A coalition of more than forty civil society groups from twenty countries around the world today launched a campaign Make Aid Transparent, which calls on governments and other aid donors to publish more and better information about the money they give.
At the centre of the campaign, whose members include Transparency International, the anti-corruption organisation, and eighteen groups from developing countries, is a petition aimed at donor governments to make their aid more transparent.
“Providing more and better information about aid isn’t hard, and it will help save lives, reduce corruption and waste and deliver lasting positive change in the world’s poorest countries,” the petition reads.
Alongside the petition, which will be hosted at http://www.makeaidtransparent.org/ and on a number of participating organisation’s websites, is an animation that explains why aid transparency is important.
“Donors must act now to let us know what they are spending and where. They pledged three years ago to open up their books and yet only a few are doing it. This information benefits everyone – the donors, their taxpayers and the people in the country they are helping. There is no excuse for stalling on aid transparency,” said Craig Fagan, Senior Policy Coordinator, Transparency International.
The campaign goes live online today and there will be a physical launch at the Tea Time for Change event in London on June 9 where the animation will be screened and visitors will have the chance to sign the petition.
The first petition handover is envisaged for early July in Paris, at a meeting of aid donors hosted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Other activities and actions will take place through the year, with the campaign culminating at the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea from November 29 – December 1.