9 February 2015: The success of plans to end poverty and avert the worst impacts of climate change “will depend on accountable and transparent governments that engage people in decisions affecting them,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his opening remarks at the 2015 Government Summit. Ban called for a new model of global governance “that is ready for the future, accountable, transparent, inclusive and participatory.”

Addressing the summit taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on 9-11 February 2015, Ban stressed that “trusted institutions that deliver for people equally,” are critical in stability, and leaders should promote greater accountability, democracy and transparency, and cooperate with civil society groups in designing solutions to development challenges and making policies. Ban said the UN is working to ensure accountability and transparency to better serve governments and people and ensure it is positioned to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ban said the 2015 conferences on Financing for Development (FfD), the post-2015 development agenda and climate change offer governments an opportunity “to make ambitious plans for a more sustainable future.”

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) organized a pre-Summit meeting on open, innovative government, including the use of open data in the public sector. [UN Press Release] [Summit Press Release] [Summit Website]