Letter from the President of OLACEFS - August 2026

I write at a time when our community is still deeply affected by what has happened. From August 10 to 14, Cali, Colombia, was to host the General Assemblies of OLACEFS and EFSUR, as well as the meeting of the OLACEFS Governing Board. We had looked forward to these occasions to come together again and pursue our shared work. However, a powerful earthquake struck the region just as the meetings were getting underway, forcing us to suspend the institutional activities. While the earthquake came as a shock, we were relieved to receive confirmation that all representatives of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) who were present were safe. At the same time, we stand in solidarity with the people of Colombia and with all those affected by this event in any way.

Events such as this are a stark reminder of why natural disasters must remain high on the SAIs' agenda. Our region is exposed to multiple natural hazards seismic, climatic, and hydrological that constantly test our states' ability to protect their populations. In this context, SAIs have a key role to play in assessing whether public policies aimed at prevention, risk mapping, and vulnerability reduction are being effectively implemented. This preventive, rather than reactive, perspective is what can turn government oversight into a powerful instrument for protecting lives.

OLACEFS has already recognized the importance of this issue through the Working Group on Disaster Management Auditing in the Framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (GTFD), which has worked to strengthen the region's SAIs' capacities in this area. As GTFD approaches the conclusion of its activities, an opportunity now arises to build on this work and perhaps bring this agenda within other areas of the Organization.

These efforts build on valuable work already being carried out by several countries. Argentina, Chile, and Brazil, for example, recently participated in a global cooperative audit coordinated by the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), in partnership with the Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA), to assess policies for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. The audit identified a range of weaknesses in these countries, including gaps in strategic planning, a lack of mechanisms to prioritize vulnerable groups, regional plans that fail to address emerging hazards, and approaches that remain predominantly reactive.

In the coming months, OLACEFS will continue to strengthen this agenda by promoting the exchange of methodologies among SAIs, encouraging cooperative audits on risk management, and disseminating good practices to help our countries move beyond a focus on reconstruction and toward a genuine culture of prevention.

I would also like to reiterate my appreciation to all representatives of the region's SAIs for their understanding following the postponement of the Assemblies and for the solidarity they have shown in recent days. We remain confident that, by working together, our institutions will continue to place the protection of the lives and well-being of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean at the heart of their mission.

With appreciation and determination,