The Prosecutor General of Colombia, Margarita Blanco, met with the President of the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), Minister Bruno Dantas, at the Executive Office of the President during her visit to Brazil on June 13. The authorities discussed the functioning and role of their respective institutions in external control, as well as important common agendas for both nations, such as the energy transition and the process of assessing government actions related to climate change. 

Dantas outlined to Blanco and her delegation the key responsibilities of the TCU and emphasized its leading role in the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), which represents 195 countries. The president also highlighted the Court’s key initiatives, including tackling climate change, promoting environmental sustainability, advancing energy transition, ensuring gender equity, and fighting hunger and poverty—core themes aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his speech, the Minister highlighted ClimateScanner, an electronic platform that monitors and assesses government actions in addressing climate change. This TCU-led initiative, shared with auditors from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) through workshops, has already been adopted by over 70 countries, including Colombia. He mentioned that the results of using the tool will be presented at COP 29, the UN Climate Change Conference, in Azerbaijan in November. 

"It's an honor to receive such a distinguished guest and to be able to share our experience. We have a very good relationship with the Colombian Office of the Comptroller General, through INTOSAI and OLACEFS (Latin American and Caribbean Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions). We are also available to exchange information and experiences with the Public Prosecutor's Office," said Dantas.  

The Colombian Prosecutor General expressed her gratitude for the warm reception and showed keen interest in collaborating with the TCU. She introduced Gustavo Ruiz, the Colombian Deputy Prosecutor for Environment, Mining, Energy, and Agrarian Affairs, who highlighted their office's interest in learning more about ClimateScanner. According to him, the Public Prosecutor's Office exercises preventive control and judicial intervention to defend the environment in Colombia, ensuring the country's compliance with climate agreements such as the Paris Agreement (global treaty adopted in 2015 during COP21). 

The Colombian Public Prosecutor's Office is an external disciplinary audit agency tasked primarily with auditing the conduct of public officials throughout the country. As such, the Public Prosecutor's Office holds prosecutorial powers and can impose sanctions, especially in cases of corruption. It does not, however, audit public accounts, as this responsibility falls under the Office of the Comptroller General of Colombia.