TAI Weekly

TAI Weekly|Ending the Era of Kleptocratic Abuse

By TAI (Role at TAI)
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TAI Weekly

WHAT'S NEW? 

The recent election victory of Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Dissanayake underscores citizens' hopes for better governance. "This vote was against corruption and mismanagement. People see transparency and efficiency in him when it comes to governance," said one local interviewee.

A new report explores how global citizen deliberation can shape the future of artificial intelligence, particularly through the concept of a global citizens’ assembly. Tim Davies illustrates a variety of opportunities to bring the voices of those affected by AI development and deployment into decision-making spaces.

One of the more exciting launches last week was that of the Global Citizens’ Assembly for People and Planet. Laurence Tubiana and Ana Toni make the case for the assembly to task “ordinary people” with shaping a shared vision of the future. 

The International Fund for Public Interest Media launched “A Moment of Truth: Securing the Survival of Independent Journalism,” a public campaign aiming to raise $150 million for this critical cause.

The MIT GOV/LAB team dive into what advances in AI mean for democracy, governance, and trust between citizens and government. Drawing from experiences in the Global South, they share examples of AI performance close to or better than that of humans on a range of cognitive tasks. Are we now in uncharted waters? 

The Foundation for a Just Society discusses the critical role of democracy philanthropy in fostering accountability and transparency in governance, highlighting the need for sustained support in democratic initiatives. 

For International Right to Know Day, the Centre for Law and Democracy released its Principles on the Right to Information for Small Island Developing States, highlighting the importance of access to information as a human right. 

Matt Collin outlines how UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy can fulfill his promise of taking illicit finance more seriously in two immediate steps increasing data transparency. 

Aiwei Feng, Shristi Joshi, and Quinn McGannon present a new report analyzing the imbalanced tax treaties of developing countries. Authors draw insights from the Tax Treaties Explorer Database. 

David Farhat and Eman Cuyl get into the weeds of cross-border taxation, urging multinational companies to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into their transfer pricing policies. 

People Powered interview the Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, based in Bengaluru, India, on positive results of their focus on citizen participation in shaping urban governance.

IN OUR OWN WORDS

TAI recently participated in the 7th International Colloquium on Traditional Peoples and Communities in Brazil, helping demystify how international philanthropy works. TAI Deputy Director Eszter Filippinyi shares her key takeaways in a two-part blog series. The first focuses on building trusted relationships based on mutual transparency and accountability. Stay tuned for the second one. 

FROM OUR MEMBERS 

FORD FOUNDATION: The discussion surrounding a just energy transition cannot solely focus on environmental concerns; it must also prioritize economic justice for communities, sustainable development, and innovative financial models for the future. Maryati Abdullah, highlights how an innovative investment agreement is aiding Indonesia in facilitating a holistic transition. 

OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATION: Chukwuemeka B. Eze, Director of Democratic Resilience in Africa, shares insights on emerging opportunities for strengthening democratic resilience across the continent. His reflections emphasize the importance of fostering democratic values and practices in an increasingly complex political landscape. 

LUMINATE & MACARTHUR: In the first episode of "Talk To Me Direct" sponsored by Luminate,  TAI steering committee member Dr. Amina Salihu discusses critical issues related to democratic engagement and resilience. Hear valuable perspectives on the role of civil society in shaping democratic processes.

ESSENTIAL WATCHING!

Aidan Eyakuze of Twaweza (and Open Government Partnership Board Member) interviews President Ruto of Kenya on issues including expectations of transparency and trust between government and citizens. A welcome chance to ask direct questions after the deadly tax protests earlier this year.

TOOLS AND TRENDS FOR FUNDERS 

Jean Scrimgeour from Accountability Lab offers potential solutions for addressing the (unfunded) accountability needs of civil society organizations (CSOs) as part of the localization agenda. 

