United Nations SDG 16 Conference

INTOSAI Secretary General Margit Kraker reported on the contribution of SAIs to the implementation of SDG 16 during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
 

In the framework of the virtual SDG 16 Conference held from 28 to 30 April 2021, INTOSAI Secretary General Margit Kraker reported on the contribution that can be made by Supreme Audit Institutions to safeguarding transparency and accountability during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SDG 16 Conference addressed the questions of how

• the provisions of SDG 16 can aid in the response to the pandemic, and
• how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the implementation of SDG 16.

The conference was organized jointly by the United Nations (UNDESA), the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and the Government of Italy.

Representatives of governments, United Nations agencies, other international organizations and the civil society as well as leading scientists participated in the high-ranking discussions. Marta Acosta, Comptroller General of Costa Rica, also joined the conference to represent INTOSAI.

The INTOSAI Secretary General emphasized, among others, the following:

"This crisis with such massive implications on public finances highlights the importance of ensuring that public systems are stable and resilient. By assessing whether national support measures have been effective, sustainable and sound, SAIs make an essential contribution to SDG 16. SAIs can, however, fulfil these important tasks efficiently only if they are independent."

You can find all information on the conference on the website of the SDG 16 Conference 2021.