The first Annual Performance Report (2021) for TANTANA, the capacity development project for the Court of Accounts of the Republic of Madagascar, has been released.

In its first year of implementation, the project has contributed to the following main achievements:

• Completing 4 Covid-19 related audits. The auditors criticised the weak legal framework and identified instances of control deficiencies, infringement of procurement rules, and misuse of funds.

• Making the Court of Accounts more open and visible to the citizens. The Annual Report of the Court (the “Rapport Public”), was presented with a new format to the media and to the stakeholders, gaining interest and attention. The Rapport Public stressed deficiencies in budget management and accounting, losses of public income, and several cases of irregularities and suspicions of fraud.
• Facilitating the work of the auditors and improving the management and sharing of information by delivering ICT equipment and software for 20 staff.
• Improving the quality of the audits and the compliance with international standards by delivering training, exchanging good practices, and having experienced peers from partner SAIs coaching on audit work.
• Making 50% of the staff better aware of issues related to gender by a dedicated webinar attended by more than 70 persons.

In 2022, the project will focus on making the Court of Accounts more relevant and visible by:

• Reinforcing its financial and operative autonomy
• Supporting priority audit tasks
• Streamlining the jurisdictional control of the accounts
• Enhancing the communication and the engagement with stakeholders.

TANTANA is a five-year project funded with 4 million USD by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and supported by the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) in collaboration with the SAIs of France, Morocco and Norway.

To read the TANTANA Annual Performance Report 2021 CLICK HERE

IDI benefits from peer expertise and experience in the TOGETHER iniative

A pool of resource people from different INTOSAI regions met in Oslo from 30 May to 03 June to review and further develop the initial material of IDI’s new Initiative on supporting SAIs in the intersected areas of human resource governance, diversity management & ethics (TOGETHER). The resource pool includes experienced HR practioners and other relevant professionals from SAIs of Indonesia, Ecuador, Bhutan, Morroco, Brazil, Sweden, Liberia, Ghana, France, and from PASAI Secretariat.

Beside reflecting on the insights from peers, the main outcomes from the meeting included reaching key consensus on the overall approach and the main parameters of the initiative content.

TOGETHER will advance the quest of SAIs to lead by example in how they manage their work force and thereby contribute to tangible changes in public sector accountability, integrity, and transparency. Addressing relevant needs, challenges, and opportunities in the areas of human resources, ethics, gender, and inclusiveness across different SAI levels of development, models, and contexts, TOGETHER will include blended support to SAIs in three components: (a) Human Resource Management (HRM) Fundamentals for SAIs; (b) SAIs and Ethics; and (c) Gender Responsive and Inclusive SAIs.

The initiative is planned to be launched in September-October this year and will initially target a pilot group of 10 SAIs from English-speaking INTOSAI regions, starting with the first and main component on HRM. After a round of awareness raising and initial conversations with SAI leadership in order to get a high-level understanding of their maturity level regarding HRM autonomy and key features of HRM functions, an eLearning course on HRM Basics for SAIs will be delivered to a group of relevant participants from the selected SAIs. The HRM Basics course will be followed by support on conducting an integrated review of SAI HRM practices to identify gaps and prioritise SAI-level development actions to be implemented in 2023. Implementation of TOGETHER Initiative in other INTOSAI languages (French, Spanish and Arabic) will be explored in 2023.

The development process of the TOGETHER Initiative benefits from helpful collaborations, including initial study and preliminary design done with the support of the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation (CAAF), close dialogue with INTOSAI regions that have previously supported their members in human resource management, and engagement with INTOSAI Capacity Building Commission (CBC) for reflecting the existing CBC tools and relevant INTOSAI standards on HRM for SAIs.

HR practioners and other relevant professionals working on the meeting outputs

The CREFIAF group of the Strategy, Performance Measurement and Reporting (SPMR) initiative met for their first in-person activity since the COVID-19 pandemic breakout and the subsequent travel restrictions.

