Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

08-December-2011 15:27 IST

Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG), Shri Vinod Rai has been elected as the Chairman of the Panel of External Auditors of the United Nations, the Specialized Agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency. He succeeds Mr.Norbert Hauser, Vice-President, Federal Court of Auditors, Germany.

Like any other organization, the accounts and management operations of the United Nations, the Specialised Agencies (WHO, WFP, WIPO etc.) and the International Atomic Energy Agency are required to be audited and reported on periodically by independent external auditors. The General Assembly in 1959 established the Panel of External Auditors, comprising the individual external auditors of the United Nations system, who are also Heads of Supreme Audit Institutions. Panel Members share experiences and methodologies on an on-going basis to ensure, to the extent possible, uniformity of external audit practices throughout the United Nations system. The findings and recommendations of Panel Members are taken seriously and the status of recommendations is closely monitored for timely and effective implementation. In this way, Panel Members contribute significantly to the fulfillment of the Charter of the United Nations.

Much of the Panel’s work is undertaken by the Technical Group which is mandated to research and review specific topics of interest to the Panel. The Technical Group reports to the Panel at its regular meetings on the topics reviewed and its recommendations. Shri Jagbans Singh, Director General, in the office of the CAG of India, has been elected as the Chairman of the Technical Group of the Panel.

SS/GN

External audit leadership: Chair of panel of external auditors enhances coordination of audit practices across international agencies. Comptroller & Auditor General of India, Shri Vinod Rai, has been elected Chair of the Panel of External Auditors, the collective body of heads of Supreme Audit Institutions that audit the United Nations system; the Panel promotes uniform external audit practices, shares methodologies, reviews findings and monitors implementation. The Panel's Technical Group, chaired by Shri Jagbans Singh, researches specific topics, reports to the Panel and proposes recommendations to harmonize technical approaches across agencies.