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Government accounting and financial reporting in Latin America: The state of ...OECD Governance
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What does good look like?
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2. Interpretation
Information
Simultaneous interpretation is provided in
Arabic and English. Please click on the globe
button on the bottom of your screen and
choose either “Arabic” for ARABIC language
or “English” for English language.
Use the Questions & Answer
(Q&A) button to submit your
questions
3. WELCOME &
OPENING REMARKS
HATEM KAWASMY
Chairman, Arab Federation of
Accountants and Auditors (AFAA)
JENS KRISTENSEN
Practice Manager, Middle
East North Africa, World
Bank
4. Agenda
PRESENTATIONS
15:10-15:20 Is Cash Still King?
15:20-15:30 Pathways to Accruals
15:30-15:40 Global Experiences Supporting the Transition
CASE STUDY
15:40-15:50 Overview of IPSAS Adoption and Role of PAOs in Supporting the
Transition – Jordan and Palestine
15:50-16:10 Saudi Arabia
PANEL DISCUSSION
16:10-16:55 Q&A
16:55–17:00 Closing remarks & Call to Action
21. • New digital platform providing
practical guidance and resources
covering:
Overview of wider reform contexts
Variety of pathways for accrual
transition
Main accrual implementation tasks
Guidance on building capacity
• Launched Feb 28, 2022
Supporting Stronger PFM and Accountability Capabilities
21
Downloadable
PDF resources
Access the platform here:
https://pathways.ifac.org
22. Pathways to Accrual: Overall Structure
• The Wider Reform Context
• Governance
• PFM Framework
• Implementation Strategy
• Building Capacity
• Accounting Standards and Policies
• Entity-level Issues
22
https://pathways.ifac.org
23. Further case studies and resources
• IFAC and the IPSASB welcome additional
examples to help illustrate how practical
challenges in initiating and managing an
accrual implementation program have been
overcome.
• If you have a case study example or
resource to share from your jurisdiction or
organization, please let us know by
completing this form:
www.ifac.org/contact-pathways-to-accrual
25. Global Experiences Supporting
the Transition
World Bank
Global Experiences Supporting the
Transition
Global Experiences Supporting the
Transition
26. World Bank strongly supports the use of public sector accrual accounting
based on international standards and good practices that allows
governments to:
• Provide a comprehensive overview of their financial position and
performance.
• Facilitate external oversight of public expenditures and thereby boost
trust in government.
• Prepare more reliable fiscal statistics and manage fiscal risks by the
transparent disclosure of future obligations and liabilities.
• Foster transparency and accountability in public spending related to
COVID-19-triggered sovereign debt crisis.
26
World Bank Support & Benefit
27. 27
Global Regional Diagnostics and Advocacy Technical Assistance
The Bank works closely with IPSASB in
promoting and supporting accrual
based IPSAS.
The World Bank is a standing member
of Public Interest Committee (PIC) of
IPSASB - whose remit is to provide
assurance that the IPSASB’s standard-
setting activities are in the public
interest
The World Bank is also represented on
the Consultative Advisory Group (CAG)
that provides inputs on IPSASB’s
strategy, work program and project
priorities.
Public Sector Accounting and Reporting
Program (“PULSAR”) in Europe and
Central Asia (ECA), the Forum of
Contaduras Gubernamentales de
América Latina (FOCAL) network in
Latin America and Caribbean) (LAC) and
the Foundational Accounting and
Financial Management Skills
Enhancement Program (FASE) program
in North Africa are some platforms
supporting Public Sector Accounting
and Reporting.
Support is provided through diagnostic
assessments and capacity building
targeted at public sector accountants,
government institutions and a variety
of other stakeholders
Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA)
assessments is a framework for assessing and reporting
on the strengths and weaknesses of public financial
management (PFM) using quantitative indicators to
measure performance.
The PEFA framework measures the effectiveness of
accounting and reporting systems through three key
indicators: financial data integrity (PI–27), in-year
budget reports (PI–28), and annual financial reports (PI–
29).
2020 Global Report on Public Financial Management has
identified that while countries scored well on data
integrity (PI–27), but they scored poorly (an average “C”
grade on a A-D scale) on in-year budget reports (PI–28)
and annual financial reports (PI–29), even though these
two indicators are recognized as being critical for
accountability and transparency in the PFM system.
