20 January 2026, Oslo, Norway – The INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) has entered into new multi-year partnerships with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), securing funding that will enable IDI to expand vital support to Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) from 2026.

“This support is a strong vote of confidence in the work IDI and our partners are doing around the world. It tells us that building strong, independent audit institutions matters,” said Einar Gørrissen, IDI Director General. “When SAIs are able to do their job well, public money is used better and trust in government grows.”

Sustainable development depends on strong national institutions. For every school built, clinic supplied or road repaired, public funds must be managed well. SAIs play a critical role in ensuring this happens, but in many countries SAIs are limited by finite resources, weak systems, or lack of engagement from institutions and citizens.

The newly confirmed commitments – CHF 950,000 (USD 1.18 million) from SECO and NOK 46 million (USD 4.56 million) from Norad – will allow IDI to address these gaps and continue to support SAIs, helping them build the skills and systems needed to carry out their mandate effectively.

In Central Asia, SECO’s support will enable IDI to launch a new four-year regional programme for the SAIs of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Building on progress already achieved through IDI’s Global SAI Accountability Initiative (GSAI) and earlier SECO-funded programmes, these activities will strengthen leadership and governance, improve audit quality, support digital ways of working, and help SAIs engage more effectively and independently with parliaments, civil society, and the media.

“At SECO, we partner with IDI because they are deeply embedded in the world of Supreme Audit Institutions. They understand SAIs, their needs, and how best to support them,” said Philippe Brügger, SECO Programme Manager. “Through our collaboration, we strengthen SAIs’ strategic management and independence, two foundations for strong economic framework conditions and for SECO’s vision of sustainable economic growth.”

In parallel, Norad’s funding will support the expansion of IDI’s bilateral portfolio for SAIs in challenging environments, focusing on countries affected by fragility and institutional constraints. It will build on IDI’s long-standing partnerships in countries such as Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while enabling new country engagements where needs are greatest. Through long-term, SAI-led support, IDI will help these institutions embed change, from better audit methods to stronger follow-up on government action.

“Through the signing of a new agreement between Norad and IDI, Norway has extended and expanded its partnership with IDI to support to Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in challenging environments. This reflects IDI’s proven impact in supporting SAIs, thereby strengthening public accountability and domestic resource mobilization, and the agreement focuses on Africa, which remains a priority region for Norway’s development efforts,” said Peter Ringstad, Acting Head of Norad’s section for governance.

“Independent SAIs are essential to building the trust and institutional capacity needed for countries to manage public revenues effectively, which enables governments to improve service delivery and advance sustainable development,” Ringstad continued. “Through long-term, context-sensitive support, IDI is helping SAIs become stronger institutions that can drive real change in how governments and public resources serve citizens.”

IDI will continue to support SAIs as agents of change and enable them to become strong and trustworthy institutions that positively impact how public resources are managed. These new commitments reinforce IDI’s role as a global partner for Supreme Audit Institutions and a trusted provider of long-term, impact-oriented capacity development.

Together, SECO, Norad, and IDI are investing in institutions that safeguard public trust—so that every public dollar delivers real value for people’s lives.

Mr. Martin Saladin,  SECO Head of Promotion Activities Directorate/ former Head of Operations, and IDI Director General signing the SECO agreement

Mr. Peter Ringstad, NORAD Senior Advisor, and Mr. Einar Gørrissen, IDI Director General formalising the ARISE agreement

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Media contact: Carolyn Lillehovde, Strategic Communications Manager, IDI communications@idi.no +47 900 71 207

The General Court of Audit, Saudi Arabia (GCA) has been one of the pioneering Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) that has provided consistent financial support to INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI). GCA initiated its support to IDI in 2019 for capacity development initiatives on strategic management of SAIs and auditing the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Through 2023 to 2025 their support continues for auditing the implementation of SDGs. The support has been widened to include initiatives with strong focus on technology like the initiatives on Leveraging of Technological Advancements and pICTure on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Governance.

IDI continues to support the administration of the Saudi Fund for Improved SAI Performance (FISP) since 2023. This unique fund provides dedicated financial support to selected SAIs of developing nations to enable themselves for better delivery of their mandates.

