Letter from the President of OLACEFS - February 2026

With great enthusiasm, the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) begins a new term as president of the Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Supreme Audit Institutions (OLACEFS). I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all members who supported our candidacy and especially to the outgoing administration, led by CGR Paraguay, for its outstanding work. We are committed to continuing their legacy of cooperation and innovation, while moving forward with close attention to the needs of the citizens served by the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) that make up our community.

In November 2025, during the General Assembly held in Fortaleza, Brazil, TCU was elected to lead this organization, which plays an essential role in strengthening and integrating SAIs across the region. As we begin our term in 2026, we renew our commitment to the values that unite us and count on the engagement of all members in the initiatives that will guide our joint work.

OLACEFS has been a key platform for cooperation and innovation, promoting the exchange of best practices and the institutional strengthening of SAIs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Upon assuming the presidency of OLACEFS, TCU proposes a strategic approach aligned with the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, aimed at seizing opportunities and addressing the challenges faced by our institutions. We also aim to expand institutional communication and strengthen capacity building, cross-cutting themes that will guide our activities.

In the area of digital transformation, we will strengthen initiatives focused on technological inclusion and the development of digital infrastructure, with particular attention to institutions in the early stages of technological maturity. In this context, the ADOPTE program is a key tool, offering diagnostics, technical training, and tailored strategies for the technological modernization of SAIs. We will also promote the use of cutting-edge technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI), both to improve audits and to encourage citizen participation, disseminating best practices and boosting the development of regional expertise. Cybersecurity capabilities will likewise be reinforced, with the essential support and engagement of the members of the Commission on Information Technologies and Communication (CTIC).

We will also reinforce our commitment to equity and inclusion, aligning our actions with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this regard, we highlight the good practices of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Gender Equality Seal, a global initiative that recognizes public institutions committed to advancing gender equality. We will actively work to implement OLACEFS' Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination Policy, promoting constructive dialogue between SAIs that have already made progress on this issue and those that still face challenges. Our goal is to foster women's leadership and strengthen gender mainstreaming, with the support of the Commission for Gender, Inclusion and Diversity (CGID).

In the field of sustainable development, energy transition will be a priority, seeking to position OLACEFS as a global reference in oversight of this issue. We will promote cooperative audits, targeted training activities, and the creation of an accessible knowledge base to support SAIs in evaluating public policies related to energy transition. In addition, we will encourage regional benchmarking to identify good practices and align the region's development with climate goals and the SDGs, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Initiatives led by the Special Technical Commission for the Environment (COMTEMA) and the Infrastructure and Energy Transitions Commission (COINFRA) will be instrumental in advancing these objectives.

Regarding citizen participation, we will reinforce the role of citizens as key stakeholders in government auditing by promoting initiatives that connect SAIs to the public. The Citizen Participation Commission (CPC) will play a fundamental role in this effort by disseminating best practices and encouraging civil society engagement in audits and public policy. Our goal is to strengthen transparency, governance, and public trust in SAIs, in alignment with the SDGs.

In the area of poverty reduction, we will work on developing an innovative methodology, in partnership with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, to measure the relationship between budgetary spending and poverty reduction from a multidimensional perspective. This approach goes beyond income-based analysis, incorporating dimensions such as health, education, and living standards. Our initial goal is to develop a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for a national pilot program, and then adapt the methodology to the regional context.

These lines of action represent an open invitation to cooperation and engagement from all OLACEFS members. We are confident that, together, we can transform government audit into a tool for meaningful social change, promoting more democratic, transparent, and effective governance for the benefit of all citizens throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

We count on the support and active participation of each and every one of you to achieve these goals and consolidate OLACEFS as a global benchmark in governance and innovation.

With warm regards and appreciation,