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Open Government Partnership

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Open Government Partnership
AbbreviationOGP
FormationSeptember 20, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-09-20)
Founder Brazil

 Indonesia
 Mexico
 Norway
 The Philippines
 South Africa
 United Kingdom

 United States
Founded atNew York, United States
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., United States
Location
  • Worldwide
Membership
77 (National)
150 (Local)
CEO
Sanjay Pradhan
Staff55 (in 2020)
Websiteopengovpartnership.org

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multilateral initiative aimed at securing commitments from national and sub-national governments to promote open government, combat corruption, and improve governance. The OGP is managed by a steering committee that includes representatives from both governments and civil society organizations.

History

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The Open Government Partnership (OGP) was formally launched on September 20, 2011, on the sidelines of a UN General Assembly meeting during which heads of state from eight founding governments (Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States) endorsed the Open Government Declaration and announced their country action plans along with an equal number of civil society leaders.[1] The eight founding members also welcomed the commitment of 38 governments to join the OGP.[2] India[3] and Russia[4] had initially expressed intentions to join the partnership, but neither followed through with the process.

Six months after its start, OGP had grown from eight action plans and 46 participating countries to 50 action plans and 54 participating countries.[5] The meeting in Brasilia brought together countries and organizations united in their belief in the power of transparency, with participation from anti-censorship campaigners in Yemen to reformers using data on primary schools to improve education in India.[6]

A total of 46 members had already published action plans containing over 300 open government commitments.[7] According to the then Minister of the United Kingdom's Cabinet Office responsible for public transparency and open data, Francis Maude, Britain sought to "further secure the foundations of OGP as a globally recognized and respected international initiative…. [and to] strengthen the role of civil society organizations, encouraging greater collaboration with governments to forge more innovative and open ways of working."[7]

In 2013, OGP's thematic goals centered around citizen action and responsive government. In an era of hyperconnectivity, openness and transparency, as well as citizen participation and collaboration, are increasingly viewed as essential components of good governance.[8]

With the adoption and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by world leaders at a historic United Nations Summit, including Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 16 for the "promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies," 2015 marked a milestone for the future of development outcomes and open government.[9] In October 2015, the Government of Mexico hosted the third OGP Global Summit in Mexico City, emphasizing the theme "Openness for All: Using the Open Government Principles as Key Mechanisms to Implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda."

In early 2016, OGP launched a new pilot program designed to involve sub-national governments more proactively in the initiative.[10] Later in December 2016, the Government of France, in partnership with the World Resources Institute (WRI), hosted the fourth OGP Global Summit in the nation's capital, Paris, gathering 3000 representatives from 70 countries.[11]

In the first 10 years, OGP members created over 4,500 commitments in more than 300 action plans.[12]

Objectives

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OGP serves as a platform for reformers within and outside governments worldwide to develop initiatives that enhance transparency, empower citizens, combat corruption, and utilize new technologies to improve governance. OGP seeks to secure concrete commitments from national and sub-national governments to promote open government reform and innovation, advancing transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.[13] It is a voluntary partnership that countries choose to join, allowing civil society organizations to collaborate with governments on initiatives aligned with their reform agendas.

Open Government Declaration

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The principles of OGP are best explained by the Open Government Declaration. As outlined in the declaration, participating countries are expected to adhere to the following principles:

  • Acknowledge that people all around the world are demanding more openness in government. They are calling for greater civic participation in public affairs and seeking ways to make their governments more transparent, responsive, accountable, and effective.
  • Recognize that countries are at different stages in their efforts to promote openness in government and that each of us pursues an approach consistent with our national priorities and circumstances and the aspirations of our citizens.
  • Accept responsibility for seizing this moment to strengthen our commitments to promote transparency, fight corruption, empower citizens, and harness the power of new technologies to make government more effective and accountable.
  • Uphold the value of openness in our engagement with citizens to improve services, manage public resources, promote innovation, and create safer communities. We embrace principles of transparency and open government with a view toward achieving greater prosperity, well-being, and human dignity in our own countries and in an increasingly interconnected world.