“I am pleased to announce the expansion of GCA funding to IDI aimed at enhancing the capacity of SAIs worldwide. Specifically targeting the leveraging of technology advancements to enhance the capacity of SAIs globally, this initiative represents a significant step forward in our commitment to fostering innovation and efficiency within public sector auditing. As we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, the role of SAIs has never been more critical. They serve as guardians of public resources, ensuring that governments operate efficiently and responsibly.  In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, it is imperative that SAIs harness the power of advanced technologies to improve their operations, enhance data analysis capabilities, and increase transparency in public financial management.  By expanding GCA funding,  SAIs with the resources they need to adopt cutting-edge tools and methodologies that will enable them to meet the challenges of modern governance.  This funding will support initiatives such as the integration of data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital reporting systems into the auditing processes. These advancements will not only streamline operations but also enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of audits, ultimately leading to better accountability and governance. By working together, we can ensure that our audit institutions are equipped with the necessary technological advancements to fulfil their central roles in promoting integrity and efficiency in public administration. Thank you, IDI, for your dedication to strengthening the capacity of SAIs and for your commitment to advancing the principles of transparency and accountability worldwide.” Dr. Hussam Alangari, President General Court of Audit – Saudi Arabia (GCA)

“I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation for the General Court of Audit, Saudi Arabia’s invaluable contributions to the IDI over the years. Their financial support covering a wide bouquet of IDI’s offerings enable us in meeting our mandate for capacity development of SAIs. I would also like to highlight the SAUDI FISP, which has provided valuable resources to beneficiary SAIs in improving their governance and performance. We look forward to a lasting cooperation” Mr. Einar Gørrissen, Director General, INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI)

The State Audit Office (SAO) of the Republic of Latvia reaffirmed its commitment to helping Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) by signing a new agreement with the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI).

In recent years, the SAO has contributed to IDI in various ways, including through funding for IDI’s bilateral work in the African region. The SAO engagement helped a number of SAIs to strengthen their governance and audit work.

“We have seen excellent results in IDI’s support of Supreme Audit Institutions around the world and we are happy to continue our annual funding over the coming years,” says Edgars Korcagins, Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Latvia.

IDI will use the new funding to continue supporting SAIs in sustainably enhancing their performance and capacities, focusing on the new three strategic priorities of digitalisation, sustainability and public trust in SAIs.

“I am thrilled about this renewed agreement with the SAO. In the past the SAO contributed both financially and through its expertise. It is great to see a continuation of this engagement, confirming our long-lasting and trusted partnership,” states Einar Gørrissen, Director General of IDI.

Going forward, the SAO will fund initiatives across IDI’s new Strategic Plan 2024-2029.

IDI is delighted to announce the signature of a new five-year funding agreement between SECO and IDI. Building on the success of the previous phase of our cooperation, which focused on supporting the strategic management of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), the new program has a broader scope that encompasses support for SAI governance and SAI independence for stronger public sector accountability and integrity.

SECO will provide a total of 6,9 million Swiss Francs towards the activities of IDI’s Well-Governed and Independence work streams in the period 2023-2028. The funding includes a component on SAI-level support in those areas, including by strengthening their link with civil society organisations. IDI is immensely grateful for SECO’s continued trust and support.

Pictured: SECO’s Head of Operations, Martin Saladin and IDI’s Director-General Einar Gørrissen, together with the program team consisting of IDI’s Dafina Dimitrova and SECO’s Franzisca Spørri and Philippe Brugger

Memorandum of Understanding signed between IDI and the National Audit Office of Finland

A delegation from the National Audit Office of Finland (NAO Finland) visited IDI headquarters in Oslo today. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding outlining how IDI and NAO Finland will collaborate on a variety of areas, including audit of SDGs, environmental audit and facilitating audit impact. NAO Finland will aid IDI in events such as the Green Hat Innovation Exchange Series and in developing audit leadership practices through mentoring and coaching support for the SAI Young Leaders Initiative.

NAO Finland has been a leader in innovative capacity building efforts for audit institutions globally.

“The audit environment is changing rapidly,” says Tytti Yli-Viikari, Auditor General of Finland, “and we need to come together to cooperate to grow together and support SAIs around the world”

IDI Director General Einar Gørrisen said “This agreement with NAO Finland opens new opportunities to collaborate on a wide-range of capacity development initiatives which, I believe, will bring a lot of positive outcomes for SAIs, and especially for the next generation of auditors.”

Of particular note is the expanded support to the SAI Young Leaders initiative. Jenni Leppälahti, planning director at NAO Finland, was part of the first round of the SYL initiative and is now serving as a coach in the second round.  Remarking on the new agreement, Ms. Leppälahti said “it is inspiring to NAO Finland to be part of offering support for growing the new generation of auditors.”

Ms. Yli-Viikari echoed her statements, saying “I’ve seen firsthand what it is to have young leaders work to be part of a network of changemakers, and that’s why I’m very committed to keep that momentum going, because I feel that when SAIs come together there’s added value and great insights when they work together in that international environment.”

Tytti Yli-Viikari from NAO Finland and Einar Gørrisen from IDI