On September 11th the IDI hosted a delegation from the SAI of Ecuador, led by the Auditor General Dr Pablo Celi de la Torre and including other members of his Office, Mr Antuán Barquet Guillén, Miss Valentina Zárate and Mr Wilson Vallejo. On behalf of IDI, Einar Gørrisen (DG), Sebastián Gil (CDM for OLACEFS), Karina Mera Warholm (Programme Coordinator and originally from Ecuador) and Irina Sprenglewski (MCD SAI PMF), were also part of this meeting. This visit was part of a larger tour SAI Ecuador conducted with international stakeholders in Europe, including SAIs Spain, SAI France and SAI Portugal.
The meeting was an opportunity for SAI of Ecuador to share the strategy they are currently implementing following the installation of a new government in Ecuador last year. SAI Ecuador asked IDI to provide input and feedback on the draft law that was put forward to the Presidency of the Republic of Ecuador and various stakeholders, which will initiate a shift to a Court of Accounts model. The draft law also includes other proposals, such as the establishment of a collegiate board and a return of the SAI’s mandate to implement performance audits and examine prior bidding and contracting done by the Government. IDI also took this opportunity to give a presentation on IDI´s new strategic plan, and to stress how this shift will necessitate relying on ISSAIs, particularly ISSAI 10 Mexico Declaration.