The Right to Information Commission (RTIC) participated in the 2026 Freedom of Information Conference, popularly known as Sunshine Fest, a leading global forum on access to information and government transparency. The conference, convened by the Brechner Freedom of Information Project and co-hosted this year by MuckRock, was held from 15th to 17th March 2026 at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., United States.

The event brought together key international stakeholders in transparency and access to information and also marked the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Freedom of Information Act in the United States. The Commission was represented by its Executive Secretary, 𝐌𝐬. 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐲, 𝐄𝐬𝐪.

The conference commenced with a networking mixer and the Sunshine Science Fair, providing an informal platform for participants to connect and exchange ideas ahead of the main sessions. Over the course of the conference, more than twenty plenary and breakout sessions explored critical issues including transparency and accountability, the use of technology and artificial intelligence in records access, emerging challenges in freedom of information regimes globally, and strategies for strengthening collaboration between information requesters and public institutions.

Sessions attended by the Commission focused on practical and policy-oriented themes aligned with its mandate. These included transparency promotion, lessons from leading freedom of information jurisdictions, judicial transparency, agency best practices, funding of freedom of information (FOI) systems, commercial partnerships, effective access strategies, and the management of vexatious applications. The Executive Secretary actively participated in discussions on agency best practices, funding of FOI, commercial partnerships, and vexatious applications, contributing Ghana’s perspective and drawing insights to inform the Commission’s ongoing work.

The engagements provided valuable insights into addressing implementation challenges such as managing complex requests, enhancing non-litigation dispute resolution mechanisms, expanding public awareness of information rights, and securing sustainable support for transparency systems.

During the breakout sessions, the Executive Secretary contributed to discussions on global trends in access to information and shared Ghana’s experience in implementing the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989). On the sidelines of the conference, she held strategic engagements with Mr. David Cuillier, Director of the Freedom of Information Project at the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment; Ms. Alina Semo, a leading authority on the United States’ records and archives administration framework; and Mr. John Edwards, Information Commissioner, to exchange perspectives on strengthening access to information systems, enhancing institutional collaboration, and advancing global transparency practices. Participation in Sunshine Fest provided the Commission with an important platform to learn from countries with well-established freedom of information systems, strengthen international networks, and position Ghana’s Right to Information implementation within the global transparency agenda.

The engagement further enhanced the Commission’s international visibility and generated practical insights to support ongoing efforts to deepen access to information, promote accountability, and strengthen democratic governance in Ghana.