USAID steps forward on aid transparency | Brookings Institution

"With considerable discussion and side events expected next week at the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the importance of transparency and open data, it is worth noting recent improvement within our own government that strengthens our voice on data transparency.  USAID, the principal U.S. development agency, while more accustomed to using data than most U.S. foreign affairs agencies, has been unexpectedly slow on the uptake on data transparency. But uptake has now occurred.  In June, the acting administrator of USAID, Ambassador Alfonso Lenhardt, approved the first three phases of a four phase plan to improve USAID’s commitment to publishing data to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), and the plan was made public—score two goals for transparency!  Further evidence of USAID taking aid transparency seriously is an excellent blog by senior AID officials Alex Their (assistant to the administrator for policy, program, and learning) and Angelique Crumbly (assistant administrator for management), highlighting the value of transparency and USAID’s commitment to being a leader on aid transparency.  The small team that produced the plan over a number of months is to be commended for developing a detailed, realistic plan that will significantly advance USAID’s compliance withthe open data standards of IATI ..."