Author: Obaloluwa Ajiboye, Digital Public Infrastructure Open Source Analyst – UNDP 

Digital technology is transforming people’s everyday lives, including how they access and make use of services. While benefits abound, some systems every so often encounter limitations, such as license costs and vendor lock-in. Fortunately, open-source technology is already changing this reality with open access to an immense offering of solutions. Harnessing this potential particularly in the public sector, the Open Source Ecosystem Enabler (OSEE) initiative aims to enhance public service delivery through promoting the adoption and use of innovative, open-source technology. The initiative is jointly carried out by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the European Union towards fostering a more inclusive and equitable digital future.

Despite remarkable advancements in digital technology, many communities, especially in low- and middle-income countries, remain on the fringes of the digital revolution. Notably, the digital divide is not just a gap in access to technology -- it's a barrier to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. The OSEE initiative is designed with the understanding that meaningful digital transformation must be all-inclusive, leaving no one behind. The initiative is thus dedicated to closing these gaps and making the benefits of digital technology available to everyone.

Developing and promoting open-source digital ecosystems globally is at the core of the OSEE initiative, which can enable local and regional actors to embrace and implement open-source technology for public service delivery. Accordingly, the OSEE initiative is structured around three key components: the Open-Source Ecosystem Enablement Framework (OSEEF), the Open-Source Technical Facility (OSTF), and the Global Knowledge Hub for Open-Source Public Services (read more about these components here). Since the initiative was launched at the EU Open Source Policy Summit, the OSEE team has progressed on the development of the framework. 

A multi-purpose and practical framework

The OSEE framework is intended as a practical guide for the adoption of open-source solutions as choices to countries to ensure that solutions are scalable, sustainable, and impactful. The framework is informed by insights gathered from open-source experts in different parts of the world and adopts lessons and best practices from the analysis of several successful open-source initiatives. It is envisioned that the framework will serve as a responsive ecosystem offer to the increasing demand from countries for building national-level support for open-source technology that can improve a range of services. This includes enhancing the capacity of local and regional public and private actors to adopt open-source solutions.  

Multi-purpose by design, the framework is designed to:

• Promote inclusive digital public infrastructure (DPI): Accelerating digital growth and transformative solutions, including digital public goods (DPGs);
• Build a comprehensive knowledge base: Maintaining a repository with videos, interviews, presentations, and hands-on training to support the adoption of open-source technologies;
• Facilitate community engagement: Building robust, lasting relationships with open-source communities nationally and globally to foster collaboration and innovation;
• Enhance training and education: Offering comprehensive and customized training to educate public sector employees on open-source best practices and tools;
• Improve knowledge and coordination: Strengthening local public and private sectors' capacities to support the creation, adoption, and sustainable maintenance of open-source solutions; and
• Accelerate digital transformation: Enabling rapid, reliable development of innovative public services that can adapt to the fast-paced digital landscape.  
   

Empowering local digital ecosystems

While a framework is generally a useful resource, it will not become actionable by remaining as ‘packaged knowledge’ that just resonates in the minds of experts. To bring about meaningful change through real world application of it, a framework must also be practical and implementable. This is the motivation that has steered the design of the OSEE Framework.

This reminds me of my firsthand experience and introduction to the world of open source in 2017. As a volunteer trainer at a Django Girls one-day free programming workshop in Lagos, Nigeria, I witnessed the enthusiasm and collaborative spirit of the open-source community and its collective benefits across society. The activities undertaken, coupled with the tangible outcome of the programme, demonstrated both the real value as well as the potential of open source to revolutionize the digital landscape, by nurturing and empowering local digital ecosystems.  

Earlier this month at the United Nations headquarters in New York, I was one of the open-source advocates who convened for the OSPOs for Good symposium. The event brought together a mix of around 600 passionate tech experts, young innovators, and public policy professionals from around the world, who shared their innovations, ideas, trends, and learnings. An underlying objective for the gathering was to strengthen a worldwide collaborative network of Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs), which can assist organizations with how they engage with the open-source community, particularly with respect to the cultural elements, processes and tools. The discussion was energizing and was a ray of hope for the future of public services with open-source technology.

Videos from the event are available on UN WebTV, and a full event report will be released later this year. You can also read about last year's edition at OSPOs for Good Report 1.