Audit initiative aims to improve public spending
PRESS STATEMENT 100/08
18 September 2008
AUDIT INITIATIVE AIMS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SPENDING IN PACIFIC REGION
Use of public resources in the Pacific is set to improve under a new initiative by the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI).
PASAI Chairperson Mr Paul Allsworth, of the Cook Islands, said the Pacific Regional Audit Initiative’s overarching objective is to raise Pacific public auditing to uniformly high standards.
“This in turn will contribute to good governance through improved transparency, accountability and efficiency in managing and using public resources in the Pacific.”
PASAI is a regional organisation representing 25 audit institutions in the Pacific, and is one of seven regional working groups of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions.
The Pacific Regional Audit Initiative was developed through an extensive 18-month consultative process under the guidance of PASAI, with support from the Asian Development Bank and the Australian Agency for International Development, under the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s co-ordination, given the interest of Forum Leaders on good governance, as articulated in the Pacific Plan.
“The initiative will build on the existing work of PASAI to enable the public accounts of participating countries to be audited in a timely manner to high standards,” Mr Allsworth said.
“In addition to region-wide co-operative performance audits, the Initiative will deliver structured training programs, support the attainment of professional qualifications, and establish peer reviews between Offices.”
The PASAI Transitional Working Group (TWG), which was established to implement the Initiative, met in Auckland, New Zealand, from 8 to 10 September to progress transition arrangements for the new Secretariat of PASAI, which will be based in Suva, Fiji Islands.
The working group comprises the Auditors-General from the Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa, and an Asian Development Bank representative.
Representatives from the Australian Agency for International Development, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions Development Initiative, the New Zealand Agency for International Development, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and the World Bank attended the meeting.
Secretary-General of PASAI Mr Kevin Brady, of New Zealand, said the meeting made progress on a new constitution for PASAI and on a region-wide co-operative performance audit with an environmental focus.
“In addition, key decisions were made on the support that development partners will provide during the coming months to establish the new Secretariat of PASAI and to begin work on a number of activities under the Initiative,” Mr Brady said.
The PASAI TWG meeting agreed to engage the Forum Economic Ministers’ at their upcoming meeting to be held in October in Port Vila, with a view to highlight the significant progress made in the design of PRAI, and to outline implementation plans.
Acting Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Mr Peter Forau, said Pacific Islands Forum Leaders, and FEMM, have identified the audit initiative as an important regional undertaking, as recognised in the Pacific Plan.
“The PRAI progress is an excellent demonstration of regional cooperation, with a significant dimension of pooling scarce resources to support improved transparency, accountability, equity and efficiency in the management and use of our public resources," said Mr Forau.
"While there is still some more work to get through, the good progress that has been achieved so far strongly suggests the desired arrangements will start to come together in the near future. At this stage we are all grateful for the support, firstly of the ADB and AusAid for the financial and technical support which they have provided to the exercise, secondly, to PASAI for its leadership, and finally, the national SAIs for supporting the initiative”
(Ends)
For more information, contact Peter Forau, Acting Secretary General, and Sanjesh Naidu, Economic Adviser, on phone (679) 3312 600 or email
18 September 2008
AUDIT INITIATIVE AIMS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SPENDING IN PACIFIC REGION
Use of public resources in the Pacific is set to improve under a new initiative by the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI).
PASAI Chairperson Mr Paul Allsworth, of the Cook Islands, said the Pacific Regional Audit Initiative’s overarching objective is to raise Pacific public auditing to uniformly high standards.
“This in turn will contribute to good governance through improved transparency, accountability and efficiency in managing and using public resources in the Pacific.”
PASAI is a regional organisation representing 25 audit institutions in the Pacific, and is one of seven regional working groups of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions.
The Pacific Regional Audit Initiative was developed through an extensive 18-month consultative process under the guidance of PASAI, with support from the Asian Development Bank and the Australian Agency for International Development, under the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s co-ordination, given the interest of Forum Leaders on good governance, as articulated in the Pacific Plan.
“The initiative will build on the existing work of PASAI to enable the public accounts of participating countries to be audited in a timely manner to high standards,” Mr Allsworth said.
“In addition to region-wide co-operative performance audits, the Initiative will deliver structured training programs, support the attainment of professional qualifications, and establish peer reviews between Offices.”
The PASAI Transitional Working Group (TWG), which was established to implement the Initiative, met in Auckland, New Zealand, from 8 to 10 September to progress transition arrangements for the new Secretariat of PASAI, which will be based in Suva, Fiji Islands.
The working group comprises the Auditors-General from the Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa, and an Asian Development Bank representative.
Representatives from the Australian Agency for International Development, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions Development Initiative, the New Zealand Agency for International Development, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and the World Bank attended the meeting.
Secretary-General of PASAI Mr Kevin Brady, of New Zealand, said the meeting made progress on a new constitution for PASAI and on a region-wide co-operative performance audit with an environmental focus.
“In addition, key decisions were made on the support that development partners will provide during the coming months to establish the new Secretariat of PASAI and to begin work on a number of activities under the Initiative,” Mr Brady said.
The PASAI TWG meeting agreed to engage the Forum Economic Ministers’ at their upcoming meeting to be held in October in Port Vila, with a view to highlight the significant progress made in the design of PRAI, and to outline implementation plans.
Acting Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Mr Peter Forau, said Pacific Islands Forum Leaders, and FEMM, have identified the audit initiative as an important regional undertaking, as recognised in the Pacific Plan.
“The PRAI progress is an excellent demonstration of regional cooperation, with a significant dimension of pooling scarce resources to support improved transparency, accountability, equity and efficiency in the management and use of our public resources," said Mr Forau.
"While there is still some more work to get through, the good progress that has been achieved so far strongly suggests the desired arrangements will start to come together in the near future. At this stage we are all grateful for the support, firstly of the ADB and AusAid for the financial and technical support which they have provided to the exercise, secondly, to PASAI for its leadership, and finally, the national SAIs for supporting the initiative”
(Ends)
For more information, contact Peter Forau, Acting Secretary General, and Sanjesh Naidu, Economic Adviser, on phone (679) 3312 600 or email