Hosted in Yaounde by SAI Cameroon, the CREFIAF group of the Strategy, Performance Measurement and Reporting (SPMR) initiative met for their first in-person activity since the COVID-19 pandemic breakout and the subsequent travel restrictions.  The workshop, which followed the operational planning workshop held with the same group of SAIs in 2021, was opened by the head of SAI Cameroon and Chief of CREFIAF Secretariat, Mrs Rose Mbah Acha Fomundam, accompanied by Ola Hoem, IDI Deputy Director General.

The CREFIAF SPMR group consists of six SAIs: Chad, Comoros, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Cape Verde. The objective was to learn and share experiences and good practices related to the SAI strategic management components of implementation, monitoring and performance reporting. 

The sharing dynamics were further leveraged with the participation of four other CREFIAF SAIs that are bilaterally supported by IDI and some peer SAIs under the Accelerated Peer Support Partnership (PAP-APP): Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Niger, and Togo. These SAIs are at a more advanced stage with their strategic management cycle, and therefore found a strong interest in aligning their onward strategic management process with the SPMR approach. They were also able to share their lessons learned from their processes on strategic planning, operational planning (including budgeting and reporting), and performance reporting.  

Beside the training and experience sharing, the workshop’s second part provided an opportunity for the two groups of SAIs (SPMR and PAP-APP) to make progress with the development of their respective deliverables, based on the stage they are currently at in the strategic management process. Next stages will consist in finalizsng and adopting the different SAIs products (strategic plans, operational plans, and performance reports).

The SPMR initiative supports the whole strategic management cycle of the participating SAIs over the course of four years and is supported by the Swiss Secretariat for the Economy (SECO).

Participants working on their deliverables and sharing their experiences

Ola Hoem, Director Deputy Director General of the IDI, interviewed by the Cameroon National Radio Television WATCH VIDEO HERE	Alain Memvuh, IDI CREFIAF Regional Manager, interviewed by the Cameroon National Radio Television WATCH VIDEO HERE

The role of SAIs makes them a natural ally to the values that make up the Open Government Partnership (OGP): transparency, citizen participation, inclusion, and accountability.

By Benjamin Fuentes Castro | 8th June 2022

Governments are entrusted with the power to collect, allocate, and spend public funds. Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) provide a check on governments’ use of public resources through regular audits of government budgets and expenditures. SAIs provide objective and unbiased information on how public funds are managed – or mismanaged – by making the results of their audits available to parliaments and the public. This traditional role of SAIs makes them a natural ally to the values that make up the Open Government Partnership (OGP): transparency, citizen participation, inclusion, and accountability.

To read the full article go here: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/stories/supreme-audit-institutions-natural-allies-to-open-government/

May 31, 2022. Right Hon. Helen Clark, INTOSAI Development Cooperation (IDC) Goodwill Ambassador, visited the INTOSAI Development Initiative headquarters in Oslo, Norway.

In the first in-person meeting since Helen Clark’s appointment to the role on 1 January 2022, Einar Gørrisen, Director General of IDI, welcomed Ms. Clark along with IDI members from the SAI Independence Workstream and the Global Foundations Unit.

In a discussion mainly aimed at analysing and discussing the current challenges faced by SAIs in terms of their independence, IDI presented the main components of its strategy to advocate for SAI Independence in both reactive and proactive ways.

Helen Clark further highlighted the relevance of the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) as a key variable for democratic and institutional development in all regional and national contexts.

Finally, with a high demand from INTOSAI community and other stakeholders to count on the participation and support of Helen Clark in different fora to advocate for SAI independence, all parties discussed potential future activities for the IDC Goodwill Ambassador.

IDI and IDC were delighted to have the opportunity to meet Ms. Clark in person, and look forward to more discussions and activities highlighting the issues and importance of SAI independence globally.

For more on the IDC Goodwill Ambassador for SAI Independence, please go to IDC or email the SAI Independence team.

In a virtual meeting on 31 March 2022, the Board approved reports and the way forward on strategic planning.

IDI’s Board approved the Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) and the financial statements for 2021 in its virtual meeting on 31 March 2022.  

2021 was another record year for IDI that made one thing very clear: the need for effective and resilient Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) ensuring accountability in crises was greater than ever. In spite of a difficult environment, IDI managed to increase its outreach to fully meet or even exceed the vast majority of its targets for 2021. This success was only possible with the help of our trusted supporters and stakeholders. 

