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Today, as a part of the active cooperation between the Supreme Audit Institutions of the USA and Ukraine (hereinafter – the SAIs of the USA and Ukraine) within the framework of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) assistance project "Strengthening the Capacity of the Accounting Chamber" the Acting Chairman of the Accounting Chamber Andrii Maisner met the Comptroller General of the United States, Head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Gene L. Dodaro in Krakow.
The parties discussed a number of strategic issues and further support of the institutional development of the Accounting Chamber by the American colleagues. It is about audits in the areas on the U.S. Government's targeted financial assistance to Ukraine, restoration of Ukraine, protection of critical infrastructure in the war etc.
As of today, more than 50 employees of the Accounting Chamber have completed a training course on auditing and exchanged practical experience with American colleagues.
During the discussion, Mr. Dodaro emphasised: "Auditors should be ahead of the curve, identifying risks and knowing the real needs of society, rather than looking back and doing their job after the fact."
Mr. Maisner, in his turn, thanked for the effective support of the Accounting Chamber, exchange of practical experience and trainings for fellow auditors.
"As an audit institution, being independent of the government, in the context of war and tragedy, unprecedented assistance from international partners and citizens of other countries, we understand our dual responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency in the use of the state's material resources. We also take on the most pressing specific audits, such as psychological rehabilitation and social and professional readaptation of post-combatants, as well as prosthetics, orthotics and physical rehabilitation of Ukraine's defenders and civilians who have lost limbs and partial functional capacity. The veterans' issue is one of the key issues right now and will remain so for a very long time. We need qualitative changes for the better in the state policy towards veterans," he said.
Gene L. Dodaro supported the relevance and urgent need for audits in this area, emphasising that these are very urgent issues for the United States, which are under constant systematic control. The heads of the SAIs also discussed the issue of updating the Ukrainian legislation to expand the mandate of the Accounting Chamber and ensure its independence from the government and anyone else. They mentioned the draft laws to be considered in the Parliament in the nearest future, the future working group based on the Verkhovna Rada Budget Committee with the U.S. and EU representatives, as well as the competition for the positions of the Accounting Chamber members, which has already been announced and should be completed by 15 March 2024 through the Parliament's voting.
Andrii Maisner expressed his gratitude to the American partners for their comprehensive support and stressed that it directly affects the institutional development of the Accounting Chamber and trust strengthening in it and its work within the state, as well as trust in the audit institution and Ukraine in general by international partners.
"It is a matter of our institutional maturity, trust of the society and other stakeholders, image and reputation. Ultimately, it is the trust in us as professional competent auditors," he said.
Gene L. Dodaro added: "Stakeholders do not have to like the Accounting Chamber, but they should respect it. Good reputation and independence are the main values for the Supreme Audit Institution".
Andrii Maisner and Gene L. Dodaro agreed on further active cooperation, practical audit interaction and joint efforts to strengthen the principles of proper accountability, transparency and efficiency of the use of public funds, particularly the U. S. material resources in the war context in Ukraine.
