We are on the map: become familiar with the International Activity of the Office of the State Comptroller and Ombudsman
The Office of the State Comptroller and Ombudsman is active on the International arena and closely collaborates with State Audit Institutions and ombudsmen around the world.
- Since May, 2024, the State Comptroller, Matanyahu Englman, is serving as the president of the European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) after formally serving as the first Vice President of this organization. Englman, who was nominated as president by his European colleagues, started his term in office in an on-line International Conference hosted by Israel in the midst of "Swords of Iron" War. The Israeli State Comptroller is expected to serve as the president of the organization until 2027.
As the president of EUROSAI, the State Comptroller established the organization's strategic plan for 2024-2030, and the Israeli Office of the State Comptroller is leading and participating in International working groups regarding diverse professional topics. - The Israeli State Comptroller is also a member of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI). In 1965-1968, the State Comptroller at the time, the late Yitzhak Ernst Nebenzahl, served as the chairman of the INTOSAI in 1965-1968.
Comptroller Engelman with state comptrollers from Latin America at the EUROSAI-OLACEFS Congress
In his role as Ombudsman, the State Comptroller is a member of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) as well as the regional, European branch of this organization. He also serves as a member and part of the board of directors of the Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen (AOM).
State audit institutions and ombudsmen around the world closely collaborate in various ways:
- Participating in working groups and managing the groups.
- Participating in international conferences.
- Conducting joint audits.
- Organizing "round tables" and work meetings for the purpose of knowledge-sharing and mutual learning.
- Publishing articles in international journals and newsletters.
- Participating in comparative studies.
- Consulting and making requests to receive information from state audit institutions around the world.
Thus, for instance, the Office of the State Comptroller led a joint international audit regarding the preparedness for workforce 2030 which was completed in 2021. In 2024, the Office initiated joint international audits on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the aging of population. The Office also initiated and participated in a peer review process conducted by the audit institutions of the UK and the U.S, during which, aspects of financial performance audit of the Israeli Office of the State Comptroller were examined.
As part of the best practice papers series (BPP) published by the IOI and distributed to all ombudsmen around the world, the organization adopted two papers initiated by the Israeli Public Complaints Commission. The papers regarding mediation as an effective tool for handling complaints (2023) and the protection of whistleblowers (2024).
