Mini booklet

T IGO 2013

TAIGO Days 2013 10, 11 and 12 December 2013 in YaoundĂŠ

A 3-Day Forum on Transparency-Access to Information & Open Governance Theme: Opening Cameroon: Building an Ecosystem for Transparent Transparency

DESCRIPTION & JUSTIFICATION The TAIGO Days are a 3-day Forum on Transparency, Access to Information and Open Governance in Cameroon, during which various actors from public administrations and private organs fulfilling public service missions on the one hand, and citizens and public service users on the other hand, meet for mutual learning and unserstanding, with the view to fostering a culture of participation in the management of public affairs, accountability and effeciency of public service, towards effective economic and social development.

Theme The theme of the 2013 session is « Opening Cameroon : towards a transparent transparency ecosystem ».

Context From the premise that transparency alone is not enough to ensure accountability necessary for the full exercise of democracy and development in society, the TAIGO Days 2013 are developed within a national and international context marked by:

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The absence of interaction between organs in charge of public service and users

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The increase in the number of African countries that have adopted general laws on access to information

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A national media environment marked by an abundance of medias with resources too to allow them to play the role of 4th estate.

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A notable inaccessibility to technology for the majority of Cameroonians

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The growing role of technology in the creation of solutions for the development of a more open society worldwide

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Opportunities offered by initiatives promoting opening of governments such as open data and the Open Government Partnership (OGP)

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OBJECTIVES The TAIGO Days seek to:

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Provide the Cameroonian public with a space for the exercise of their right of access to information and participation in the management of public affairs Provide citizens with a space to convey their requests pertaining to the functioning of public service Provide holders of public information and users’ rights defenders with the opportunity to

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interact and exchange with public service users through thematic debates, exhibitions and role-plays

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Introduce the public to the questions of open data and open knowledge Introduce to the Cameroonian government and public opportunities and limitations of participation in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Showcase the possible role of technology in the realisation of transparency in the management of public affairs in Cameroon Awards: reward actions from citizens, civil society organisations and the media, that have

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promoted transparency, freedom of information and open government during the year 2013.

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FORMAT & THEMES

The Forum is organized through thematic panels and exhibits to allow participants debate, discuss and test tech and traditional solutions for direct participation in the management of public affairs and governance. A diner will close the Forum, in honor of the winners of the TAIGO Awards for Transparency, Access to Information and Open Government.

Panel : Open Government Parternship: Introduction -

Objectives, criteria, state of participation Opportunities & limitations for Cameroon

Moderating Speakers -British High Commission in Cameroon (TBC)

Invited Speakers - Office of Prime Minister - Presidency of the Republic - Civil Society

“We know that as of 2012, there were 300 million fewer women with mobile phones than there were men. So although information is out, we need to make sure that it’s shared equally and evenly… As technology moves on, we need to make sure that everybody has access to it.”

Ms Justine Greening, British International Development Secretary

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Panel : Freedom of Information : what access to information in Cameroon -

Is the Public service accessible in Cameroon : the question of reception Availability of public information in Cameroon : government websites in question Reliance & classification of information : legal information and archives Environmental and Natural Resources information Electoral information Private organs fulfilling public service missions : water and electricity case studies

Invited Speakers -

Moderating Speakers - Citizens Governance Initiatives - Réseau de Lutte contre la Faim (RELUFA) - SidLab (Ushaidi)

Panel : -

ELECAM - MINFOPRA MINMIDT Official Gazette Directory ANTIC Archives Directorate AES-SONEL - MINEPDED CDE - MINEE Civil Society

Open Data & Open Knowledge

Introduction to Open Data Actors for the Creation and Opening of Data Open Data & Business: Opportunities for Cameroon FEOWL Project (Open Data & Access to electricity) Open Data & Open Budget Panélistes Invités

Moderating Speakers - Open Knowledge Foundation France - SidLab - Projet FEOWL

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Institut National de la Statistique Ecam Gicam Tech Community

Panel : Technology Ecosystem for Transparent transparency: an Overview – -

Tech actors for transparency: developers – Programmers – Tech Training Tech Tools for Transparency: Cost of IT Equipment Environment & Access to Technology: Cost of access to internet and Telecoms Regulation of Internet Content Open Data & budget participatif Invited Speakers -

Moderating Speakers - SidLab - Internet Sans Frontières

Cameroon Customs Directorate Ministry of Finances IT Equipment Dealers/Importers Agence de Régulation des Télécom (ART) MINPOSTEL MINCOM Civil Society

Panel : What Role for the Media in the Development of an Open Cameroon - The Media Landscape in Cameroon: a brief Overview - a brief Overview - are Wikileaks, Snowden & Greenwald possible/wishable in Cameroon - Journalism in the Age of Technology: Can Cameroonian Media Adapt / survive ?

