"Auditors build trust, help shore up government resilience and are indispensable in the fabric of good governance." Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, Deputy Secretary-General for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), opened the OECD Auditors Alliance virtual meeting on September 23, 2020, welcoming worldwide attendees in contributing to...
Spotlight on Capacity Building
Challenges in Transparency, Oversight as Governments Respond to Pandemic
Amid a global pandemic that is forcing governments around the world to launch new spending measures, the International Budget Partnership’s (IBP) latest Open Budget Survey (OBS) shows why there is reason for concern: four out of five of the 117 governments assessed failed to reach the minimum threshold for adequate...
Supreme Audit Institutions: Important Partners for German Development Cooperation
Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), key partners for the German Development Cooperation (GDC), strengthen Public Financial Management (PFM) system performance and are key actors in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In its "Marshall Plan with Africa," the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has recognized the prominent roles SAIs...
Technology: Opportunities to Build Capacity, Enhance Oversight
Technology has changed how we do business, how we conduct public administration and human relations, and how we analyze information. Technological advances have also impacted the auditor´s role with huge implications in government oversight. Using new tools, such as...
Growing SAI Young Leaders: The IDI Story
When Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, he tended his garden and spoke of throwing seeds on the ground, watering them and watching them grow. Similarly, the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) has observed and nurtured young leaders from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) worldwide through the SAI Young Leader (SYL) initiative. As these future leaders take the journey from seedling to blossoming tree, the SYL initiative, now in its second iteration...
Building Partnerships to Combat Fraud, Corruption Via Effective SAI Technical Support
Preventing fraud and corruption are major challenges facing governments, particularly those of developing countries. Government inability to establish effective internal audit and financial control systems and adequately establish or resource organizations charged with identifying fraud and corruption are just some causes of fraudulent and corrupt behavior. While no system exists to entirely avert fraud and corruption...
GAO Center for Audit Excellence Builds Worldwide Capacity, Good Governance
The U.S. Comptroller General (CG), Gene L. Dodaro, had a vision: establish a team dedicated to building capacity and fostering effective accountability on a global scale. The CG's vision and legislation led to the creation of the Center for Audit Excellence (CAE). The CAE, which was officially launched by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in October 2015...
Building Capacity by Enhancing SAI Technical Support
Cultivating Supreme Audit Institutions' (SAI) technical capacity, particularly in developing countries, is crucial. Increased technical capacity helps strengthen organizational structure and operations, while incorporating improved service delivery approaches, which adds value and benefits to the lives of citizens. Improved technical capabilities also...
SAIs Operating in Challenging Contexts Share Insight, Ideas
The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institution's (INTOSAI) Capacity Building Committee (CBC) workstream dedicated to supporting Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) operating in particularly challenging contexts recently organized a forum in Johannesburg, South Africa. Seven Auditors General (AG) who currently lead SAIs with experience working in such contexts...
OECD Launches Interactive Public Sector Auditing Forum
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) hosted the inaugural Auditors Alliance meeting on March 26, 2018, in Paris, France, officially launching an interactive public sector auditor community that unites internal and external audit institutions...