Independent Audit Advisory Committee Holds Twenty-Ninth Session at New York Headquarters, 18-20 February

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee of the United Nations (IAAC) held its twenty-ninth session from 18 to 20 February 2015.  The session, which was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, was presided over by the Chairman, J. Christopher Mihm.  All the other members of the IAAC, namely Patricia X. Arriagada Villouta (Vice-Chairman), Natalia A. Bocharova, Richard Quartei Quartey, and Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan, were in attendance.

The IAAC welcomed Mr. Quartey (Ghana), the recently appointed member.

The IAAC’s deliberations included the finalization of the Committee’s report on the support account budget of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) for the fiscal year 2015-2016.

In addition, the Committee held meetings with:

1. Carman Lapointe, Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services regarding a wide range of matters, including:  (i) update on the discussions with the Legal Counsel; (ii) status of vacant posts; (iii) execution of the peacekeeping budget; (iv) status of the funding arrangement proposal; and (v) strengthening the investigation function.
2. Yukio Takasu, Under-Secretary-General for Management, on (i) analysis of the investigation cases that were closed by with no disciplinary action; (ii) update on the report pertaining to the transfer of all investigations of prohibited conduct to OIOS; and (iii) salient matters contained in the fourth progress report on the accountability system in the UN Secretariat.
3. Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas, Controller, on a range of issues, including (i) the relationship between the Enterprise Resource Planning (Umoja) on the implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS); and (ii) issues apparent in the recently concluded Board of Auditors’ report on the peacekeeping operations accounts.
4. Joan Dubinsky, Director of the Ethics Office, on the work of the Office and its interaction with OIOS, especially in regard to investigation.
5. Lena Dissin, Chief of Office, Office of the Ombudsman, on the activities of the Office, as well as the investigation function in the Secretariat.

The next (thirtieth) session of the IAAC is scheduled for 27-29 April 2015 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

For further information on the work of the IAAC, please contact the Committee’s Executive Secretary, Moses Bamuwamye, at e-mail:  bamuwamye@un.org; tel.:  +1 212 963 0788; fax:  +1 212 963 0600.