Last week, Acting Deputy IG Nicole L. Angarella presented at an event hosted by the World Bank for the Representatives of the Internal Audit Services (RIAS) Plenary Session, entitled “Evolving Assurance in Fragile Environments: Insights, Lessons-Learned, and Innovative Solutions.”
The panel focused on topics including challenges of operating in fragile states, the potential role of new technology, evolving assurance practices in fragile states, and the importance of collaboration.
Approximately half of the 100 countries in which USAID operates are States of Fragility and Ms. Angarella discussed USAID OIG’s wealth of experience operating in these difficult environments. Some of the areas she highlighted include the OIG’s ongoing oversight work in Ukraine to combat fraud and corruption, the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in fragile states, and how collaboration and communication are key to effective oversight, especially in environments like Afghanistan where the U.S. no longer has a physical presence. Ms. Angarella also touted the importance of partnerships through the use of memoranda of understanding (MOUs). She discussed USAID OIG’s newly signed MOUs with Ukraine’s Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor (SAPO) and State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) as examples of building partnerships to share information and strengthen the OIG’s monitoring and oversight of USAID programming in Ukraine.
USAID OIG remains committed to comprehensive, and efficient oversight of USAID programming, particularly in fragile states, and oversight of USAID’s response in Ukraine continues to be one of USAID OIG’s top priorities.
To learn more about USAID OIG’s Ukraine work, please visit the Ukraine Oversight page.
Press contact: OIGPress@usaid.gov