The auditor network is an important tool for implementing global sustainability goals (PK1220/11/20/2023)

VIENNA (Pakistan) – Speaker of the National Assembly Wolfgang Sobotka, Secretary-General of INTOSAI and President of the Court of Auditors Margit Kraker will attend a ceremony in Parliament this evening to honor the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). The INTOSAI Secretariat, which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary, has been present at the Austrian Court of Auditors in Vienna since 1963. Following welcoming remarks by Sobotka and Kraker at the event, high-level representatives from INTOSAI, the IMF and the United Nations discussed various aspects of the bodies’ activities Supreme Audit. The main focus was on their contribution to sustainable global development. There was agreement that SAIs are an important factor when it comes to encouraging public administrations to be effective, impact-oriented and transparent.

INTOSAI is an important forum for exchanging experiences

The 70th anniversary of INTOSAI is an important milestone that encourages us to reflect on the shared journey over the past decades and recognize the significant contributions of the international community of SAIs, said Bruno Dantas, Head of the SAI of Brazil and Chairman of the Board of Directors of INTOSAI. blackboard. The COVID-19 crisis has been well overcome. However, challenges remain, especially with regard to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Dantas said that reviewing state finances is not an easy task because audit reports are a mirror in which some governments do not want to see themselves. Therefore, a credible external audit function that provides objective and reliable reports brings important progress to society.

Hussam Al-Anqari, President of the Saudi Audit Bureau and Chairman of the Board of Directors of INTOSAI, said that INTOSAI has continued to develop as an organization, in line with the common principle of “mutual experience benefits everyone,” and has achieved tremendous progress in serving the audit community. PFAC (Policy and Finance Committee). and management). INTOSAI plays a fundamental role as a recognized voice in the international arena of SAIs. Through the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), Saudi Arabia’s SAI supports audit authorities in several developing countries, both in reviewing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and with resources from the SAI Performance Fund. Al-Anqari called for continuing to enhance and strengthen INTOSAI’s mission. This will create a future based on shared values ​​and a commitment to excellence.

Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, Vice Chair of the INTOSAI Committee (PFAC) and President of the INTOSAI Review, said, “It is a great honor for us to speak, share experiences, and learn from each other on the occasion of INTOSAI’s 70th anniversary.” At a time when global threats such as tax debts, health crises and armed conflicts make the review task of senior audit authorities more difficult, independent audit structures are needed more than ever. Looking to the next 70 years, not only committed, independent and transparent audits must be carried out, but also persuasion must be done to ensure that everyone benefits from the results of these audits. Dodaro stressed that it is therefore important to enhance mutual understanding and remain committed.

Supreme audit institutions and their contribution to sustainable development

In her speech, Tsakani Maluleke, Auditor General of South Africa and Chair of the INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee, addressed the challenges and opportunities that have arisen for SAIs from the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. For audit institutions themselves to be able to In fulfilling her role, she was required to expand her skills and capabilities so that she could provide adequate support to government actors in implementing sustainability goals. In addition to the INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee (Capacity Building Committee of INTOSAI), other global and regional bodies as well as SAIs themselves have played a positive role here. Peer reviews in particular have become an effective tool for improving the way SAIs operate. The manner in which INTOSAI members have so far met the challenges of the 2030 Agenda is an encouraging sign of efforts to secure a future worth living for future generations.

Kai Schiller, Head of the German Federal Audit Office, also spoke about the key role that INTOSAI and the Auditors’ Tribunals play in implementing the UN’s sustainability agenda. Audit courts themselves must set a good example and be prepared to make changes. SAI’s monitoring activities contribute to ensuring that the budgets used have the best possible impact for the people who are supposed to benefit from government actions. Schiller also highlighted the positive implications for national review tribunals that arise from peer reviews or review by UN missions. It is a win-win for all parties, and would help ensure that aid from international organizations better reaches the people who need it. Schiller said that having international mandates and experience gained by audit courts would make their work better, which was also evident for the German Federal Audit Office.

In a video message, Rhoda Weeks-Brown, General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs at the International Monetary Fund, extended her greetings to INTOSAI and the guests of the event. It recognizes the important role that INTOSAI and its members play in the struggle to achieve greater transparency and responsible financial behavior in the work of governments and state administrations. In recent decades, INTOSAI and its members have become increasingly important partners of the IMF in implementing its programs. This has recently been demonstrated in relation to the support measures taken by the International Monetary Fund in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On behalf of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), David Le Blanc, Head of the United Nations Department of Public Institutions and E-Government, praised the work done by INTOSAI in relation to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It was important that INTOSAI not only accompany this remote implementation, but also embrace the sustainability goals themselves. In this way, it plays a key role in its implementation and contributes significantly to the exchange of experiences. However, Le Blanc found that member organizations’ engagement with the SDGs could be deepened and developed. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs stands ready to continue to support INTOSAI and its Member States in these efforts, building on INTOSAI’s long-standing cooperation with the United Nations. (End of concert) Bea/Sox

Note: Photos from this event can be found on the Parliament’s online portal.