are hugely important \u2013 the very bridge between open institutions and economic prosperity. <\/p>\n

Only if people know that their wealth won\u2019t be stolen away by corrupt officials \u2013 or anyone else \u2013 will they actually press ahead and create that wealth. <\/p>\n

So this year at the G8 we agreed to help on the ground. <\/p>\n

The G8 countries are going to work with developing nations to strengthen their land policies and institutions\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and this is going to mean that people have clear rights to the land they live, farm and work on. <\/p>\n

Britain\u2019s going to work specifically with the Tanzanian government\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026creating a new Land Tenure Unit setting out who owns what across the country. <\/p>\n

And I want to pay tribute to President Kikwete of Tanzania who\u2019s here today for all he\u2019s doing to make this project a success. <\/p>\n

Practising what we preach<\/h2>\n

So that\u2019s the second thing \u2013 words into deeds. Third, in developed countries we\u2019ve got to practice what we preach. <\/p>\n

When we talk about transparency elsewhere, we\u2019ve got to show it at home too.<\/p>\n

Over the past three and a half years the Government I lead has been unprecedented in the information we\u2019ve released.<\/p>\n

You can now map the crime on your streets, the standards in your schools and the performance of your hospitals. <\/p>\n

You can see the businesses and people who the government meets with\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026the names and roles of senior civil servants\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026not to mention the pay of many of our top officials. <\/p>\n

And I want us to go even further. So throughout this conference you\u2019ll hear a raft of new commitments \u2013 not least on the NHS.<\/p>\n

But this transparency needs to extend beyond the public sector \u2013 and into the private sector too. <\/p>\n

We need to know who really owns and controls our companies. <\/p>\n

Not just who owns them legally, but who really benefits financially from their existence. <\/p>\n

For too long a small minority have hidden their business dealings behind a complicated web of shell companies\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and this cloak of secrecy has fuelled all manners of questionable practice – and downright illegality.<\/p>\n

Illegality that is bad for the developing world \u2013 as corrupt regimes stash their money abroad under different identities. <\/p>\n

And illegality that is bad for Britain\u2019s economy too \u2013 as people evade their taxes through untraceable trails of paperwork.<\/p>\n

Not only is this hugely unfair to the millions of hardworking people in Britain who pay their tax\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026 it\u2019s also bad for business. <\/p>\n

To keep corporate taxes low, you\u2019ve got to keep corporate taxes coming in. <\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve put it, no tax base \u2013 no low tax case. <\/p>\n

So that\u2019s why we need to shine a spotlight on who owns what and where money is really flowing. <\/p>\n

This summer at the G8 we committed to do just that \u2013 to establish a central register of company beneficial ownership. <\/p>\n

And today I\u2019m delighted to announce that not only is that register going to go ahead – but that it\u2019s also going to be open to the public.<\/p>\n

Some people will question whether it\u2019s right to make this register public.<\/p>\n

Surely we could get the same effect just by compiling the information and using it within government?<\/p>\n

Now, of course we in government will use this data to pursue those who break the rules. And we\u2019re going to do it relentlessly.
\nBut there are so many wider benefits to making this information available to everyone.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s better for businesses here \u2013 who will be able to better identify who really owns the companies they\u2019re trading with. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s better for developing countries \u2013 who will have easy access to all this data, without submitting endless requests for each line of enquiry.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s better for us all to have an open system which everyone has access to \u2013 the more eyes that look at this information, the more accurate it will be. <\/p>\n

This is a complete world first on transparency and I\u2019m proud Britain is leading the way.<\/p>\n

And today I call on the rest of the world to join us in this journey. <\/p>\n

Together we can make an even bigger difference. <\/p>\n

And together we can close the door on these shadowy, corrupt, illegal practices once and for all. <\/p>\n

Supporting transparency groups<\/h2>\n

Making the argument. Words into deeds. Practicing what we preach. Things that we\u2019ve got to do. <\/p>\n

And there\u2019s one more thing. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got to give our full-throated support for groups that promote transparency \u2013 not least the Open Government Partnership. <\/p>\n

This is a truly exciting institution. <\/p>\n

Rather than getting bogged down in endless communiqu\u00e9s, the OGP is all about concrete reform. <\/p>\n

Look around this room – 61 members and over 1,000 specific commitments between us in just two years.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got the Liberian government here who have pioneered citizen budgets, giving people a greater say on how their money is spent.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got representatives from the Philippines who are letting the public audit major government projects. <\/p>\n

And we\u2019ve got people here from Brazil and Croatia, who have introduced their first freedom of information laws. <\/p>\n

These are huge, practical steps. <\/p>\n

And I\u2019m pleased to welcome this morning Vice-President Boediono of Indonesia\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and Rakesh Rajani of Twaweza\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026who are taking over as the organisation\u2019s lead co-chairs. <\/p>\n

Rest assured you can count on Britain\u2019s full support in the battles ahead. <\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

I want to finish by saying this. <\/p>\n

None of what I\u2019ve outlined today is easy for politicians. <\/p>\n

Transparency brings risks \u2013 indeed we often find that out here on a day to day basis. <\/p>\n

But it is absolutely critical. <\/p>\n

Time and again history has shown that us open governments make for successful nations. <\/p>\n

From the children across Africa who depend on it, to the pensioners in this country who rely on it \u2013 it matters. <\/p>\n

So let\u2019s keep the momentum up, keep going\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026and when history comes to be written make sure that we weren\u2019t found wanting. <\/p>\n

Thank you very much. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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