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Pacific Island auditors trained on best performance auditing practices

Auckland, New Zealand: The Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) is delivering a series of 12 webinars covering key performance audit concepts for its members from today.

Fifty staff from the government audit offices of American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) National office, FSM Kosrae, FSM Pohnpei, Fiji, Guam, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Samoa and Tonga have registered to participate in the remotely accessible capacity building training.

The first webinar will cover “What is performance audit, and economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity?”

The remaining webinars will cover concepts from performance audit standards that underpin good practice from planning to reporting and follow up.

PASAI will typically release webinars in the series twice a month into late August 2024. A video, together with a practice sheet on the relevant concept covered, will be made available to participants on PASAI’s online Learning Platform. There will also be a quiz to complete on the key points covered in each webinar.

Additionally, in late April 2024, PASAI will facilitate an in-person workshop in Fiji to strengthen performance audit practice across member audit offices.

PASAI Director Performance Audit, Mike Scott, was delighted by the response of member audit staff who want to ensure they apply best practice to their performance auditing of government expenditure and service provision.

“Through the webinars and the workshop, our members will share and build understanding together of good performance audit practice, and how they can use performance audits to promote transparency, accountability and value for Pacific people,” he said.

PASAI acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

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Contact information:

Mike Scott, Director Performance Audit PASAI
E: mike.scott@pasai.org P: +64 9 304 1275

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PASAI director visits Kosrae State and the Marshall Islands

Auckland, New Zealand: Performance Audit Director for the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI), Mike Scott, visited the Marshall Islands last week to provide in-person technical support on performance auditing. This immediately followed a weeklong visit to the Office of the Kosrae Public Auditor in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Kosrae State Legislature had recently specified three audit topics for the Public Auditor, Palikkun Kilafwasru, to carry out performance audits on.

Mr Scott explained, “A performance audit is an objective examination of whether citizens are well served by the spending of public money. Performance Audits examine how economically, efficiently, effectively, and equitably public money is spent.

“To take one example, the Kosrae Public Auditor will audit the government’s construction of the Utwe Gym. By planning the objective and scope of the audit, and considering how to engage with the auditee, we set the Kosrae team up to make insightful findings and provide valuable recommendations to action.”

Mr Scott also worked with the Kosrae audit staff to plan the other two audits and provided guidance on how to document audits according to international standards, which will help them in making enhancements to their methodology following a recent peer review.

In the Marshall Islands, Auditor-General, Junior Patrick, and his staff at the Office of the Auditor-General hosted Mr Scott during his mission.

Mr Scott undertook a quality assurance review of one of the office’s audits, noting a well-documented audit file and a high-quality draft report, and offering advice on areas to support them in continuing to advance the quality of their work.

He also spent two full days on staff capacity building, enhancing the auditors’ skills on topics ranging from report writing to risk management and compliance with auditing standards.

PASAI acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

PASAI Performance Audit Director, Mike Scott; and Kosrae State Public Auditor, Palikkun Kilafwasru (second and third from left); with staff from the Office of the Kosrae Public Auditor

Mike Scott planning audits with staff from the Office of the Kosrae Public Auditor

Performance audit capacity building training for the staff of the Office of the Auditor-General, Republic of Marshall Islands

Mike Scott and Auditor General, Junior Patrick (back row, centre); with staff from the Office of the Auditor-General

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Contact information:

Mike Scott, Director Performance Audit PASAI
E: mike.scott@pasai.org P: +64 9 304 1275

PDF version of this media release

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PASAI holds women symposium in Samoa

Apia, Samoa: The Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) commenced a three-day Governance and Leadership Women Symposium for current and emerging female leaders across the Pacific Island region from today.

The first day is dedicated to developing the capabilities of 34 female staff who have travelled from government audit offices across Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Australia and New Zealand. They will hear from PASAI staff on topics like sustainable audit practices, quality management and gender policies.

On the second and third days, current and emerging female leaders from Pacific Island audit offices will be joined by more than 60 others from the Samoan public sector, businesses, civil society organisations, the media, regional stakeholders and development partners. Top accounting students from selected secondary schools will also attend.

Minister of Finance, Honourable Lautimuia Afoa Uelese Vaai, will officially open the symposium. The full list of local and international speakers who will share their experiences and insights is at pasai.org/symposium.