OGP participants declare their commitment to increase the availability of information about governmental activities, support civic participation, implement the highest standards of professional integrity, and increase access to new technologies for openness and accountability.

Community of reformers

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Rather than establish a worldwide transparency ranking of countries, OGP provides support and encouragement to countries around the world as they champion ambitious new reforms and deliver on their promises "under the watchful eyes of citizens."[6] The community of reformers is meant to "offer support to those in government that are willing and to create a hook whereby the conversations among government and civil society can occur."[14] This relationship between government and civil society is the cornerstone of OGP. Governments are expected to actively collaborate with civil society when drafting and implementing country commitments, as well as when reporting on and monitoring efforts.[13] The OGP process requires the government to consult with civil society and citizens, and the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) assesses the quality of this consultation.

Funding

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Member contributions

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In May 2014, it was agreed that all participating governments were expected to contribute to OGP's budget. Contributions are based on each participating country's income level (according to World Bank data).[15] The OGP Steering Committee sets both minimum and recommended contribution levels.

Income level Minimum member contribution Recommended member contribution
Low income $10,000 $25,000
Lower middle income $25,000 $50,000
Upper middle income $50,000 $100,000
High income $100,000 $200,000

Donor organizations

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Grants made in 2015 came from Omidyar Network, the Department for International Development (Government of the United Kingdom), the Hewlett Foundation, the Open Society Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. In May 2019, the Open Society Foundation announced a potential $10,000,000 funding scheme awarded to OGP, with $1,000,000 being awarded in 2020 and an additional $4,000,000 in matching grants within three years if OGP raises $5,000,000 from other partners.[16]

Structure

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As a multi-stakeholder initiative, civil society participation is enshrined in OGP's foundational principles and management structures. Governments and civil society play an equally important role in managing the OGP through participation in the steering committee, the OGP's executive management body, as well as at the national level.[13]

Co-chairs

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Year Government Co-chair Civil Society Co-chair
2012–2013 Government of the United Kingdom Warren Krafchik, Senior Vice President, International Budget Partnership (IBP)
2013–2014 Government of Indonesia Rakesh Rajani, Head, Twaweza
2014–2015 Government of Mexico Alexandro Gonzales, Executive Director, GESOC A.C.
2015–2016 Government of South Africa Suneeta Kaimal, Chief Operating Officer, Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI)
2016–2017 Government of France Manish Bapna, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, World Resources Institute (WRI)
2017–2018 Government of Georgia Mukelani Dimba, Executive Director, Open Democracy Advice Centre (ODAC)
2018–2019 Government of Canada Nathaniel Heller, Executive Vice President, Results for Development (R4D)
2019–2020 Government of Argentina Robin Hodess, Director of Governance & Transparency, The B Team
2020–2021 Government of South Korea María Baron, Global Executive Director, Directorio Legislativo
2021–2022 Government of Italy Aidan Eyakuze, Executive Director, Twaweza
2022–2023 Government of Estonia Anabel Cruz, Founder Director, Institute for Communication and Development
2023–2024 Government of Kenya Blair Glencorse, Co-CEO, Accountability Lab
2024–2025 Government of Spain Cielo Magno, Bantay Kita - PWYP Philippines

Steering Committee

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The OGP Steering Committee provides guidance and direction at the international level in order to maintain the highest standards for the initiative and ensure its long-term sustainability. It is composed of equal numbers of representatives of governments and civil society organizations. OGP's leadership regularly rotates by appointing a new government co-chair and a new civil society co-chair every year. Incoming government and civil society members of the steering committee are selected by their peers.[17]

Subcommittees

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Members of the OGP Steering Committee delegate work to the OGP sub-committees. There are three sub-committees: 1) Governance and Leadership; 2) Criteria and Standards; and 3) Thematic Leadership.[18] The principle of parity is preserved in the sub-committees, as an equal number of government and civil society representatives serve in each one.

