SAI Peru Employs Innovative Measure to Promote Integrity, Transparency

Last year, a law was enacted to strengthen Peru’s Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) and National Control System (NCS), marking a historic milestone in the fight against corruption in the Peruvian State. Since then, SAI Peru has implemented a series of measures to modernize and fortify supervisory capacities in the use of public goods and resources and combating functional misconduct and corruption.

To promote integrity and transparency, SAI Peru is employing a new measure—Filing Sworn Statements to Manage Conflicts of Interest—aimed at preventing conditions that may affect audit work independence and objectivity. While the initial implementation has been rolled out to the more than 7 thousand public officials and civil servants employed by SAI Peru and the NCS, the goal is to extend this practice to the entire public sector (a projected reach of 1.5-2 million).

The statements contain the declarant’s personal and labor data, educational level, information on financial assets and political affiliations, among other aspects. As the sworn statements contain confidential information, SAI Peru will ensure adherence to appropriate privacy rights protection.

As part of the recently enacted law, this new measure is based on International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI) 21, which outlines the principles of transparency, responsibility and good practices; ISSAI 30, Code of Ethics, specifying SAI personnel are to be free from impediments affecting independence and objectivity; and Peruvian law covering Civil Service Code of Ethics requiring officials and public servants to act with rectitude, trustworthiness and honesty.

For more information about the law, contact the SAI Peru at cooperacion@contraloria.gob.pe.