Vienna (PK) – The President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, and the Secretary General of INTOSAI and President of the Court of Auditors, Margit Kraker, will participate this evening in a ceremony in Parliament to honor the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI ). The General Secretariat of INTOSAI, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, has been located at the Austrian Court of Auditors in Vienna since 1963. Following Sobotka and Kraker’s welcoming remarks to the event, high-ranking representatives from INTOSAI, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations discussed the various aspects of the activities of supreme audit authorities. The main focus was on its contribution to sustainable global development. There was consensus that Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) are an important factor when it comes to encouraging public administrations to be efficient, impact-oriented and transparent.
INTOSAI as an important forum for exchanging experiences
INTOSAI’s 70th anniversary is an important milestone that encourages us to reflect on the shared journey of recent decades and recognize the significant contributions of the international community of supreme audit institutions, said Bruno Dantas, President of SAI Brazil and Chairman of the Board of Directors from INTOSAI. Frame. The COVID19 crisis was overcome well together. However, challenges remain, especially with regard to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Auditing state finances is not an easy task because audit reports are a mirror in which some governments do not like to see themselves, said Dantas. Therefore, a credible external audit function that provides objective and reliable reports brings important progress to society.
INTOSAI has continued to evolve as an organization, in line with the common principle of “Mutual Experience Benefits Everyone”, and has made tremendous strides in serving the audit community, said Hussam Alangari, President of the Saudi Arabian Court of Auditors and President of INTOSAI. PFAC (Policy and Finance Committee and administration). INTOSAI plays a substantial role as a recognized voice in the international arena of higher audit institutions. Through the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), the Supreme Audit Office of Saudi Arabia supports audit authorities in several developing countries, both in auditing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and with resources from the SAI Performance Fund . Alangari advocated for advancing INTOSAI’s mission and strengthening INTOSAI. This will create a future based on shared values and a commitment to excellence.
It is an honor to speak, share experiences and learn from each other on the occasion of INTOSAI’s 70th anniversary, said Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, Vice Chairman of INTOSAI PFAC and President of INTOSAI Journal. At a time when global threats such as tax debts, health crises and armed conflicts complicate the audit mandate of supreme audit authorities, independent audit structures are more necessary than ever. Looking ahead to the next 70 years, it is necessary to carry out not only committed, independent and transparent audit work, but also convincing efforts to ensure that everyone benefits from the results of these audits. It is, therefore, important to promote mutual understanding and continue to be and remain committed, Dodaro emphasized.
Higher 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 emerged for SAIs from the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. In order to fulfill their role, audit institutions themselves were forced to expand their competencies and capabilities, in order to be able to adequately support state actors in implementing sustainability objectives. In addition to the INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee, 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 work. She considered the way INTOSAI members have so far faced the challenges of the 2030 Agenda as an encouraging sign of efforts to ensure a future worth living for future generations.
Kay Scheller, President of the German Federal Audit Office, also spoke of the key role of INTOSAI and the Audit Courts in implementing the UN sustainability agenda. The audit courts themselves must set a good example and be prepared to make changes. ISC’s monitoring activities contribute to ensuring that the budgets used have the best possible effect in the interests of the people who are supposed to benefit from government action. Scheller also highlighted the positive effects that arise for national audit courts from peer reviews or review of UN missions. They are a win-win and would help ensure that aid from international organizations better reaches the people who need it. The auditors’ assumption of international mandates and the experience gained would improve their own work, which was also demonstrated in the case of the German Federal Audit Office, Scheller said.
In a video message, Rhoda Weeks-Brown, General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), extended greetings to INTOSAI and the guests at the event. It recognizes the important role of INTOSAI and its members in the fight for greater transparency and responsible fiscal 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 was most recently demonstrated in relation to IMF support measures related to the COVID-19 epidemic.
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 Electronic Government, praised the work carried out by INTOSAI in relation to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It was important that INTOSAI not only monitored this implementation remotely, but also adopted its own sustainability objectives. In this way, it plays a fundamental role in its implementation and significantly contributes to the exchange of experiences. However, Le Blanc concluded that the engagement of member organizations with sustainable development goals could be further deepened and advanced. UNDESA stands ready to continue supporting INTOSAI and its member states in these efforts, building on INTOSAI’s long-standing collaboration with the United Nations. (End of ceremony) bea/sox
NOTE: Photos of this event can be found on the Parliament portal.