This area of work supports countries in the implementation of the fourth and seventh pillar on the OECD Recommendation of the Governance of Infrastructure (2020). These pillars focus on 1) ensuring transparent, systematic and effective stakeholder participation throughout the infrastructure life cycle, and 2) the implementation of a whole-of-government approach to ensure integrity risk management and provide an adequate degree of transparency throughout the project life cycle.
Threats to integrity often stifle infrastructure projects. Integrity risks can arise at every step of the project and result in higher economic and social costs. Corruption, disinformation and citizens’ disengagement can result in poor targeting of infrastructure investments and negatively impact trust and shared ownership of infrastructure planning and delivery. Good governance of decision-making processes is indispensable for ensuring the efficient use of resources.
• Governments can increase trust and ownership of infrastructure planning and delivery by promoting systematic and effective stakeholder participation. Stakeholder engagement ensures legitimacy, transparency and the identification of infrastructure service needs. Stakeholder engagement can occur at all stages of policymaking and take the forms of informing, consulting, promoting and protecting civic space. Technology-driven approaches are increasingly used to engage citizens and stakeholders in a meaningful way.
• Managing threats to integrity requires a whole-of-government approach. Management of integrity risks should involve the adoption of risk-based approaches to identify, mitigate and address fraud, collusion, abuse, corruption and undue influence. Risks at each stage of the infrastructure project life cycle need to be captured and tailored control mechanisms developed. Good practices for promoting transparency throughout the project life cycle includes offering accessible, joined-up and high-quality open data and ensuring control and oversight.