The event was part of a project between the OECD and the ASF and aimed at discussing ideas and strategies on how the Superior Audit Institution exercises its mandate in the infrastructure sector. See more details at: https://www.oecd.org/gov/regulatory-policy/mexico-improves-its-better-regulation-policy-and-regulators-with-more-effective-audits.htm.

The Federal Court of Accounts – Brazil (TCU) was one of the guests at the event, along with the National Audit Office (NAO) and the UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA).

The Department of External Control – Electric Power Infrastructure (SeinfraElétrica) and the Department of Special Operations in Infrastructure (SeinfraOperações) were present, representing SAI Brazil. Auditor André Delgado de Souza, from SeinfraElétrica, presented the TCU’s experience with auditing the Brazilian Electricity Sector governance, highlighting issues of strategic planning and impact assessments to support relevant decisions in the sector. He also mentioned how courts of accounts may potentially improve public governance. Finally, the auditor invited other control institutions to discuss best practices related to the subject.

SeinfraOperações, in a presentation led by Head of Department Rafael Di Bello and Advisor Victor Hugo Ribeiro, dealt with strategies and ideas on how a SAI can act to combat corruption in the infrastructure sector. It was also emphasized that TCU’s work is usually a starting point for further investigations conducted by other Brazilian public control agencies, to detect fraud and corruption, as was the case of the well-known “Lava Jato” Operation. The first “Lava Jato” audits were carried out by the TCU between 2008 and 2012 and supported the initial stages of the operation in 2014 (more details on the relevance of the TCU’s performance in: https://portal.tcu.gov.br/combate-a-corrupcao/tcu-e-a-lava-jato.htm).