International Journal of Government Auditing – January 2004
Argentina
International Meeting of Latin American SAIs and the European Court of Auditors
In October 2003, the SAI of Argentina (AGN), toge the r with the European Commission, organized an international meeting between the SAIs of MERCOSUR ( Argentina , Brazil , Paraguay , and Uruguay ), Chile , and Bolivia and the European Court of Auditors. Participants included auditors general and o the r representatives of the SAIs ; members of Parliament from Latin America and Europe ; Dr. Clodosbaldo Russián, President of OLACEFS; and MERCOSUR and European Union officials. Representatives of nongovernmental organizations, members of the press, and over 300 audit staff from Argentina also attended. Dr. Leandro Despouy, President of the AGN and of the Organization of SAIs of the countries of MERCOSUR, Bolivia , and Chile , presided over the meeting, which was held in Buenos Aires , Argentina .
The meeting dealt with a variety of issues, including the following:
- The role of audit in the evolution of European integration, what the countries of MERCOSUR, Bolivia , and Chile can learn from that experience, and how cooperation has developed between both regional groups over the years.
- A summary of the audits carried out by the SAIs of the member countries of MERCOSUR, Bolivia , and Chile , demonstrating the cooperative efforts among the audit organizations of the six countries.
- Auditing in different government spheres: the executive for the European Commission; the Parliament for the budget commissions of the European Parliament and the Argentine
Participants at the Buenos Aires meeting: Robert Reynders, Belgian member of the European Court of Auditors; Angelo Pagkratis, head of the European Commission delegation in Argentina; Leandro Despouy, President of the AGN; Francisco Galiano Morán, Comptroller General of Paraguay.
Parliament; and the important task of the European Court of Auditors.
For additional information, contact: Auditoría General de la Nación, telephone: (+5411) 4124 3775; fax: (+5411) 3775; e-mail: informacion@agn.gov; Internet: www.agn.gov.ar.