The Open Budget Index is a biennial, independent, comparative measure of government budget transparency in 85 countries. This year for the first time, the report includes data on openness and public accountability in China, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. After analyzing the new data, the Revenue Watch Institute, an Open Society Institute grantee, released a brief describing the clear links between poor performance in many resource-dependent countries and the lack of budget transparency and accountability.
The Revenue Watch Institute and the International Budget Partnership (which produces the index) held a discussion on transparency, natural resources and the new 2008 Open Budget Index featuring the following speakers:
- Warren Krafchik, Director of International Budget Partnership;
- Vivek Ramkumar, Manager of the Open Budget Index;
- Antoine Heuty, Revenue Watch Institute Senior Economist;
- Ruth Carlitz, Revenue Watch Institute Graduate Associate.
Karin Lissakers, Director of Revenue Watch Institute, moderated the event.