In accordance with the Open Government Initiative National Action Plan for 2016-2018, the Council of State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations under the Auspices of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Friday held a constituent assembly of the Government-Civil Society Dialogue Platform on Open Government Initiative.

The assembly was attended by representatives of state agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Addressing the event, Chairman of the Council of State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations Azay Guliyev said that the initiative to create this platform is of great importance for the society.

Dialogue and cooperation are always useful for society, and many issues can be solved through dialogue, according to Guliyev.

He noted that platform activities are aimed at obtaining information, cooperating with the government and parliament in fiscal transparency, making recommendations on reforms being conducted by the government on these issues, monitoring the implementation of the government’s action plan in the framework of the Open Government Partnership Initiative, representing Azerbaijan’s civil society in the Open Government Partnership Initiative, cooperating with state agencies, local civil society institutions and international organizations, private sector representatives and promoting e-government.

Every citizen, parliamentary and government representatives supporting this initiative can be a member of the platform, Guliyev said, adding that the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASAN Xidmet), the Anti-Corruption Department under Prosecutor General, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Taxes, the Ministry of Finance will be partners of the platform.

The platform will open a new phase in cooperation between the government and NGOs, he stressed.

In his speech, Chairman of Azerbaijani Parliament‘s Committee on legal policy and state-building Ali Huseynli noted the importance of such a platform in the new economic conditions in the country.

He mentioned that dialogue between the government and civil society is reflected in the National Action Plan.

“Representatives of ministries and state agencies are attending this event on behalf of their leadership to create a new format of cooperation,” said Huseynli said. “The parliament adopts laws on economic reforms, but we don’t have efficient cooperation with civil society in this regard. Thus, by signing this memorandum today, we will undertake responsibility in this field.”

Coordinator of the International Organization of the Open Government Partnership for Azerbaijan Vusal Huseynov, in his speech, underlined the importance of the creation of such a platform.

Following the speeches, the participants signed a memorandum on the creation of the Government-Civil Society Dialogue Platform on Open Government Initiative.