14-15 December 2019 - Abu Dhabi,Strengthening Collaboration between Anti-Corruption Authorities (ACAs) and Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) towards Effective Prevention and Detection of Corruption Offences
On December 14 and 15, the meeting “Strengthening Collaboration between Anti-Corruption Authorities (ACAs) and Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) towards Effective Prevention and Detection of Corruption Offences” was held in Abu Dhabi. It was organized by the State Audit Institution of the United Arab Emirates, as a Pre-Event of the Eight Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (COSP) to be held from December 16 to 20.
The meeting highlighted the importance of a close and continuous cooperation between SAIs and ACAs as well as the beneficial effects of it. During the meeting it has been underlined the leading role of SAIs in deterring and fighting corruption; SAIs contribute in fostering transparency, evidencing risk areas, building robust and effective internal controls, specifically aimed at preventing corruption in line with the spirit of the UN COSP.
Participants shared anticorruption strategies and reflected on risk assessments; they dealt with public procurement and public sector employment matters and discussed on future workplans in combatting corruption.
The Italian presentation pointed out the role of the Corte dei conti in deterring and fighting corruption, hence acting both from an ex ante, through preventive and preemptive actions, and an ex post perspective, insisting on every level of the bureaucratic machine (from central government to Regions and local authorities), thanks to the multifaced functions of its audit chambers and its public prosecutors and the judgments of its jurisdictional Chambers. It has been described the fact that the Corte dei conti exerts a diachronic and continuous control over unlawful practices.
In this regard, our representatives bared the case of the Venice lagoon and the unfinished works to protect it from high tides and consequent flooding (e.g. the M.O.S.E.). They showed the results of different audit controls exerted by the Court during the years (the 1983 ex ante audit, declaring the unlawfulness of the concession contract, and the 2009 and 2010 performance audits, criticizing the lack of a complete executive project, the lack of the evaluation of the environmental impact, the structural conflict of interest between the contractor, the uncertainties regarding the final price of the M.O.S.E. and its timing and the permanent conflict of interests between the contractor and the commission for the acceptance of works) and the recent M.O.S.E. of Venice cases (two final judgments), where the representatives of the Veneto region have been condemned by the Court to restore the Region for the damages suffered as a consequence of the ascertained corruption regarding the M.O.S.E.’s public procurement.
The Corte dei conti was represented by Ms. Erika Guerri, Judge of the International Affairs Office, and Mr. Arturo Iadecola, Deputy Prosecutor of the Office of the General Prosecutor.