Palestinian Delegation Visits Jordan to Learn From Access-to-Information Practices

Amman: Chairperson of the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (IACC) Hazem Majali received on Sunday a Palestinian delegation visiting Jordan to participate in a capacity-building program organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to support the drafting of a law on the right to access information in the State of Palestine.

According to Jordan News Agency, during the meeting, Majali highlighted the strong cooperation between Jordan and Palestine, underlining the commission's keenness to continue coordination and exchange expertise in areas of mutual interest. He stressed the commission's readiness to support efforts that contribute to enhancing integrity, transparency, and good governance.

Jamal Qash, vice president of the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission, praised the IACC's prominent role at the Arab and international levels. He highlighted the commission's institutional development and accumulated expertise, expressing hope for further cooperation and partnership to strengthen joint efforts in the fields of integrity, transparency, and combating corruption.

During the meeting, officials of the IACC presented the commission's mechanisms for promoting integrity and transparency, as well as its role in supporting the right-to-information framework through projects and initiatives implemented within its mandate. The officials also briefed the delegation on the commission's experience in launching the National Integrity Index, which includes criteria to measure the extent to which public institutions comply with transparency, disclosure, and access-to-information requirements, contributing to improved institutional performance and the consolidation of good governance principles.

The visit is part of the OECD efforts to support the development of the legislative and institutional framework for the right to access information in the State of Palestine, while facilitating the exchange of expertise and benefiting from Jordan's experience in line with international standards and best practices. During its visit to Jordan, the delegation also toured the Information Council at the National Library Department and the Government Performance and Achievement Monitoring Unit at the Prime Ministry. It was further briefed on Jordan's experience with the Open Government Partnership, an international initiative aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and public participation.