PASAI Chief Executive, Esther Lameko-Poutoa, in explaining the reason for organising the symposium, said that while slightly more than half of staff who work at government audit offices in the Pacific are women, their representation among those who hold managerial and leadership positions rapidly dwindles with increasing levels of seniority.

“We are committed to promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in the Pacific region through our programme of work and by establishing strategic partnerships to achieve positive outcomes in this area.

“We also advance productive relationships and encourage closer collaboration between audit institutions, relevant anti-corruption authorities and legislatures to build an accountability ecosystem across integrity agencies.

“It is only by unlocking the full potential of our workforces that we can more quickly achieve our goal of good governance and accountability within the public sector,” she said.

Samoa-based PASAI Programme Director and event coordinator, Susana Laulu, was especially pleased Samoa was chosen to host such an event, being held at the Taumeasina Island Resort.

“Not only was Samoa the first Pacific Island nation to elect a woman as its top leader, but it boasts having many women who have excelled in leadership positions across business, government, academia and CSOs. So it provides an ideal setting to inspire increasing standards of gender equality and inclusiveness,” she said.

PASAI aims for the symposium to allow for peer-to-peer learning from the experience and good practices of other countries and for discussions on how to enhance effective cooperation in the region to promote good governance and integrity in the public sector. 

PASAI acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The arrangements for the symposium were also made possible by a collaboration with the Bank South Pacific (BSP) Samoa and TAUTAI Governance for Economic Growth.

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Contact information:

Susana Laulu, Programme Director PASAI
E: Susana.Laulu@pasai.org P: +64 9 304 1275

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Excitement builds for inaugural women symposium

Everything is nearly ready for next week’s Governance and Leadership Women Symposium, to be held over three days in Apia, Samoa.

Around 100 delegates and speakers from across the Pacific Islands will gather for what is a first-of-its-kind event for PASAI. This meeting will engage an illustrious panel of local and international speakers who will share their experiences and insights to enhance the capacity and capability of current and emerging female leaders.

While slightly more than half of staff who work at government audit offices in the Pacific are women, their representation among those who hold managerial and leadership positions rapidly dwindles with increasing levels of seniority.

Samoa, rich in examples of women who have excelled in leadership positions across business and government, provides an ideal setting to inspire increasing standards of gender equality and inclusiveness.

The programme is designed to enable inclusive engagement and will provide a great opportunity to network with delegates, speakers and Samoan women in leadership.

By unlocking the full potential of our workforces, we can more quickly achieve our goal of good governance and accountability within the public sector.

PASAI is privileged to host this symposium in collaboration with the Bank South Pacific (BSP) Samoa and TAUTAI Governance for Economic Growth.

 
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Passing of Eroni Vatuloka, first Executive Director of PASAI

It is with sorrow we recently learnt of the passing of Eroni Vatuloka, the first Executive Director of the PASAI Secretariat. He played a pivotal role in shaping PASAI into the respected association it is today. His work contributed to the increased effectiveness of supreme audit institutions across the Pacific region.

He later acted as a PASAI Advocate and Public Financial Management (PFM) Consultant. He helped facilitate workshops for the public accounts committees and public expenditure committees of several Pacific Island parliaments, improving their understanding of their own role within national PFM systems.

Mr Vatuloka's dedicated service and invaluable contributions have left an indelible mark on the audit community and the pursuit of excellence in public financial management in the Pacific region.

We extend our deepest condolences to Mr Vatuloka's family, friends and former colleagues in the audit community during this difficult time.

 
 

Satrunino Tewid
PASAI Chairman
Public Auditor, Palau

John Ryan
PASAI Secretary-General
Controller and Auditor General, New Zealand

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Register for webinar on SAI Somalia’s journey towards a modern and independent audit law

Navigating the audit bill process in a challenging context.

In an upcoming CBC/ACCC webinar, senior staff from SAI Somalia will share their experiences of achieving the significant milestone of getting their audit bill signed into law last September.

Ms Mariam Abdirazak Awale (Special Assistant to the Auditor General) and Mr Said Birmad Egal (Legal Advisor of the OAG) will tell participants how they overcame challenges (including political complexities) and successfully steered the bill to approval.

The webinar will provide the story behind the importance of this achievement, share valuable lessons learnt during this process and serve as a source of inspiration for other SAIs striving to establish their legal frameworks.

Participants must register for the webinar taking place on Tuesday 20 February 2024 from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm CET (11.00 pm to 12.30 am NZDT). Registrants will receive a confirmation email explaining how to join the webinar, and may be able to view the recording later.

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