Along with many others, The B Team and Leaders capitalized on the increased focus from the Panama Papers to support governments to make commitments to addressing corruption at the London Anti-Corruption Summit in May 2016.

Often, the energy we put into these major moments is not sustained afterwards, and equally often, implementation falters or stalls.

This September The B Team joined Transparency International, Open Contracting Partnership, and Wilton Park in keeping the focus on how commitments become action.

The organizers convened ten governments (Afghanistan, Argentina, Colombia, France, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Ukraine, United Kingdom) along with representatives of national civil society from each country and international civil society, multilateral institutions, private sector companies and initiatives, and technologists and researchers at Wilton Park in the UK.

The fifty people came together with a common purpose: to work with these countries to think through how best to drive forward reform on making beneficial ownership transparency and open contracting a reality.

The few days together were rich with deep conversation, inter-connections across countries and disciplines, and common commitment to change. Participants left with new relationships, insights and with a path forward for their own contribution.

We hope that when all countries involved in the London Anti-Corruption Summit review their progress in September 2017, we’ll see significant strides in moving London commitments into real action and real change in these countries.