TCU holds first meeting ahead of SAI20

On December 4, the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) took part in its first technical meeting as president of the SAI20, a group made up of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the G20 countries. TCU took up the position on December 1st . The Deputy Secretary General for External Control, Junnius Arifa, represented the President of the TCU, Minister Bruno Dantas, at the meeting.

Until November 30, 2024, TCU will chair the SAI20 – the same period in which Brazil will be at the head of the Group of 20 (G20), which brings together the world’s leading economies, as well as the European Union and the African Union. The group acts as the main forum for international economic cooperation and the Court will represent the country and lead the discussions involving the supreme audit institutions.

Brazil’s strategy ahead of SAI20 will focus on climate finance and the fight against hunger and poverty, as Junnius Arifa pointed out. These issues demand attention and coordinated action from SAIs. “Current projections indicate that extreme poverty and hunger could persist if current trends continue. Climate change represents an undeniable threat to the planet and to the survival of future generations. We therefore need to reflect on our role in this scenario and how we can contribute to mitigating the consequences that will be felt if we don’t act promptly,” he said.

During the meeting, representatives of SAIs from 11 nations debated the role of organizations in the central themes, with an emphasis on understanding the current government auditing scenario. The aim is for the group’s work to help governments propose solutions through public policies that impact the environment and communities.

The TCU’s Director of International Cooperation, Raisa Ojala, mediated the conversation and evaluated the meeting as an opportunity to find solutions to the issues under discussion. “We, as audit institutions, have the potential to shape policies and implement transformative initiatives that have a significant impact on people’s lives around the world. Our idea is not just to debate problems, but to explore solutions and maximize opportunities from our experiences,” he said.

TCU will prepare a communiqué with the information reported by the SAIs during the meeting, to be presented to the G20. The document will contain the main points evaluated from the exchange of experiences and perspectives discussed at the meeting.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the SAIs Germany, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, China, Korea, Egypt, India, Japan, Mexico and Russia.

Climate funding

Climate funding is essential to ensure that global investments are sufficient to minimize the impacts and promote adaptation to the effects of the climate emergency. The G20 countries are responsible for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as concentrating 80% of global GDP and two thirds of the world’s population. The data highlights the importance of the group’s work in determining the direction of global climate action.

Among the challenges pointed out during the meeting, TCU highlighted the lack of an agreed definition of climate funding. It is necessary to define ways of measuring progress towards financing objectives. Currently, few countries have targets associated with climate funding contributions.

At the technical meeting, TCU also highlighted the importance of the ClimateScanner tool for the work of SAIs starting in 2024. The global platform will allow institutions to assess and monitor government actions to tackle the climate crisis. TCU, which currently chairs the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), is leading the project.

The tool was presented by TCU at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The design of the methodology was finalized by the ClimateScanner Executive Group, made up of 18 SAIs. In 2024, SAIs from around the world will be invited to apply the tool in the national contexts of their respective countries. The results should be published at the end of the year.

Fighting hunger and poverty

The role of SAIs is to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of countries’ public policies, especially in contexts with restricted budgets. The aim is to encourage governments to improve their actions. The institutions point to the need to strengthen anti-poverty measures and promote food security. Among the policies considered essential are those that guarantee social protection and equal access.

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit Declaration highlights the eradication of poverty as the major global challenge. Recent events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, climate crises, economic shocks and armed conflicts have negatively affected the indicators of SDGs 1 (Eradication of Poverty) and 2 (Zero Hunger and Sustainable Agriculture).

The latest data show that 8.4% of the world’s population is living in extreme poverty. According to a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 735 million people faced hunger in 2022, 122 million more than in 2019.

About SAI20

The SAI20 – Supreme Audit Institution Engagement Group of 20 – was conceived from the initiative of SAI Indonesia (BPK) in September 2021. The group supports governments in restoring global economic conditions and developing public policies to improve the quality of life around the world.

Since its creation, SAI20 has held virtual and face-to-face technical meetings to establish commitments, rules and work agendas. In 2024, two face-to-face meetings are planned in Brazil: the Senior Officers Meeting and the SAI20 Summit.