As part of our continued support for digital governance and public administration reform, ReSPA is organising the Western Balkans and Eastern Neighbourhood Forum on Digital Governance & Digital Transformation Working Group Meeting, on 17–18 March in Belgrade, Serbia.

The Forum will convene members of ReSPA’s Digital Transformation Working Group, including Open Government Partnership (OGP) Points of Contact, alongside policymakers, practitioners, and international experts from the EU, Western Balkans, and Eastern Neighbourhood.

This two-day meeting serves as a policy-to-practice platform to strengthen the link between open government commitments and digital transformation reforms. It will explore how data, digital tools, open data, and artificial intelligence can be systematically leveraged to enhance transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and public integrity.

The Forum combines strategic dialogue with practical exchange and peer learning.

Day 1 – Strategic Alignment and Policy Frameworks
Participants will:

1. Examine synergies between OGP commitments, national digital strategies, and legal frameworks;
2. Discuss digital tools for co-creation of open government commitments (open parliament, online consultations, e-participation);
3. Explore digital monitoring and reporting solutions for OGP Action Plans;
4. Address open data as a foundation for transparency and participation, including data stewardship models;
5. Reflect on citizen participation in the digital age and the responsible use of AI in civic engagement.

Day 2 – Innovation, AI, and Practical Implementation
Participants will:

1. Explore AI governance frameworks and practical public-sector use cases for transparency and public integrity;
2. Discuss data governance, trust, accountability, and emerging data spaces;
3. Identify actionable steps to translate strategies into implementation;
4. Define next steps for regional cooperation and peer exchange through ReSPA’s Digital Transformation Working Group.

The methodology is based on structured peer exchange, expert input, and regional experience sharing. The Provisional Agenda is attached. The final version will be shared with nominated participants.