Brazil
New Executive Secretariat for Organization of SAIs from Mercosul (or Mercosur) Countries
As of 2008, Brazil’s Court of Audit (TCU) assumed the Executive Secretariat of the Organization of SAIs from the Mercosul (or, in Spanish, Mercosur) Countries for a period of 3 years. Mercosul is known as the “Common Market of the South.” The TCU designated Minister Benjamin Zymler to be the Executive Secretary. The organization includes the SAIs of Mercosul member countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Venezuela and Mercosul associate members Bolivia and Chile.
The Executive Secretary’s responsibilities include coordinating mutual cooperation activities and exchanges of information, experiences, and technical assistance. Argentina hosted the Executive Secretariat from 2000 to 2007.
Brazilian SAI Launches “Environment-Friendly TCU” Program
In February 2008, Minister Walton Rodrigues Alencar, President of the TCU, launched the “Environment-Friendly TCU” program to implement a wide range of initiatives incorporating the concept of sustainability into the TCU’s daily activities. Once these measures are adopted within the TCU, it will urge all government institutions to follow the same path of sustainability.
In introducing the program, the President noted that all employees must make a commitment to the program if it is to achieve its goals. The program welcomes employee suggestions on how to improve the level of sustainability at the TCU. In addition to this domestic initiative, the TCU has contributed to sustainable development at the international level as a member of the environmental audit groups of both OLACEFS and INTOSAI.
For additional information, contact the TCU:
Fax: ++7 (495) 247 31 60
E-mail: arint@tcu.gov.br
Web site: http://www.tcu.gov.br