Invited Speakers

Moderating Speakers - UPF

- British High-Commission in Cameroon - Journalists associations - Civil Society

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PRACTICAL GUIDELINES & PROFILES -

Working languages will be English and French

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Participants will be responsible for their transportation and accommodation if necessary

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Access into the Forum is subject to presentation of entry tickets obtained in advance (tickets can be obtained freely through online registration or from the head office of CGI’s office in Yaoundé)

Moderating Speakers -

RELUFA

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Open Knowledge Foundation France

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SidLab

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Projet FEOWL

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Internet Sans Frontières

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Union pour la Presse Francophone (UPF)

About CGI Citizens Governance Initiatives (CGI) is an association registered under Cameroonian law (Declaration N° 000135/L/J06/BAPP of 6 April 2005), which seeks to promote citizens’ participation in governance. CGI implements projects through research, popular training and legal assistance in five programme areas, namely: (1) Administrative Transparency, Access to Information and Open Government; (2) Citizenship, Constitutionalism and Constitutional Rights; (3) Access to Justice, human rights and Fundamental Freedoms; (4) Participation in the Management of Natural Resources; (5) Regional Integration and Panafricanism. CGI founds its action on domestic and international laws. At the local level, our action is based on constitutions and national laws of the countries where we work.

Contacts For more informations, please visits : www.access-cameroon.org www.citizens-governance.org To contact us : telephone : 22 01 15 68 (Ask for Emmanuel or Thierry)

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TAIGO AWARDS 2013 DINER-CEREMONY History of TAIGO Awards As part of its efforts to promote the right of access to information, and in recognition of the preponderant role of the media in the dissemination of information and the promotion of open societies, Citizens Governance Initiatives (CGI) organized a 2-day workshop on the theme of « investigative journalism » in Kribi on 10-11 September 2010. Over 20 journalists drawn from radio, print media and TV took part in the meeting.

Participants thereof recommended the organizing of an award to encourage excellence in journalism and the development of investigative journalism in Cameroon.

On 12th May 2011, on the margins of celebrations of the international press freedom Day, the ceremony to award prizes to winners of the competition titled “Transparency Awards” rewarded 3 journalists from the print media following a debate on the theme “right of access to information: a working tool for the Cameroonian journalist”.

Concerned with the need to stress the importance of the right of access to information for all citizens and public service users, CGI thereafter extended the competition to ordinary citizens who, on a daily basis, are affected by poor service delivery and limitations of the public service, notably the absence of infrastructure, bad reception and opacity in government action.

It is against this background that, in 2012, CGI’s project on freedom of information, which had become the project on « Transparency, Access to Information and Open Government » had on the same occasion renamed the Transparency Awards « TAIGO Awards » for Transparency, Access to Information and Open Government, in appreciation of the transversal and multi-stakeholders nature of freedom of information.

8 winners were thus rewarded during the Ceremony that took place at the Hilton Hotel in Yaoundé on 6th December 2012, under the patronage of Mr. David McCraw, Vice-President and Assistant-General Counsel of the New York Times Company, who had played a key role in the publication of the diplomatic cables in the Wikileaks case by the New York Times.

2011 Winners

2012 Winners

- 1st Prize - Nadège Christelle Bowa - 2nd Prize - Jean-Bruno Tagne - 3rd Prize - Pierre Celestin Atangana

2) Civil Society Award - 1st Prize: “Struggle to Economize Future Environment” (SEFE) led by Besingi Nasako

2012 Winners

1) Citizen Action Award: - 1st Prize: Vanessa Tchatchou - 2nd Prize: Sarli Sardou Nana

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3) Media: Print Media - 1st Prize - Pierre Célestin Atangana; - 2nd Prize: Irène Fernande Ekouta; - 3rd Prize : Assongmo Necdem Radio - 1st Prize : The talkshow “CRTV m’accompagne” - 2nd Prize : Radio Communautaire Mayo-Sava

“If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

Martin Luther King Jr. “The Drum Major Instinct” sermon - 4 February 1968

"Nous savons qu'en 2012, il y avait 300 million de femmes de moins que d'hommes qui n'avaient pas de telephones portables. Bien que l'information "Closed governments soit disponible, nous devons nous assurer qu'elle breed poverty". est partagée équitablement et de façon équilibrée...

A mesure que la technologie avance, nous devons nous assurer que tout le monde y a accès".

« Oui, si vous voulez dire que j'ai été un tambourmajor, dites que j'ai été un tambour-major pour la justice. Dites que j'ai été un tambour-major pour la paix. Dites que j'ai été un tambour-major pour la droiture. Et toutes les autres paroles creuses seront sans importance.»

Martin Luther King Jr, « Sermon sur l’Instinct du Tambour-Major » 4 février 1968 “We know that as of 2012, there were 300 million fewer women with mobile phones than there were men. So although is out, we need to "Lesinformation gouvernements make sure thatfermés it’s shared equallylaand evenly… As engendrent technology moves on, we need to make sure that pauvreté". everybody has access to it.”

Ms Justine Greening, British International Mme Justine Greening, Ministre Britannique du Development Secretary Développement International.

David Cameron British Prime Minister speaking at the opening of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit

www.access-cameroon.org