On Friday, 9 February 2024, Members of Staff for the Office of the Ombudsman took time off their busy schedules for a capacity building workshop where they reflected on the year gone by and strategized for 2024.

The Ombudsman has asked the EU Transparency Register’s Secretariat to carry out more thorough and meaningful investigations when it comes to public complaints concerning alleged breaches of the code of conduct by registered organisations.

Ombudsperson, Mr. Naim Qelaj, and the rector of the University “Ukshin Hoti” of Prizren, Mr. Mentor Alishani, signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation in the field of rule of law, through education and legal education.

On 7 February 2024, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Iain Anderson, published an investigation report, ‘Taking Liberties’, focussing on whether the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force has appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure unlawful non-citizens are removed from Australia in a timely way.

Le 9 février 2024, le protecteur du citoyen, M. Marc-André Dowd, a transmis une lettre à la ministre de l’Enseignement supérieur, Mme Pascale Déry. Il y commente le projet de Règlement modifiant le Règlement sur l’aide financière aux études.

Le 1er février 2024, Ombudsman.be, le réseau belge des Ombudsmans, a tenu son assemblée générale dans les locaux de la Chambre des Représentants. Le réseau regroupe aujourd'hui 30 institutions de médiateurs et ombudsmans institutionnels ( Etat, Régions, communes, … ) et sectoriels ( assurances, secteur postal, énergie, … ).

Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine released an update about the actions Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) took to resolve unfairness in the way it was reducing disability pensions for some Merlo Davidson class action settlement claimants.

The President of the Republic of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, has assented to the Ombudsman Amendment Bill, effective 1 February 2024. Ombudsman Grace Malera hailed the Malawi Leader for signing the Bill into law which among other things provides clarity on the broadened mandate of the Office in terms of which organs of government can be investigated.