As in previous years, IDI’s external auditors gave an unmodified opinion and positively evaluated IDI’s internal control framework. 

The IDI Board also approved the way forward on IDI’s strategic planning process and principles of engagement with SAIs in countries under sanctions or with SAIs in otherwise challenging situations.

Since January 2022, IDI has a new Chair of the IDI Board. Mr. Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen was warmly welcomed in his new function. 

The Board meeting summary, the PAR and financial statements for 2021 will be published on the IDI website.

Findings of an external assessment of gender and diversity dimensions of IDI’s Human Resources management show that IDI is on the right track. IDI staff generally perceives IDI as an organisation committed to gender equality and inclusiveness and a great place to work.

Diversity, gender equality and inclusiveness pay off

More diversity, gender equality and inclusiveness equals better balanced and sustainable societies throughout. To contribute to this credo and to be credible as an organisation and in your work, you have to start with yourself. In IDI, leading by example on gender equality is one of our two strategic priorities of our Gender Strategy. We also know that diversity of thought and being inclusive results in better decision-making and performance. Studies show that employees working in companies that take equality and inclusiveness seriously are less likely to leave.^[1]

We have come a long way on our gender journey in IDI, but we also know that there are always ways to improve. This is why we commissioned an external assessment to look into whether gender and diversity dimensions are adequately addressed in our human resources management, with a specific focus on recruitment and hiring, career progression, and salaries.

How did we assess?

An external expert on gender and diversity started the assessment in November 2021. This is timely as findings and recommendations can ultimately feed into developing IDI’s next Strategic Plan. The methodology used draws heavily on the International Labour Organization (ILO) Participatory Gender Audit (PGA) designed to support organisations’ approach to gender equality and adapted to include diversity issues. The assessment collected both objective and subjective data. More than 50 relevant documents were reviewed during a desk review in November. This was complemented by an online staff survey, interviews and workshops.

Findings and recommendations

Focusing on HR processes for recruiting and hiring, career progression and salaries, the assessment produced an internal report with the following findings:

IDI is perceived as a highly reputable employer and great place to work with a friendly environment and good work/life balance. IDI shows strong commitment and efforts to further improve gender and diversity dimensions in recruiting and hiring. Staff recognises IDI efforts to mainstream gender equality and diversity in the organisation. The assessment welcomes IDI’s ongoing work to develop a competency framework to support recruitment and career planning and efforts to avoid gender pay gaps.

Recommendations include among others a call for

• better defining and improving HR processes
• systematically bringing in a diversity lens in recruiting and analysing demographic information
• further defining job positions and responsibilities
• continuing efforts to have no pay gap

For further details of the findings and recommendations see the publicly available executive summary .

We will take up recommendations and work together with IDI staff to develop a tailor-made action plan for implementation.

For further information on our work and framework on gender and inclusiveness, please visit our Gender and Inclusiveness webpage.

^[1] See for example: Muhammad Ali, Isabel Metz, Carol T. Kulik, Retaining a diverse workforce: the impact of gender-focused human resource management, Human Resources Management Journal, Volume 25, Issue 4, p. 580-599 and a report done by Catalyst that found companies with higher gender diversity management had 35% better return on equity: Catalyst, The Bottom Line: Connecting Corporate Performance and Gender Diversity, 2004, https://www.catalyst.org/research/the-bottom-line-connecting-corporate-performance-and-gender-diversity

IDI joins in expressing its consternation, solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people under the horrifying and violent ongoing invasion by Russian forces

The INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) joins the global voice in expressing its consternation and its solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people under the horrifying and violent ongoing invasion from Russian forces. We are very concerned about the safety and well-being of all Ukrainians and our colleagues and their families from the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine.

In light of the ongoing invasion, the IDI Board has agreed to the following:

• IDI acknowledges that the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation has agreed to relinquish the exercise of its role as Chair of INTOSAI until the next Chair of INTOSAI takes office. We believe this is an appropriate action, and expect that this also will entail that alternative arrangements are made for the chairing of the next INTOSAI Governing Board meeting.
• IDI will suspend any bilateral cooperation with the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation until the current aggression is stopped and Russian forces withdraw.
• IDI will suspend its participation in any INTOSAI meetings Chaired by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation until the current aggression is stopped and Russian forces withdraw.

