Paris, France - COA Chairman Reynaldo A. Villar represented the Philippine
Commission on Audit at the annual meeting of the External Auditors of the
different United Nations agencies held in Paris, France from November 24 to
December 3, 2008.
Assisting the Chairman was Director Joseph B. Anacay who is currently
assigned at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) following COA’s
appointment as External Auditor of the FAO.
Representatives from the Supreme Audit Institutions of France, China, South
Africa, Switzerland, Germany, India, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Canada and the
Philippines gathered at the annual meet to share common experiences in order to
identify the risks faced by the UN and its specialized agencies and improve the
governance of these institutions through the conduct of audits.
The Philippines presented recent developments in International Standards of
Auditing at the gathering in which initial discussions focused on updates on UN
Reform Initiatives, status of the revision of UN Financial Rules and Regulations
in preparation for IPSAS, and the lessons learned arising out of audit
experiences in the respective auditees shared by the participants.
Of particular interest to the Panel and which became the major topics of
lengthy discussions were the progress of IPSAS implementation in the UN as well
as its agencies, the issue of the Single Audit Principle and the Impact of
Voluntary Contributions.
The meeting was divided into three parts: the 24th Meeting of the Technical
Group was held on November 24-28, 2008; the 49th session of the Panel of
External Auditors of the UN, the Specialized Agencies and the International
Atomic Energy Agency followed on December 1-2, 2008; and the last meeting was
the 38th special session of the UN Board of Auditors.
As a breather from the intense discussions, the participants were also given
a glimpse of the French countryside with a visit to the cities of Epernay and
Reims, about 140 kilometers north of Paris. At a tour of the champagne producer
"Champagne Mercier" in Epernay, the participants were taken to the underground
site where the famous champagne is produced and aged.
Despite the rigorous schedule, the participants believe that they have
accomplished a lot during the meetings. The sharing of experiences and their
discussions of issues common to their audit institutions and auditees have
widened their appreciation of the need to be in constant communication and
coordination between one another. –with a report from Director Joseph B. Anacay.
