Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena and MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam represented Sri Lanka at a special international conference held in Bangkok, Thailand, aimed at promoting open governance, transparency, and accountability.
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) Regional Learning Exchange Roundtable, organized by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) of the United Kingdom, took place on 10 March 2026. The event brought together senior policymakers and representatives from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives, and Thailand.
During the discussions, attention was given to reviving Sri Lanka’s engagement with the Open Government Partnership, as the country has remained inactive in the process for some time. Participants also explored a roadmap for developing a National Action Plan to strengthen open governance practices.
The roundtable further provided an opportunity for participating countries to share experiences on the achievements and challenges of implementing open governance reforms. Discussions emphasized the importance of strong political leadership and practical implementation to ensure that such reforms deliver tangible benefits to the public rather than remaining as policy commitments on paper.
Among those who took part in the discussions were MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, OGP Asia Pacific Regional Head Swati Mehta, and representatives from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
