USAID Finances Institutional Transparency Assessment
December 14, 2007

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In a press conference held this December, the Minister of Public Works, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, Jorge Nieto, and the Chief of Party of USAID contractor Casals & Associates in El Salvador, Carlos Guerrero, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop an institutional diagnostic financed by USAID’s Strengthening Democracy program.

The diagnostic will evaluate the efficiency of the Ministry’s organizational structure; provide a mapping of risks and analysis of priorities in internal administrative and financial controls; assess the relationship between central and satellite offices; and make recommendations for strengthening its capacity towards more transparent, effective and efficient performance.

The Ministry of Public Works is the first Salvadoran Ministry that will make use of a USAID-funded internal control assessment under USAID’s current strategy, which promotes and supports transparency, accountability and internal control practices in government institutions.

Both the Ministry of Public Works and Casals agreed to conduct technical follow-up, monitor the agreements and coordinate teams to fulfill the activities resulting from the Memorandum.