Bank’s diagnostics and PFM dialogues with client
countries provide us an opportunity to promote public
sector accounting and financial reporting reforms
A study for the World Bank identified 89 current
donor-led technical assistance projects that have an
accounting or financial reporting component.
Almost all projects that specifically include accounting
reform consist of multiple components and have a
multi-year time-horizon. Technical assistance falls
broadly within the following seven
categories/components:
education/accounting curricula;
training/capacity building;
1. 3) normative/legal framework and standard-
setting;
2. 4) IT;
3. 5) strategy/policy dialogue and reform roadmap;
4. 6) awareness raising;
5. 7) scoping / assessment work.
World Bank support for the Public Sector Accounting Reform Agenda
28. Global status of IPSAS Adoption
28
INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
INDEX 2020
29. Status of IPSAS Adoption in MENA
29
Year Country Professional Accountancy Organization IPSAS Adoption Status
2021 KSA The Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants Adopted
2022 UAE United Arab Emirates Accountants & Auditors Association Adopted
2022 Egypt Egyptian Society of Accountants & Auditors Not Adopted
2022 Iraq Iraqi Union of Accountants and Auditors Not Adopted
2022 Lebanon Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accountants Not Adopted
2022 Tunisia Ordre des Experts Comptables de Tunisie Not Adopted
2022 Yemen Yemen Association of Certified Public Accountants Not Adopted
2022 Jordan Jordanian Association of Certified Public Accountants Partially Adopted
2022 Jordan The International Arab Society of Certified Accountants Partially Adopted
2020 Kuwait Kuwait Association of Accountants and Auditors Partially Adopted
2020 Malta Malta Institute of Accountants Partially Adopted
2021 Morocco OEC Morocco Partially Adopted
2022 Palestine Palestinian Association of Certified Public Accountants Partially Adopted
30. The Public Sector Accounting and Reporting Program (PULSAR) Program is a regional and country-level program
targeting the Western Balkans and the EU Eastern Partnership countries to support the development of public
sector accounting and financial reporting frameworks in line with international standards and good practice. The
PULSAR Partners - Austria, Switzerland, and the World Bank - jointly established the objectives and scope of the
PULSAR Program. They provide institutional support for its implementation and mobilize the resources needed for
its activities. Beneficiary countries also have an opportunity to shape the Program through regional cooperation
platforms and input to Communities of Practice.
PULSAR
31. Adopting IPSAS indirectly, i.e., through national standards, generally face an early challenge in the development of
those national standards but tend to find their implementation easier.
In contrast, countries adopting IPSAS directly find it relatively easy to adopt IPSAS, but challenges are more likely at
later stages, i.e., when the standards have to be implemented.
In both scenarios, the new standards require a sound legal basis, which, in some cases, needs to be created and in
others, at least, updated.
Other challenges:
Need for capacity building and staff training
Need for technical assistance
Lack of effective program management
Lack of adequate IT infrastructure
High cost of reform implementation
Conflicts between international standards and local legislation and context
Limited availability of financial data
Institutional resistance
31
Challenges
32. Lessons Learned
• Political support and willingness of the key stakeholders to initiate and carry out the reform should be
secured and maintained.
• Reform strategy and feasible implementation timeline should be developed and agreed on.
• Proper reform coordination and management arrangements should be established.
• Financial and human resources required for the reform should be secured.
• Legal and regulatory frameworks should be timely updated.
• Structure of the new PSA system should be defined.
• Risk management and mitigation mechanisms should be identified and established.
• Change management and capacity building strategy should be timely developed and implemented.
• Integration between different PFM functions and upgrading the existing or development of a new IFMIS
should be assessed and carried out.
• Reform monitoring and evaluation arrangements should be established. 32
33. Examples of Technical Assistance in MNA
Morocco & Tunisia
Support to an
accounting
technician program
that includes
adoption of a
competency
framework, training
of trainers’ program;
and equipping
national PAOs.
33
Tunisia
Assistance in the
preparation of
national standards,
preparation of
implementation
tools and capacity
development.
KSA
Training on IPSAS
and audit of IPSAS-
based financial
statements to
auditors.