OGP Support Unit

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The OGP Support Unit is a small, permanent secretariat that works closely with the steering committee to advance the goals of the OGP. It is designed to maintain institutional memory, manage OGP's external communications, ensure the continuity of organizational relationships with OGP's partners, and support the broader membership. It also serves as a neutral third party between governments and civil society organizations, ensuring that OGP maintains a productive balance between the two constituencies.[19]

Independent Reporting Mechanism

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The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is the key means by which all stakeholders can track OGP progress in participating countries. The IRM produces biannual independent progress reports for each country participating in the OGP. Progress reports assess governments on the development and implementation of their OGP action plans as well as their progress in upholding open government principles. The reports also provide technical recommendations for improvements. These reports are intended to stimulate dialogue and promote accountability between member governments and citizens.[20]

International Experts Panel

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The International Experts Panel (IEP) oversees the IRM by helping to ensure the quality of the reviews, assess procedures, and promote findings.[21]

Membership

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OGP Local

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Eligibility Criteria

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In order to participate in OGP, governments must exhibit a demonstrated commitment to open government in four key areas, as measured by objective indicators and validated by independent experts.[22] The four critical areas of open government are: fiscal transparency, access to information, asset disclosure, and citizen engagement. Countries can earn a total of 16 points for their performance in these four metrics, or 12 points if they are not measured in one of the metrics. Countries that earn 75% of the applicable points (either 12 out of 16 or 9 out of 12) or more are eligible to join.[22] For an eligible country to join, all that is required is a letter from a ministerial representative indicating agreement with the Open Government Declaration and intent to participate in the OGP, as well as the leading agency and an individual point of contact for future work.[22]

The following countries are eligible, but have yet to express interest to join the partnership as of July 2024.[23]

Withdrawal

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Mechanism

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Co-creation

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OGP participating countries co-create a National Action Plan (NAP) with civil society. The action plans are "the driving device" for OGP, as they are the instrument through which government and civil society develop their agreed reforms, or commitments, every two years.[14] The set of commitments aims to advance transparency, accountability, participation, and/or technological innovation. Countries, with the active involvement of civil society, are encouraged to tackle new and ambitious commitments as well as build upon past successes. An effective public consultation process during the development of action plans can help build broad support for commitments with a wider set of actors to rely on for successful implementation.[32] OGP participating countries operate on a two-year action plan calendar cycle, whereby countries are continuously implementing their programs. The government must regularly report on its progress and work with civil society to monitor and achieve the agreed-upon reforms. Progress is evaluated at regular intervals by an independent researcher appointed by the OGP's Independent Reporting Mechanism.

Civil society engagement

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The Civil Society Engagement (CSE) Team works to broaden, strengthen, and engage a strong civil society network to participate in OGP, particularly at the national level. The team supports national civil society actors to help them make better use of the OGP process, including the design, implementation, and monitoring of OGP action plans, for achieving their own advocacy objectives.[33]

OGP Local

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Launched in 2016 as the sub-national pilot program, OGP Local seeks to extend the principles of OGP to the local level. A total of 15 sub-national governments were selected to participate in the pilot program and, with the support of the OGP Support Unit and steering committee, have developed national action plans in collaboration with civil society. They will actively contribute to peer learning and networking activities with other sub-national governments and, like OGP's member countries, will be assessed by the IRM.[34] The cohort later expanded to 20 before further expansion in October 2020, with 56 new local jurisdictions added to the program.[35] In 2022, 30 new more local jurisdictions joined OGP Local.[36] In 2024, additional 55 local jurisdictions joined the OGP Local program. [37]

Open Parliament

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As OGP continued to expand, engagement with legislative institutions also became more prevalent. In some OGP-participating countries, open parliament has become a particularly significant part of the push for more open government, although commitments related to parliamentary transparency, public participation, and accountability are not always co-created in the same process as the country's OGP action plan. The open parliament initiative also benefits from strategic collaborations with the Open Parliament e-Network (OPeN), a global consortium of organizations focused on parliamentary engagement. As of 2020, its members are the Directorio Legislativo, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), ParlAmericas, Red Latinoamericana por la Transparencia Legislativa (RedLTL), and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.[38]

OGP Global Summits

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OGP participants gather regularly at regional and global events to share their findings in person and to strengthen international cooperation.[39] The most significant of these events has been the Global Summit, held annually since 2012. At the 2013 Global Summit, the steering committee voted to skip the 2014 Summit and reconvene in 2015.[40] In addition to providing spaces where participating countries and civil society groups could share information in person, OGP wanted to find a way to showcase the standout efforts of global transparency leaders.

