To ensure that assistance reaches those in need at the right time, there will always be risks involved. These are substantial amounts of funding being provided to a country at war.
Gunn Jorid Roset
Ukraine: Anti-Corruption and Financial Oversight Remain Key
Ukraine: Anti-Corruption and Financial Oversight Remain Key
Today, the Office of the Auditor General of Norway presented two reports on Norway’s civilian support to Ukraine.
– The National Audit Office concludes that there is much good management of civilian support to Ukraine, while also identifying areas for improvement. This provides valuable learning. We are continuously working to strengthen the management and risk framework of the Nansen Support Programme, says Norad Director General Gunn Jorid Roset regarding the two reports presented today.
The National Audit Office of Norway operates with three levels of criticism and concludes with the lowest level, “not satisfactory”, in its reports on the management of the Nansen Support Programme.
– We are continuously making adjustments to ensure that Norwegian aid becomes even more effective. The recommendations from the National Audit Office will help us make important improvements. The Nansen Programme is large and complex. We are constantly learning and improving, says Roset.
Risk assessments and oversight of Norwegian aid funds are among the areas reviewed by the National Audit Office of Norway.
Control of financial flows and robust corruption risk assessments have been central to the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine from the very beginning. We have clear requirements for partners and have established solid systems to prevent and detect Norwegian funds ending up in corruption,” says Roset.
Anti-corruption
Norad has extensive anti-corruption expertise and introduced additional control mechanisms to reduce corruption risks from the outset of the Nansen Programme. To date, no major cases have been uncovered involving Norwegian civilian aid funds being lost to corruption.
– At the same time, we have zero tolerance for corruption. Corruption and misuse of funds have consequences, says Roset.
The National Audit Office highlights six recommendations to strengthen the management of the Nansen Support Programme.
Since 2023, Norad has managed the civilian component of the Nansen Programme on behalf of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Flexible support
The National Auditor Office concludes that Norway has coordinated its efforts with the Ukrainian authorities and partners, and that support to Ukraine has been provided in line with Ukraine’s needs and the priorities set by the Norwegian Parliament.
– War is unpredictable, which is precisely why it has been important for us to be able to adapt quickly to emerging needs in order to provide the support Ukraine requires. The support must be flexible. During the winter there was an energy crisis, and it was therefore important to prioritise support for electricity, gas and heating, says Roset.