OLACEFS Commissions Support Big Data, New Initiatives

EFSUR CHAMPIONS NEW INITIATIVES

The Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and Associates (EFSUR) approved and implemented new appointments and several initiatives, including surveys, audits, and thematic studies, at the XIV Coordination Group and XXII EFSUR Joint Commission meetings held in San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador, in September 2017.

New appointment. Ms. Graciela De la Rosa, Auditor General for SAI Argentina, assumed responsibilities as EFSUR Executive Secretariat and represents the AGN for EFSUR activities.

Survey of Freight Transport Road Corridors in MERCOSUR. During 2017, SAI Argentina (AGN), in collaboration with SAIs of Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela, prepared a consolidated report on the coordinated survey, “Special Study 2015/2016, On Road Corridors in MERCOSUR.” The report, approved by the EFSUR Joint Commission, includes future audit tasks based on weaknesses detected during the survey.

Governance of Public Policies in Border Region. Delegates discussed the “Governance of Public Policies in Border Regions” project, including the proposed survey, methodology and time frame for intermediate product distribution. The project will be shared with the Latin American and Caribbean Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (OLACEFS) through the region’s Capacity Building Committee (CCC), which will provide input into planning the project’s coordinated audit.

Audit issues to be Implemented in 2018. EFSUR approved a special report on South American Council for Infrastructure and Planning (COSIPLAN) projects at EFSUR borders proposed by SAI Argentina based on the “Consolidated Report on the Survey of MERCOSUR Road Corridors.” SAI Paraguay will assist on preparing the report expected to be completed in 2019. Additionally, approval was given to conduct a special report that links EFSUR member countries gender-related activities to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5), “Gender Equality.”

Thematic Study. Survey on Gender Legislation. SAI Ecuador’s proposal to update the “Progress Report on Gender Legislation in EFSUR Member and Associated Countries” was sanctioned as part of EFSUR’s “II Compilation of Gender Legislation 2017.”