The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) and the Chamber of Accounts of the Dominican Republic (CCRD) agreed today to strengthen the institutional capacity of this oversight body and promote greater transparency in the management of public resources. The agreement was signed during a ceremony held at the Organization's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
OAS Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin said the initiative seeks to help make the Chamber of Accounts a more modern institution with greater integrity. "One of the most important institutions within a democratic system is the one responsible for conducting audits, overseeing expenditures, and ensuring accountability. I therefore consider this agreement another important step toward strengthening transparency, integrity, accountability, good governance, and democratic practices in our societies."
For her part, the President of the Chamber of Accounts of the Dominican Republic, Emma Polanco Melo, noted that the agreement provides for technical assistance from the GS/OAS in preparing an institutional assessment and training Chamber of Accounts personnel on ISO 37001, concerning anti-bribery management systems. "The agreement we are signing today with the OAS General Secretariat represents a milestone in our transformation and focuses specifically on strengthening our anti-bribery management system," said the Dominican official.
The agreement seeks to familiarize Chamber of Accounts officials with ISO 37001 on anti-bribery management systems, a management standard designed to help organizations combat corruption. The OAS will be responsible for implementing the training and assessment plan and assigning specialized personnel.
This agreement builds on the cooperation the OAS already provides to the Dominican Republic in the areas of transparency and public integrity. For example, through the Inter-American Open Data Program to Prevent and Combat Corruption (PIDA), the country has received technical assistance and participated in dialogue forums focused on using open data to combat corruption. It also benefits from the analyses, recommendations, and cooperation tools of the Follow-Up Mechanism for the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC), as well as from the Organization's support for strengthening public procurement, which has included assistance to the Directorate General for Public Procurement.
Reference: FNE-145038
