2. INTRODUCTION
• INTOSAI Was Founded in 1953 and its New General Secretary is Dr. Margit Kraker
when 34 SAIs met for the first INTOSAI Congress in Cuba, INTOSAI has at present 189
full members and 4 associate members. Since then, INTOSAI has provided an
institutionalized framework for SAIs to improve professional standing and capacities.
• INTOSAI is the professional organization of supreme audit institutions (SAI) in
countries that belong to the United Nations (UN) or its specialized agencies and is the
recognized international body representing SAIs. SAIs play a major role in auditing
government accounts and operations and in promoting sound financial management and
overall accountability in their governments. INTOSAI provides a forum for government
auditors from around the world to discuss issues of mutual concern and keep abreast of
the latest developments in auditing and other applicable professional standards and best
practices. In keeping with these objectives, INTOSAI’s motto is “Mutual Experience
Benefits All.”
3. • The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) operates as an
umbrella organisation for the external government audit community. For more than 50
years it has provided an institutionalised framework for supreme audit institutions to
improve government auditing worldwide and enhance professional capacities.
• INTOSAI adopted the Lima Declaration of Guidelines on Auditing Precepts in 1977.
INTOSAI issues international standards and guidelines for financial, compliance, and
performance audits and provides guidance for good governance.
• INTOSAI has five official languages: Arabic, English, French, German, and Spanish. It
is a voluntary group whose success depends on consistent professional and financial
support from its members.
• INCOSAI, a congress held every third year in a different country, is the supreme body of
INTOSAI, which comprises the entire membership. Each country has one vote, and no
member country has a veto right. The Governing Board, consisting of 18 member SAIs,
is accountable to the membership.
4. • INTOSAI also partners with other organizations: the Interparliamentarian Union
(IPU), the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the Institute of Internal
Auditors (IIA), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD), as well as the World Bank and others in the Donor Community. INTOSAI
also cooperates with the UN in promoting good governance and fighting corruption.
• INTOSAI entered into a milestone agreement with 15 organizations, including
international donor institutions and country development agencies, to enhance the
development capacity of SAIs around the world.
5. REGIONAL WORKING GROUP
OLACEFS
• The Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Supreme Audit Institutions
(OLACEFS) is an international, autonomous, independent, apolitical and permanent
organization. Its objectives are as follows:
• Conduct scientific investigation;
• Develop study, training and specialization;
• Provide technical advice, assistance and coordination for the SAIs of Latin America and
the Caribbean.
• The conceptual vision of OLACEFS focuses on promoting the participation of different
SAIs in their own development and improvement.
• OLACEFS has a long tradition dating back to 1963 (proposal for the establishment of a
Latin American Institute of Auditing Sciences (ILACIF), which was implemented in
1965).
6. AFROSAI
• Chief objective of the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions
(AFROSAI) is to promote and develop the exchange of ideas and experience among
the SAIs of the African states in the field of the audit of public finances by
• Implementing systematic studies concerning the audit of public finances,
• Organizing training courses for personnel charged with carrying out auditing tasks,
and
• Collaborating with INTOSAI, its regional working groups, and other organizations
and institutions specialized in the audit of public finances.
• AFROSAI was created in November 1976.
7. ARABOSAI
• Objectives of the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI)
include
• Encouraging exchanges of ideas, viewpoints, experiences, studies, and research
among the member institutions in the field of auditing and work to promote
auditing in both scientific and practical terms;
• Working toward raising awareness within the Arab nations of the importance of
auditing in order to strengthen the role of SAIs in carrying out their missions; and
• Organizing and strengthening cooperation between ARABOSAI and the institutions
and specialized organizations of the League of Arab States, INTOSAI, and other
organizations—both international and regional—whose activities relate to auditing.
• ARABOSAI was established in 1976.
8. ASOSAI
• ASOSAI (Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions) is one of the Regional Groups of the
International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).
• ASOSAI was established in 1979 with 11 members. The Membership of the ASOSAI consists of
Charter Members, Members and Associate Members. Now, membership has grown to 46 SAIs.
