The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Policy, Finance, and Administration Committee (PFAC) COVID-19 Initiative (Initiative) recently launched a website to help INTOSAI and Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) continue serving citizens and governments in this new, challenging environment.
As a response to the global effects of the pandemic, U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, PFAC Vice Chair and head of the Government Accountability Office, in cooperation with Dr. Hussam Alangari, PFAC Chair and President of the General Auditing Bureau of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced the PFAC COVID-19 Initiative on April 13, 2020.
The Initiative helps INTOSAI and SAIs maintain continuity of operations and offers practical and audit-related information. The Initiative will also produce a high-level lessons learned document on preventing or minimizing similar situations in the future.
The Initiative’s website, which has logged more than 1,700 visitors since its launch, features useful information on operating effectively during the pandemic, as well as resources on remote work, using technology for virtual meetings, real-time auditing methods, and staff training. Visitors can also access relevant audit findings on a wide variety of topics, including pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; past audits related to disease outbreaks, such as Ebola; and COVID-19 audit plans and reports from various SAIs. Since launching in mid-May, website visits continue to increase, with users representing auditors across the globe.
The PFAC-led initiative will shortly transition to a longer-term effort under the Supervisory Committee on Emerging Issues (SCEI) led by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, and GAO’s role as SCEI Vice Chair will help ensure a smooth transition.
The website is the product of a collective effort of PFAC members, other SAIs and INTOSAI partner organizations, and the Initiative welcomes ideas for information that would be helpful across the INTOSAI community. Contributions may be submitted to intosaicovid19@gao.gov.
Visit the website: www.intosaicovid19.org.
