UNITED NATIONS INDEPENDENT AUDIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONCLUDES FIRST MEETING

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations, established as a subsidiary body of the General Assembly to serve in an expert advisory capacity and to assist the Assembly in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, held its inaugural session in New York from 20 to 22 February 2008.

Members of the Committee, who are independent of the Board of Auditors, the Joint Inspection Unit and the Secretariat, comprise an exceptional group of senior level experts in the field of financial, audit and/or other oversight-related activities.  The members of the Committee, all of whom were appointed to serve for a three- or four-year term of office, all beginning on 1 January 2008, are Vadim Vadimovich Dubinkin, Head of the Summary Audit Department, Accounts Chamber, Russian Federation; Vijayendra Nath Kaul, former Comptroller and Auditor-General of India; John F. S. Muwanga, Auditor-General of Uganda; Adrian Patrick Strachan, Auditor-General of Jamaica; and David M.Walker, Comptroller General of the United States.

During its first session, the Committee elected its Chairman, David M. Walker, and Vice-Chairman, Vijayendra Nath Kaul, and adopted rules of procedure that will guide the way the Committee will operate.  The Committee also established its initial priorities and approved a plan of activities for 2008.  The Committee’s initial priorities will include:

-- reviewing and commenting on the budget proposal of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to be financed under the Peacekeeping Support Account for 2008-2009;

-- reviewing and commenting on the Secretary-General’s report to the General Assembly on an accountability framework, enterprise risk management and internal control framework, and results-based management;

-- reviewing the roles, responsibilities and reporting lines of the oversight entities within the United Nations that are covered by the Terms of Reference and their related coordination and cooperation activities;

-- reviewing the processes and results relating to recommendations made by the oversight bodies covered by the Terms of Reference; and

-- preparing a longer-range (e.g. three years) plan of activities that the Committee will address in connection with each of the 10 items included in the Terms of Reference.

During its initial session, the Committee met with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services Inga-Britt Ahlenius, Under-Secretary-General for Management Alicia Bárcena, other senior officials of the United Nations Secretariat and representatives of Member States, including the Chairman of the Fifth Committee and other pertinent players.  These meetings provided useful information that the Committee will take into consideration for the future.  The Committee will, however, use its independent professional judgement in determining its priorities and any advice provided to the General Assembly.

The Committee also agreed to three additional meetings during the calendar year 2008: 29 April-1 May; 16-18 July; and 1-3 December.

For further information on the work of the Committee, please contact Hazelien Featherstone at e-mail: featherstoneh@un.org, telephone: +1 917 367 2851.

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For information media • not an official record