Matanyahu Englman has become the first Israeli State Comptroller and Ombudsman to hold the position of president of the European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI), on Monday.
This makes Englman will be the only senior public figure in Israel to serve as head of an international organization.
Englman spoke of his new role, during an appointment ceremony, saying: "I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to nearly 50 states for trusting me to lead this esteemed organization, especially in this difficult time, after the severe terrorist attack Israel experienced on October 7, and with our hostages still in Gaza."
"I see great importance in the European acknowledgment of the State Comptroller's Office of Israel," he continued. "I expect the States of Europe to stand with Israel and bring the Israeli hostages home," he added.
EUROSAI
Eurosai is an organization which promotes cooperation between European State Audit Institutions (SAIs) and encourages knowledge-sharing between different countries.
It holds a Congress every three years, and is the official start of the new president. This year, it was held online due to the war in Israel.
President Isaac Herzog opened the ceremony with a speech about the importance of international efforts to bring the hostages home. He also spoke of the role the public audit system plays in safeguarding "the democratic freedoms of our societies".
The outgoing president of EUROSAI, President of the Supreme audit office of the Czech Republic, Miloslav Kala, handed over the EUROSAI Crystal to Englman.
Committing to the values of EUROSAI, Englman expressed his desire to prevent corruption, calling it "paramount to our mission."
He also spoke of his desire to make EUROSAI "a driving force for innovation and excellence in public audit" which he said would be achieved through "robust peer review process."
Englman concluded by saying that the organization would "enhance our interfaces with esteemed international bodies such as the OECD, UN, and World Bank, reinforcing our role as a leading voice in the global audit community."