Year Event Host Dates
2012 The 1st OGP Annual Meeting Brasilia,  Brazil April 17–18, 2012[41]
2013 The 2nd OGP Annual Meeting London,  United Kingdom October 31–November 1, 2013[42]
2015 The 3rd OGP Global Summit Mexico City,  Mexico October 28–29, 2015[43]
2016 The 4th OGP Global Summit Paris,  France December 7–8, 2016[44]
2018 The 5th OGP Global Summit Tbilisi,  Georgia July 18–19, 2018[45]
2019 The 6th OGP Global Summit Ottawa,  Canada May 29–30, 2019[46]
2021 The 7th OGP Global Summit Seoul,  South Korea December 13–17, 2021[47]
2023 The 8th OGP Global Summit Tallinn,  Estonia September 6–7, 2023[48]
2025 The 9th OGP Global Summit Vitoria-Gasteiz,  Spain Fall 2025

Open Government Awards

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Year Theme Category Winner
2014[49] Citizen Engagement Gold Awards 1. Denmark for "Statutory Elected Senior Citizens’ Council"
2. Montenegro for "Be Responsible, Zero Grey Economy"
3. Philippines for "Grassroots Participatory Budgeting"
Silver Awards 4. Italy for "OpenCoesione-Monithon"
5. Netherlands for "MijnWOZ: My Law on Appreciating Local Property"
6. United Kingdom for "Sciencewise"
Bronze Awards 7. Mexico for "Centro de Itegracion Ciudadana"
8. Peru for "Children of Miraflores"
9. United States for "Collaboration and Innovation through Prizes, Crowdsourcing, and Citizen Science"
10. France for "data.gouv.fr"
2015[50] Improving Public Services Overall Awards 1. Uruguay for "ATuServicio.uy"
2. Indonesia for "The Guiding Lights of the Archipelago"
3. United Kingdom for "Neighborhood Planning"
Regional Awards Tunisia for "Tunisia Online e-Procurement System"
Mexico for "Stakeholder Participation in Day Care Center Safety"
Armenia for "Smart Municipality"
Croatia for "E-Citizens"
Special Recognition Indonesia for "The Guiding Lights of the Archipelago" for how the initiative benefits vulnerable populations
2016[51] Making Transparency Count Overall Awards 1. Ukraine for "ProZorro: Bringing Government Procurement to the People"
2. Indonesia for "API Pemilu: Improving Access and Understanding of Elections Data"
3. Honduras for "Construction Sector Transparency Initiative Honduras: Better Infrastructure through Transparency"
Regional Awards Malawi for "Construction Sector Transparency Initiative Malawi: Development through Transparency"
Mexico for "Budget Transparency Portal: Expenditure Tracking from the Executive to the Streets"
Mongolia for "Check My Service: Closing the Feedback Loop"
Netherlands for "OpenSpending: Reporting Directly to the Taxpayers"
Special Recognition Ukraine for "ProZorro: Bringing Government Procurement to the People" for the involvement of youth in the project

