Journal Remains Committed to Ensuring INTOSAI Members, Broader Accountability Community Stay Connected

The Journal remains resourced, operational and committed to ensuring INTOSAI members and the broader accountability community stay connected.

James-Christian Blockwood, INTOSAI Journal President and Managing Director, United States Government Accountability Office Strategic Planning and External Liaison

The emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic has, globally, put us on a tumultuous path. The pandemic has affected public health, the global economy, our governments, the citizens we serve, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), our Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) and our employees. As science continues closing in on this virus infecting millions around the world and affecting us all, INTOSAI responsibilities—and its eventual role in the aftermath—become more apparent.

INTOSAI, a voluntary international organization that improves accountability and enhances knowledge sharing on a global scale, remains one of the largest non-political, government organizations on the world stage with more than 195 member-nation SAIs.

During this time of distancing, travel limitations and uncertainty, we look forward to exploring new ways to collaborate and share information.

Structured across seven regions, INTOSAI communicates, collaborates and cooperates through a vast network that continuously exemplifies INTOSAI’s motto, “Mutual experience benefits all.”

Through actions taken now, INTOSAI has an opportunity to help in the current pandemic fight, as well as lessen the impact of similar, future events. INTOSAI will play an integral role in the review and follow-up of worldwide efforts to address and learn from the emergence of COVID-19. Meanwhile, INTOSAI continues supporting member organizations through unified initiatives, such as:

• Establishing a COVID-19 Initiative (under Policy, Finance and Administration Committee (PFAC) guidance) to maintain continuity of operations across INTOSAI and individual SAIs, while sharing relevant information via a dedicated webpage and focusing on lessons learned to help prevent future pandemics and related impacts;
• Disseminating encouraging messages from Auditors General on the INTOSAI Community Portal;
• Holding Task Force on Strategic Planning virtual meetings to ensure INTOSAI is prepared for any future widespread issues; and
• Leveraging INTOSAI Development Initiative workstreams for continued SAI support and enhancing SAI relevance through online guidance, education and interaction on auditing national COVID-19 response efforts and future public health system resilience.

“The PFAC COVID-19 Initiative will play an important role in helping SAIs around the world continue to serve their citizens and governments while sharing and learning from best practices of other SAIs to help the INTOSAI community operate effectively in this new environment.”—Gene L. Dodaro, United States Comptroller General and PFAC Vice Chair.

The Journal, INTOSAI’s official communication mechanism, remains resourced, operational and committed to ensuring INTOSAI members and the broader accountability community stay connected. During this time of distancing, travel limitations and uncertainty, we look forward to exploring new ways to collaborate and share information, and the Journal encourages audit organizations to share individual stories as well as SAI contributions to national pandemic endeavors.