Zoë Fowler and Brendan Bo O'Connor emphasize the importance of collaboratively imagining a shared future as a means to strengthen connections in the present. TThey argue that co-creating possibilities with others is a vital first step toward realizing a better future, and that by engaging in this co-creation, funders can foster deeper relationships and enhance their impact. 

The Crisis Coordination Playbook, part of the Better Preparedness: Funding Resilience initiative hosted by the Human Rights Funders Network (HRFN) and the Peace and Security Funders Group (PSFG), is now available. This essential resource responds to the urgent need for innovative approaches to funding civil society under threat. 

Join an important LinkedIn conversation sparked by Amol Mehra from the Laudes Foundation about the current state of human rights funding, (there are direct parallels to challenges facing accountability and governance funding.)

ESSENTIAL READING!

TAI and the Basel Institute of Governancecohosted a roundtable discussion on emerging corruption risks in the sector and their implications for a just transition. The event was framed around findings from a Basel Institute working paper produced by Mark Robinson, Executive Director of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Maja de Vibe, SVP Sustainability, Governance and Compliance at Statkraft. As Helen Clark (EITI Chair and OGP Global Ambasador) noted a desire not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to learn from the experiences of the oil, gas and mining sectors in tackling very similar corruption and governance risks in renewables.

FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK:

Countering abuses of kleptocratic networks

The nightmare situation in Sudan serves as a stark reminder of how foreign malign influence and systemic corruption can exacerbate crises, further destabilizing an already fragile nation. As the conflict unfolds, Andrea Currie-Edwards argues it is increasingly clear that addressing corruption is not just a matter of local governance but also a crucial element in international relations and humanitarian efforts. 

Joe Foti and Corina Rebegea detail  innovative methods for screening investments for kleptocracy risks at the local level. This new thinking is essential for ensuring that funding does not inadvertently support corrupt practices. By implementing robust screening mechanisms, investors can better align their financial strategies with ethical governance and sustainable practices. 

A recent USAID-funded report by CEPPS/IRI/CIPE highlights successful collective action approaches against kleptocracy, offering a comprehensive examination based on interviews, expert analysis, and seven case studies from countries including Armenia, Guatemala, Malaysia, Moldova, Romania, Thailand, and Ukraine. This report showcases diverse strategies that communities can adopt to combat corruption effectively, shedding light on the power of collective resilience.

In a positive development, USAID has announced the winners of its Doing Business with Integrity challenge cohort, which recognizes innovative approaches to countering corruption. This initiative highlights the importance of fostering integrity in business practices as a foundational step toward more transparent governance. Learn more about the winners and their innovative approaches.

JOBS

CALLS

  • JournalismAI Innovation Challenge (supported by Google News Initiative) is open! Apply for up to $250,000 to develop AI-powered journalism solutions. Deadline: Oct 10.

  • Need help launching or enhancing a participatory program? Apply for expert mentoring support from People Powered!

  • Join a reverse Call for Proposals under Re-imagining the INGO (RINGO) to rebalance power in civil society. Partner with local organizations in Zambia to prioritize and support community-led initiatives! 11 October 2024

  • Call for Applications – IAFFE Feminist Economics School 2025. Deadline for applications: 28 October 2024.

  • Have ideas on data sharing & transparency in energy transition impact assessments? Submit an abstract for IAIA 2025! Deadline 31 October 2024.

  • Call for short stories: Submit stories that offer accurate depictions of surveillance tech for a new toolkit. Five will be published, and one author will win a trip to RightsCon 2025 in Taipei. Deadline November 21, 2024

  • "Shifting Cultural Perceptions grant" - Friends Provident Foundation.

  • OECD Anti-Corruption Research Challenge. Call for submissions: new evidence to strengthen anti-corruption and public integrity systems. Deadline: 5 Jan 2025

CALENDAR

We’d love to hear from you on how we can further improve TAI Weekly to better serve your needs in program management on the transparency, accountability, improved grantmaking and civic space. Please direct your feedback to [email protected] or

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