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Open Government Partnership". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-27 – via National Archives.
  2. ^ "The Open Government Partnership". www.state.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  3. ^ "India in Open Government and Open Government in India (SSIR)". ssir.org. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  4. ^ "Russia Retracts Commitment to Transparency, Leaves Open Government Partnership [Update]". Global Integrity. 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  5. ^ Harge, Jorge (April 10, 2012). "The Open Government Partnership – from eight to 54 countries". The Guardian.
  6. ^ a b Dudman, Jane (April 16, 2012). "Open Government Partnership: What We're Going to Learn in Brasilia". The Guardian.
  7. ^ a b Maude, Francis (2012-09-26). "Francis Maude: transparency brings tangible benefits". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  8. ^ Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (September 24, 2014). "Opening remarks at the Open Government Partnership High-Level Side Event at the 69th United Nations General Assembly" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  9. ^ "Sustainable Development Goals," Department of Public Information, United Nations.
  10. ^ "Subnational Government Pilot Program | Open Government Partnership". www.opengovpartnership.org. Archived from the original on 2015-12-19.
  11. ^ "OGP Global Summit". Open Government Partnership. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  12. ^ "OGP Vital Signs - 10 Years of Data in Review". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
  13. ^ a b c "FAQs". Open Government Partnership. Archived from the original on 2016-04-19. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  14. ^ a b "Samantha Power: what I learnt at the OGP". The Guardian. 2012-04-20. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  15. ^ "Finances and Budget". Open Government Partnership.[dead link]
  16. ^ "Open Society Foundations Launches Challenge Grant to Foster Accountable Governance". www.opensocietyfoundations.org. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  17. ^ "Steering Committee". Open Government Partnership. October 2019. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  18. ^ "Steering Committee Composition".
  19. ^ "Staff". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  20. ^ "Independent Reporting Mechanism - Overview". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  21. ^ "International Experts Panel". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  22. ^ a b c "Eligibility Criteria". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  23. ^ "Eligibility Criteria & OGP Values Check Assessment". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  24. ^ "Turkey (Withdrawn)". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  25. ^ "Hungary (withdrawn), Open Government Partnership
  26. ^ "Tanzania (Withdrawn)". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  27. ^ "Trinidad and Tobago (Withdrawn)". Open Government Partnership. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  28. ^ "Pakistan – Letter Regarding Withdrawal (March 2022)". Open Government Partnership. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  29. ^ "Luxembourg Letter of Withdrawal from OGP
  30. ^ "El Salvador Exits International Partnership on Open Government - Open Government Partnership %". Open Government Partnership. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  31. ^ "Azerbaijan Permanently Suspended from the Open Government Partnership". Open Government Partnership. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  32. ^ "Develop a National Action Plan". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  33. ^ "Civil Society Engagement". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  34. ^ "Subnational Government Pilot Program," The Open Government Partnership. http://www.opengovpartnership.org/how-it-works/subnational-government-pilot-program Archived 2015-12-19 at the Wayback Machine
  35. ^ "56 Local Jurisdictions Join Global Partnership to Promote Open Government". Open Government Partnership. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  36. ^ "Open Government Partnership Welcomes 30 New Local Governments". Open Government Partnership. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  37. ^ "55 Local Governments Join International Partnership on Open Government". Open Government Partnership. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  38. ^ "OPeN – Open Parliament e-Network". Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  39. ^ "Events". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  40. ^ "Summit Planned 2014 Indonesia". www.freedominfo.org. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  41. ^ Partnership, Open Government (2011-12-06), OGP, retrieved 2018-12-09
  42. ^ "London Summit | Open Government Partnership". www.opengovpartnership.org. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  43. ^ "OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP GLOBAL SUMMIT MEXICO | 2015 | Open Government Partnership". www.opengovpartnership.org. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  44. ^ "OGP Global Summit 2016: Paris | Open Government Partnership". www.opengovpartnership.org. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  45. ^ "OGP Global Summit 2018: Tbilisi | Open Government Partnership". www.opengovpartnership.org. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  46. ^ Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat of. "Open Government Partnership Global Summit 2019". open.canada.ca. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  47. ^ "2021 OGP Global Summit: Seoul, Republic of Korea". Open Government Partnership. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  48. ^ "OGP Global Summit 2023 Tallinn". avpeesti2023.ee. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  49. ^ "Open Government Awards". www.opengovawards.org. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  50. ^ "OGP Booklet 2015" (PDF). Open Government Partnership. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  51. ^ "Making Transparency Count: The Open Government Awards". Open Government Partnership. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
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