Politics

Obama to UN: Bring commitments to transparency, fight corruption and leverage technology

By Paul Blumenthal

President Obama is speaking to the General Assembly of the United Nations right now. He spoke out on the need to increase transparency and use technologies to increase democratic participation. Here’s the relevant quote–full text here:

Each of these countries gives life to democratic principles in their own way. And even as some governments roll back reform, we also celebrate the courage of a President in Colombia who willingly steps aside, or the promise of a new Constitution in Kenya. The common thread of progress is the principle that government is accountable to its citizens. The diversity in this room makes clear – no one country has all the answers, but all of us must answer to our own people. In all parts of the world, we see the promise of innovation to make government more open and accountable. Now, we must build on that progress. And when we gather back here next year, we should bring specific commitments to promote transparency; to fight corruption; to energize civic engagement; and to leverage new technologies so that we strengthen the foundation of freedom in our own countries, while living up to ideals that can light the world.

(Emphasis mine.)

Full post as published by Sunlight Foundation on September 23, 2010 (boomark / email).