• The objectives of ASOSAI are:
• To promote understanding and cooperation among member institutions through exchange of ideas
and experiences in the field of Public Audit.
• To provide facilities for training and continuing education for government auditors, with a view to
improving quality and performance.
• To serve as a center of information and as a regional link with institutions in other parts of the
world in the field of Public Audit.
• To promote closer collaboration and brotherhood among auditors in the service of the Governments
of the respective member institutions and among regional groups.
9. CAROSAI
• Objectives of the Caribbean Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (CAROSAI)
include the following:
• Promote the exchange of ideas and experience in the field of government auditing;
• Provide opportunities for training and continuing education;
• Promote the importance of the internal audit function within the public sector;
• Provide technical assistance and exchange of expertise among members;
• Raise the level of audit consciousness in the Caribbean area in order to support the role
of the institutions performing their duties; and
• Promote the application of comprehensive auditing.
• CAROSAI was founded in 1988.
10. EUROSAI
• Major objectives of the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) include:
• Promote professional co-operation among SAI members;
• Encourage the exchange of information and documentation;
• Advance the study of public sector audit;
• Stimulate the creation of University Professorships in the subject; and
• Work towards the harmonisation of terminology in the field of audit.
• From its very beginning EUROSAI has been active in organizing a fruitful and mutually beneficial
cooperation in the field of public audit among all the countries of the previously divided Europe,
prioritizing support for the establishment of independent public audit bodies in Central and
Eastern European transition countries.
• EUROSAI was established in 1990.
11. PASAI
• The main goal of the Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) is to
successfully implement its Regional Institutional Strengthening Plan.
• The plan has five goals:
• Helping SAIs meet their training and related needs;
• Providing a means for sharing training information, methodologies, and technology in
the region;
• Ensuring the ongoing relevance of training and related activities;
• Securing the necessary resources for plan implementation; and
• Promoting best practices and methodology and strengthening SAIs" organisational
structures.
• PASAI was formally accepted as a Regional Working Group of INTOSAI in 1987.
12. PRINCIPAL OF TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ARE THE FOLLOWING :
• SAIs perform their duties under a legal framework that provides for accountability and
transparency
• SAIs make public their mandate, responsibilities and strategy
• SAIs adopt audit standards, processes and methods that are objective and transparent
• SAIs adopt audit standards, processes and methods that are objective and transparent
• SAIs ensure that these accountability and transparency principles are no compromised
when they outsource their activities
• SAIs manage their operations economically, efficiently, effectively and in accordance with
laws and regulations and reports on these matters
• SAIs make use of external and independent advice to enhance the quality and credibility of
their work
13. THE VALUE AND BENEFITS OF SUPREME AUDIT
INSTITUTIONS – MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO
THE LIVES OF CITIZENS
• Strengthening the accountability, transparency and
integrity of government and public sector entities
Principle 1: Safeguarding the independence of SAIs.
Principle 2: Carrying out audits to ensure that government and
public sector entities are held accountable for their stewardship
over, and use of, public resources.
Principle 3: Enabling those charged with public sector governance to
discharge their responsibilities in responding to audit findings and
recommendations and taking appropriate corrective action.
Principle 4: Reporting on audit results and thereby enabling the
public to hold government and public sector entities accountable.
14. • Demonstrating ongoing relevance to citizens,
Parliament and other stakeholders
Principle 5: Being responsive to changing environments and
emerging risks.
Principle 6: Communicating effectively with stakeholders.
Principle 7: Being a credible source of independent and objective
insight and guidance to support beneficial change in the public
sector
15. • Being a model organisation through leading by
example
Principle 8: Ensuring appropriate transparency and accountability of
SAIs.
Principle 9: Ensuring good governance of SAIs.
Principle 10: Complying with the SAI’s Code of Ethics.
Principle 11: Striving for service excellence and quality.
Principle 12: Capacity building through promoting learning and
knowledge sharing.