Oslo, Norway, 28 September 2023: Funding from two significant partners in the global arena of public financial management, integrity and accountability – SECO and USAID - is set to bolster IDI’s support for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) around the world for the next several years.
As the capacity development arm of INTOSAI - the global organisation supporting Auditor-Generals’ offices and their equivalents across the world – IDI provides programmes, initiatives and peer-to-peer guidance to support SAIs in developing countries to enhance strong, effective and independent public financial management. In addition to INTOSAI and other INTOSAI bodies, IDI collaborates with significant stakeholders with the same goals of stronger public sector accountability and integrity, for the ultimate benefit of citizens around the globe.
IDI is honoured and delighted to have signed funding agreements with two such partners in recent weeks. The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) will provide a total of 6.9 million Swiss Francs towards the activities of IDI’s Well-Governed and Independence work streams over the period of 2023 to 2028, while USAID has allocated a total of 1 mill USD for the Accelerated Peer-support Partnership and Global SAI Accountability Initiative programmes for 2023-2027.
“Both these funding agreements will help IDI to further support developing SAIs in the formation and implementation of their strategic plans and, vitally, the delivery of their audits of government spending. But these agreements also signal something more,” says IDI’s Director General, Einar Gørrissen. “Coming from two such significant partners in the field of public financial accountability, this funding highlights the fervent commitment around the world to strengthening public financial management and engendering public trust in SAIs everywhere, against a background of diminishing trust overall in governments and their proper use of public resources.”
About the SECO funding: The new five-year funding agreement between SECO and IDI builds on the success of the previous phase of cooperation between the two organisations, which focused on supporting the strategic management of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs). The new programme has a broader scope that encompasses support for SAI governance and SAI independence for stronger public sector accountability and integrity.
Says SECO’s Head of Operations, Martin Saladin: “Strong and independent Supreme Audit Institutions are critical to increase transparency, counter corruption and ensure public funds are allocated in an effective and efficient way. SECO is delighted to extend its partnership with IDI to support Supreme Audit Institutions and strengthen their links to anti-corruption agencies, parliaments and civil society organizations. Fostering the accountability of the public sector is key to ensure reliable service delivery to citizens and to progress against the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.”
“This will include a component on country-level support to SAIs in those areas, including strengthening their link with civil society organisations,” comments Dafina Dimitrova, who leads the Strategic Management programmes in IDI. “Needless to say, IDI is immensely grateful for SECO’s continued trust and support.”
About the USAID funding: With an emphasis on peer-to-peer, country-level support, USAID is committing an estimated I mill USD for the Accelerated Peer-support Partnership (PAP/APP) and Global SAI Accountability Initiative (GSAI) programmes over the period 2023-2027.
The funding supports the PAP-APP and GSAI programmes for SAIs in USAID partner countries, where they see the same risks to public accountability. These programmes are designed to enhance the capacity of SAIs in particularly challenging contexts. Because of the importance of this work, the agreement also has an option for additional funding to provide deeper support to selected countries and wider IDI and INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation activities.
Says Jostein F. Tellnes who leads the project in IDI, “In many of these countries, where there is an urgent need for better governance and use of public resources, we experience a great dynamic between the SAI and the peers providing support. We look forward to continuing our collective efforts to enable the SAIs to succeed in delivering more and better audits that address national challenges.”
IDI expresses its deep gratitude to SECO and USAID for their continued and significant support and commitment.
ENDS
About us
The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) operates as an umbrella organisation for the external government audit community. It is an autonomous, independent and non-governmental organisation with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. The INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) support SAIs in developing countries to build and strengthen capacity. The INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation (IDC) mobilises funding from donors to strengthen SAIs, focusing on governance, development and poverty reduction.
Contacts
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For more on the SECO funding and related programmes, please contact IDI’s
For more on the USAID funding and related programmes, please contact IDI’s
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IDI’s Director-General Einar Gørrissen and SECO’s Head of Operations, Martin Saladin
IDI’s Director-General Einar Gørrissen and SECO’s Head of Operations, Martin Saladin, together with the program team: IDI’s Dafina Dimitrova
and SECO’s Franzisca Spørri and Philippe Brugger
SAI staff participating in IDI capacity development activities