LOC16:28
13:28 GMT
AMMAN, May 5 (KUNA) -- Undersecretary of the Kuwait State Audit Bureau (SAB) Yousef Al-Mazrouei affirmed on Monday that the independence of supreme audit institutions is a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring that public oversight efforts provide meaningful value to both citizens and society.
This came in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of the 3rd annual seminar on the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI).
The two-day event, which kicked off earlier today in Amman, Jordan, is organized by the Jordan Audit Bureau and brings together around 40 participants, including heads of Arab audit institutions and parliamentarians from Jordan and other Arab countries.
In his statement, Al-Mazrouei underlined the importance of institutional independence for the effective functioning of oversight bodies.
He noted that the opening statements by the officials at the seminar emphasized the vital role of supreme audit institutions in Arab states and the importance of ensuring they carry out their mandates with full authority.
He pointed out that this is the third consecutive year the seminar is being held, underscoring continued efforts to strengthen the independence of audit institutions and promote effective cooperation with parliaments in member countries of the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI).
He said the seminar's agenda includes in-depth discussions on the independence of supreme audit institutions and is expected to produce recommendations that reaffirm their autonomy in accordance with the legal, regulatory, and parliamentary frameworks of each country.
Al-Mazrouei mentioned that the seminar also aims to explore informal factors that may impact institutional independence across the region, facilitate the exchange of experiences, and review initiatives by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Development Initiative related to audit body independence.
He pointed out that the seminar will also feature presentations on the global project on informal influences, as well as the work of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on public trust and its connection to institutional independence. It will further address the identification of informal factors in the INTOSAI context.
He added that participants will discuss mechanisms for rapid advocacy in support of independence, cooperation between audit institutions and civil society organizations, and support for legal units within supreme audit bodies.
Al-Mazrouei praised the Jordanian Audit Bureau for its warm hospitality, well-organized event, and facilitation of all necessary arrangements for participants. (pickup previous)
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