The Global SAI Accountability Initiative (GSAI) aims to mobilize effective and well-coordinated support to SAIs in challenging contexts. The SAIs of Belize, Benin, Dominica, Haiti, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Tajikistan have joined the initiative. These SAIs have unique opportunities for development and needs of support. Tailored country projects are to be developed for each of them in partnership with peer SAIs, donors and implementation partners.
The EU has stepped up as a key donor for the initiative. 2 mill Euro is provided to IDI for the period 2023 to 2026. The funding enables IDI to take a lead coordinating role and fund initial support in each country.
The Director General of IDI, Mr Einar Gørrissen, is excited about the grant from the EC: “GSAI is an important effort by the global donor and INTOSAI community to reach out to SAIs in challenging contexts. We are proud to be taking this forward together with so many peer SAIs and partners. Within INTOSAI, we have collectively wide experience and access to resources in most areas of SAI development. When so many partners have joined the initiative this demonstrates the collective commitment in INTOSAI to mutual sharing and development. I also hope that other donors will come on board, with the goal of creating inclusive and effective SAIs that really can make a difference to their citizens. Each SAI has a unique need of support, and financial donors are encouraged to engage with the beneficiary SAI and technical providers in each country to find an effective model of funding.”
“Supreme Audit Institutions ensure accountability and good use of public resources,” says Ms Erica Gerretsen, Head of Macro-economic Analysis, Fiscal Policies and Budget Support unit in the European Commission. “These institutions are a key part of a modern and democratic governance system, providing the public with objective information on how government spends money and perform. By funding IDI we see a great potential for effective and trustful peer support for the SAIs. Ultimately we look forward to see each SAI make a difference in their country. For us, stronger SAIs lead to better governance and thereby greater progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. We can narrow the investment gap and foster economic development - implement the European Global Gateway initiative - only in a well governed and accountable framework. Stronger SAIs create trust and willingness among donors to fund development in these countries.”
The initiative was launched in 2022 by the INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation as part of its broad work to promote support, independence, performance and benefits of SAIs in developing countries. GSAI is expected to empower the SAIs to take forward their own capacity development and reach a new level of sustained capacities and performance.
The GSAI kick-off workshop brings together key representatives of the beneficiary SAIs, donors, peer SAIs, regional INTOSAI secretariats and implementation partners ready to provide support. In the kick-off event the partners aim to develop trust, understanding and a strong collaboration in each country. During the event the partners work in country groups to draft a project design and agree a way forward to secure funding and establish projects. The aim is to enable projects to be effective and collaboration started in Q3.
The overall process of GSAI is shown in the illustration below. In each country the SAI and interested partners are working together to develop projects. How projects will be designed depends on the requested areas of support as well as funding and technical support available. The aim of phase 1 support is to get projects started without a long planning period, while phase 2 projects can be wider and based on experiences acquired in phase 1. In each country the intention is to establish a “SAI Support Group” that brings all key partners together to clarify what can be supported and coordinate efforts.
For more information about GSAI, See the website here GSAI | INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation (intosaidonor.org) or contact programme manager