The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR) yesterday released the Open Data Policy, which promotes making government data publicly available in a way that enables the data to be fully discoverable and usable by end users.
As per the policy, open data shall be made public to the extent permitted by law. It will be subject to privacy, confidentiality, security or any other valid restrictions. Open data will be accessible in modifiable and convenient formats that can be searched, downloaded, and indexed. Open data shall also be retrievable and reusable.
The announcement was made during the “Open Data and e-Participation Forum” held by ictQATAR’s Government Information Technology Sector Programme. It was attended by HE Dr Hessa Sultan al-Jaber, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, some of the prominent executives at the ministry, government entity representatives and global researchers and experts.
Open data supports the Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016 and e-Government 2020 Strategy’s call for transparency, efficiency and participation of Qatar’s people. The government shall set the example in open data by ensuring all government agencies will put in place measures to release information and data.
The policy institutes specific actions to ensure all government agencies take steps to expand public access to government data by making it available online unless restricted by law, policy, regulations or contract.
“Open Data supports the goals of the e-Government 2020 Strategy that calls for transparency, government performance efficiency and Qataris’ enhanced participation in decision making, said Hassan Jassim al-Sayed, assistant secretary general, Government Information Technology Sector Programme, ictQATAR.
“Therefore, it supports Qatar’s National Vision 2030 that continues to invest in Qatari people so that all can participate fully in the country’s social, economic and political life, as well as toward building a knowledge-based economy.”
“The ministry is putting an action plan to implement the Open Data and e-Participation Policies. We will also hold workshops with the bodies concerned to embrace the best implementation method,” he added.
Speaking of open data and e-participation benefits, al-Sayed said there would be great social, economic and governance impacts including citizen and communities’ engagement and empowerment through providing new knowledge from combined data sources, boosting economic growth across all sectors, enhancing transparency and efficiency and improving public services through collaboration.
ictQATAR had, early last March, released a public consultation on its Open Data Draft Policy and continued receiving feedback until mid-April.
Yesterday’s forum featured global experts, such as Richard Kerby, senior inter-regional adviser on E-Government and Knowledge Management, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs; Dr Yassar Jarrar, member, Future of Government Global Agenda Council, World Economic Forum, and Ibrahim Elbadawi, open data registered trainer, the Open Data Institute, UK.