For further information please contact the IDI Secretariat.

IDI and AFROSAI-E have entered a new phase of collaboration with the federal Office of the Auditor General of Somalia.

The INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E¹) have entered a new phase of collaboration with the federal Office of the Auditor General of Somalia (OAGS). The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports the project financially with 7,4 million NOK for 2021-2025.

The main goal of the project is to enable the OAGS to implement key strategic priorities for 2021-2025. Peer based technical support will be provided in several areas, including on-the-job guidance to improve the quality and coverage of the annual financial and compliance audits. Peers will also train OAGS staff in forensic audit methodology as well as on auditing of information systems.

To enable audit impact, a prioritised area of support will be stakeholder engagements. The OAGS intends to increase awareness on how public sector auditing works and creates value for both Ministries and Parliament. The OAGS will also be supported in its ongoing technical collaboration with the Auditor General offices in each of the Federal Member States.

Auditor General of Somalia, Mr. Mohamed Ali	Ambassador Gunnar Holm, Norway embassy Nairobi	AFROSAI-E CEO, Ms. Meisie Nkau	IDI Director General, Mr. Einar Gørrissen

To further grow the organisation, guidance will be provided for professional development, digitalization and internal governance systems. The support will be provided by experienced staff in IDI and AFROSAI-E as well as peers from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in the region. The SAIs of Uganda, Malawi and Turkey will provide resource persons.

“We in OAGS have benefitted greatly from peer support over the last years, and are glad this unique collaboration can continue. Together with our peers and the financial support from the Norwegian embassy, I am sure we can achieve great results also over the next years,” says Mr. Mohamed Ali, Auditor General of Somalia.

“The federal audit office of Somalia has delivered important audit results over the last years, and demonstrated its key role in promoting good governance in Somalia,” says the Norwegian Ambassador, Mr. Gunnar Andreas Holm. “Our expectation is that the OAGS will continue developing as an institution so there is an independent, sustainable and strong external audit function in Somalia. We believe a modernised legal framework for the OAGS will be an important step to ensure this.”

“AFROSAI-E serves all English-speaking SAIs in the region, and we are impressed by how the OAGS has developed over the last years, despite the difficult environment they operate in. We are excited about how the OAGS is digitalizing its audit processes using the AFROSAI-E tool. The collaboration with other partners, peers and donors works very well in the OAGS and they stand out as a regional star of coordination,” says Ms Meisie Nkau, CEO of AFROSAI-E.

“We in IDI are grateful to MFA Norway for the grant as it enables us to continue support building on the tremendous progress by the OAGS from 2018 to 2020,” says IDI Director General Mr. Einar Gørrissen. “We are experiencing a great dynamic between the SAI and peers, and over the next years we will do our best to enable the OAGS to succeed in its ambitious plans for improving both audits and becoming a more effective organization.”

For more info about the project, see the presentation at the IDI webpage Somalia – OAGS Peer Support Project 2021-22 (idi.no) or contact the IDI Project Manager Jostein F. Tellnes (Jostein.tellnes@idi.no).

[1] AFROSAI-E is the African Organisation of English Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (based in Pretoria, South Africa).

“…for women it’s still difficult to break the glass-ceiling, even when they are competent and experienced.”

By Camilla Fredriksen, Manager (and Gender Champion) Global Foundations Unit, IDI

“Recently there was debate in the Norwegian media about a high-profile recruitment. The discourse brought up some outdated perceptions about who is best qualified for a position when a man and a woman are competing for the same job.  In short, qualified women were portrayed as less robust and experienced, while male counterparts’ experiences were weighted more heavily, even when not directly relevant. This discussion echoed a work life observation I’ve made many times; men are often simply considered competent, while women have to demonstrate they are. It’s a constant reminder that for women it’s still difficult to break the glass-ceiling, even when they are competent and experienced.

Read the full article here: https://www.intosaicbc.org/cbc-blog-challenge-your-perception-of-what-competency-looks-like-this-year/