{
  "title": "“Checking the Receipts” Audits of Emergency Finance: A preliminary analysis of the implementation of the Letter of Intent commitment on audits in 50 countries",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, April 11, 2025",
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  "summary": "This paper explores one dimension of the IMF’s COVID response – support for conducting and publishing independent audits of COVID-related spending. The economic impact of COVID was felt across the globe and created stresses on the balance of payments of member countries.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Summary and purpose",
      "content": "- Examines one dimension of the IMF’s COVID response: support for conducting and publishing independent audits of COVID-related spending.\n- Context: The economic impact of COVID created stresses on the balance of payments of member countries, and many members turned to the IMF for emergency financing.\n- Guidance cited from the IMF Managing Director: “do what it takes but keep the receipts.”\n- Focus: How commitments in IMF emergency financing programs to put in place transparency and accountability measures—specifically commitments for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) to audit COVID-related spending—were implemented across member countries.\n- Scope: Commitments for SAI audits were included in Fund financing in 56 member countries; SAI audit reports were ultimately published in 50 member countries."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Key findings and statistics",
      "content": "- Number of member countries with Fund financing that included commitments for SAIs to audit COVID-related spending: 56\n- Number of member countries where SAI audit reports were published: 50\n- Paper length: 83 pages"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Themes analyzed",
      "content": "- Implementation of Letter of Intent commitments on audits in the context of IMF emergency financing during COVID-19.\n- The role of transparency and accountability measures attached to emergency financing.\n- Interaction between IMF program commitments and Supreme Audit Institutions’ audit activities and publication practices."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Subject areas and keywords",
      "content": "- Subject classifications: Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, COVID-19, Crime, Emergency assistance, Foreign aid, Health, Public financial management (PFM)\n- Keywords: Accountability, audit report, Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, COVID response, Covid-19, East Africa, Emergency assistance, emergency financing, Europe, Global, governance, IMF COVID-19 emergency, IMF emergency finance, IMF emergency financing, Middle East, Middle East and Central Asia, North Africa, pandemic, Supreme Audit Institutions"
    },
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      "content": "- Authors: Sebastiaan Pompe, Alice F French, Martin Aldcroft, Camilla Fredriksen\n- Publication date: April 11, 2025\n- Series: Working Paper No. 2025/075\n- Issue: 075\n- Volume: 2025\n- Pages: 83\n- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229006910.001\n- Stock No: WPIEA2025075\n- ISBN: 9798229006910\n- ISSN: 1018-5941\n\nIMF Working Paper — “Checking the Receipts” Audits of Emergency Finance: A preliminary analysis of the implementation of the Letter of Intent commitment on audits in 50 countries\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Working Paper\n  - Working Paper (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Working Paper (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2025/04/11/checking-the-receipts-audits-of-emergency-finance-564203"
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    "Authors: Sebastiaan Pompe, Alice F French, Martin Aldcroft, Camilla Fredriksen",
    "Published: April 11, 2025",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229006910.001",
    "Examines one dimension of the IMF’s COVID response: support for conducting and publishing independent audits of COVID-related spending.",
    "Context: The economic impact of COVID created stresses on the balance of payments of member countries, and many members turned to the IMF for emergency financing.",
    "Guidance cited from the IMF Managing Director: “do what it takes but keep the receipts.”",
    "Focus: How commitments in IMF emergency financing programs to put in place transparency and accountability measures—specifically commitments for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) to audit COVID-related spending—were implemented across member countries.",
    "Scope: Commitments for SAI audits were included in Fund financing in 56 member countries; SAI audit reports were ultimately published in 50 member countries.",
    "Number of member countries with Fund financing that included commitments for SAIs to audit COVID-related spending: 56",
    "Number of member countries where SAI audit reports were published: 50",
    "Paper length: 83 pages",
    "Implementation of Letter of Intent commitments on audits in the context of IMF emergency financing during COVID-19.",
    "The role of transparency and accountability measures attached to emergency financing.",
    "Interaction between IMF program commitments and Supreme Audit Institutions’ audit activities and publication practices.",
    "Subject classifications: Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, COVID-19, Crime, Emergency assistance, Foreign aid, Health, Public financial management (PFM)",
    "Keywords: Accountability, audit report, Auditing, Budget planning and preparation, Corruption, COVID response, Covid-19, East Africa, Emergency assistance, emergency financing, Europe, Global, governance, IMF COVID-19 emergency, IMF emergency finance, IMF emergency financing, Middle East, Middle East and Central Asia, North Africa, pandemic, Supreme Audit Institutions",
    "Authors: Sebastiaan Pompe, Alice F French, Martin Aldcroft, Camilla Fredriksen",
    "Publication date: April 11, 2025",
    "Series: Working Paper No. 2025/075",
    "Issue: 075",
    "Volume: 2025",
    "Pages: 83",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229006910.001",
    "Stock No: WPIEA2025075",
    "ISBN: 9798229006910",
    "ISSN: 1018-5941",
    "**Working Paper**"
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