OLAF strengthens global partnerships against aid fraud at InvestigAid 2025

The InvestigAid 2025 Conference, held from 22 to 24 October in Bucharest, brought together investigators, auditors and external aid experts from the EU and beyond to examine new patterns - and risks - affecting international development assistance.

Co-organised by the Romanian Agency for International Development (RoAid) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the conference focused on "Aid Under Scrutiny: Trends and Patterns in a Changing World", a theme reflecting the evolving geopolitical, financial and technological environment in which aid operates today.

Over two days, participants shared experiences on how public institutions can strengthen accountability and resilience in their aid programmes. Discussions ranged from digitalisation and cyber-enabled fraud to new cooperation models between donors and recipient countries, and the strategic planning of development assistance to prevent misuse of funds.

"The global aid architecture is changing rapidly. New actors, digital tools and geopolitical realities create both opportunities and vulnerabilities," said Florin Postica, Principal Adviser at OLAF. "Our task as investigators is to adapt faster, connect better and keep trust at the heart of how public money is managed."

The event featured speakers from the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA), European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), USAID, Global Affairs Canada, German Development Agency GIZ, AFD France and several European and national investigative bodies, as well as OLAF. They provided insights on emerging fraud schemes, oversight reforms and technology-enabled investigation techniques.

Among the highlights were interactive workshops led by OLAF and partner agencies on case selection and prioritisation, the use of satellite imagery in investigations, and approaches to engage political decision-makers in the oversight of funding. These practical sessions underscored the value of sharing investigative practice and peer learning across jurisdictions.

"Fraud in development aid does not stop at borders - neither should our cooperation," added Daniela Maria Dobre, Director General of RoAid. "InvestigAid is a space where oversight agencies can learn from each other, challenge assumptions and build new alliances to safeguard aid integrity."

Beyond technical sessions, participants also discussed future cooperation formats, including joint training initiatives and the use of artificial intelligence to detect fraud indicators while ensuring ethical and proportionate use of data.

With the 2025 edition of InvestigAid, OLAF restated its commitment to strengthening international collaboration to protect development funds and promote sound financial governance. The Bucharest conference confirmed that innovation, partnership and professional integrity remain the most effective tools against fraud.

Background

InvestigAid is an annual international conference series dedicated to strengthening cooperation in financial investigations and anti-fraud work in the field of external aid. Initiated by OLAF in 2021, it has since become a recognised brand and a forum for dialogue, knowledge-exchange and capacity-building among investigative and aid agencies worldwide.