UNITED NATIONS INDEPENDENT AUDIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE HOLDS SECOND SESSION

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 second session in New York from 29 April to 1 May 2008.

During its current session, the Committee Chairman, David M. Walker, presided over the meeting.  The Committee adopted the summary record of proceedings of 20-22 February 2008 session.  The Committee’s agenda for the second session included a meeting with the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) to discuss matters pertaining to the work of the Independent Audit Advisory Committee and interaction with ACABQ.

The Committee was also briefed by the Under-Secretary-General and other representatives of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) on the work plans of the Office for 2008, including their methodology and coordination plans with other oversight bodies; the Chief of the Accountability and Oversight Support Office and other representatives of the Department of Management, on the report of the Secretary-General on the accountability framework, enterprise risk management and internal control framework and results-based management (document A/62/701), including the concepts and proposals contained therein; and the Controller and other representatives from the Office of Programme Planning Budget and Accounts, on the budgetary process, and such issues as timing, content and related costing considerations, as well as the proposed revised funding arrangements for OIOS (documents A/61/810, A/61/880, and General Assembly resolution 61/275).

In accordance with its terms of reference, the Committee agreed that it would provide its comments to the General Assembly on: work plans of the Office of Internal Oversight Services; relevant sections of the report of the Secretary-General on the accountability framework, enterprise risk management, internal control framework and results-based management, as they relate to the terms of reference for the Committee; and any other comments the Committee deems to be both appropriate and consistent with its terms of reference.

Prior to the meeting, the Committee had issued its report to the General Assembly, through ACABQ, on the proposed budget for the support account for peacekeeping operations for OIOS for the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. The Committee received feedback from various stakeholders in this report.  Based on this feedback, the Committee agreed to issue a clarifying letter as a supplement to its initial report on OIOS’ proposed move to a “hub and spoke” approach for its peacekeeping investigations function.

The Committee also agreed to provide an annual report to the General Assembly for the period 1 January 2008 to 31 July 2008.  This initial report will be for a partial year since the Committee members were appointed effective 1 January 2008.

The next session of the Committee will take place from 16 to 18 July 2008.  During that session, the Committee plans to meet with the members of the Board of Auditors, the Joint Inspection Unit, the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the Department of Management and representatives from various external accountability organizations.

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