Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 09/2014

National Accountability Strategies for Developing Countries

January 2006

The National Academy of Public Administration

Abstract

The National Planning Department (NPD), Office of the President, Republic of Colombia, contacted the Academy seeking technical assistance in crafting a national accountability strategy for Colombia under President álvaro Uribe.

The Academy worked with NPD on the strategy being tested in Colombia as 2005. This paper is a review of the issues prepared for NPD. The first of the paper’s two sections outlines a conceptual framework for the development of an accountability initiative, including standards against which to test potential benefits and likely successes. The second section highlights and briefly assesses some of the more relevant recent international experiences in this area. The findings are relevant to governments around the world considering or implementing initiatives to become more accountable to their citizens.