Iraq
Training on IPSAS
to accountants and
auditors.
34. • Equipping auditors with the knowledge of IPSAS and audit of IPSAS-based financial
statements is a precondition for a successful cash-to-accrual transformation process.
• Support auditors in improving their understanding of the conceptual and practical
implications for public auditors of moving from auditing cash based financial statements to
accrual based financial statements. Such implications derive either from the concepts,
principles, definitions, introduced in financial reporting by the IPSAS framework, or by the
application, in that background, of the current ISAs (International Standards on Auditing).
• IPSAS areas should be analyzed from the auditors’ perspective, and the practical implications
of IPSAS into the day-to-day work of an auditor, especially the main risks of misstatement and
challenges when auditing IPSAS based financial statements.
IPSAS to Auditors
35. • Organize awareness raising activities to inform auditors about the impact of the transformation program
from cash-to-accrual accounting on their auditing activities and the challenges that this might represent for
their day-to-day work.
• Strengthen the IPSAS basic knowledge of auditors with regular, ongoing training sessions that focus on the
concepts of accrual accounting compared to the cash-basis status quo.
• Organize intermediate IPSAS training activities, in which participants can dedicate enough time to assimilate
the recognition, measurement and disclosure requirements of the individual standards.
• Establish minimum knowledge level requirements before attending trainings on the challenges when auditing
IPSAS based financial statements. For instance, the need of passing a minimum score in a pre-assessment
could help making sure that all attendees have at least the same basic knowledge, before participating in a
more complex and technical training.
• Foster the dialogue and exchange of international experience with peer auditors in other countries that have
gone through the experience of cash-to-accrual transformation.
Plan to train auditors on auditing IPSAS-based financial statements
37. Overview of IPSAS
Adoption and Role
of PAOs in
Supporting the
Transition
JAMAL MILHEM
IFAC PAO Development
Advisory Group Member
DANA AKIL JENSEN
Regional Manager, IFAC
38. IFAC Member Compliance Program
MENA: Adoption of International Standards & PAO Responsibility
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
IPSAS
IES
I&D
QA
IESBA CoE
IFRS
ISA
MENA: Adoption Status Snapshot
Not Adopted Partially Adopted Adopted
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
IPSAS
IFRS
IES
IESBA CoE
I&D
ISA
QA
MENA: PAO Responsibility for Adoption
No Direct Shared Direct
39. Adoption and Implementation of IPSAS: Overcoming Challenges
Middle East North Africa (MENA)
Challenges Overcoming Challenges
Lack of awareness Stakeholder engagement
Legislative barriers Legal changes required, and new regulations and governance practices
to accommodate IPSAS implementation
Resistance to change Transformation and change management
Skill capacity Program of training to raise skills and retain talent
Implementation cost Wider public financial management improvement program (with
assistance from donors)
External support
PAOs Raise awareness; provide training
Donors Support professionalization of PFM
Audit firms Provide PFM training, expertise and capacity
building
40. • Leverage knowledge gained through development of systems of training, education, and
preparation of accountancy professional
• Leverage experience assisting members in transitioning from national to international
standards
• Leverage international insight into best practices in quality control and investigation and
discipline to support public sector efforts to professionalize and enhance the capacity of
their workforces, adopt and implement international standards, and develop internal
processes for quality control within the government
• Agree on Incentive Programs with development partners & donors
• Lobby among relevant stakeholders (Ministry of Finance, SAIs, development partners &
donors)
• Collaborate with regional organizations
o Arab Federation of Accountants and Auditors (AFAA)
Supporting Adoption and Implementation:
Role of Professional Accountancy Organizations (PAOs)
Middle East North Africa (MENA)
41. JORDAN: IASCA
• Supporting Implementation
Jordan Fiscal Reform Project:
Support development of strategic plan
Develop procedural manual for
transition
Provide seminars / training courses
Provide consultancy and advice for
standards
Encourage amendments to legislation
• Awareness Raising
Circulate Arabic translations
Provide updates via IASCA website
Establish dialogue with other PAOs
Organize regional conferences
IASCA’s IPSAS certification program
PALESTINE: PACPA
• Supporting Implementation
Include IPSAS in education and
training programs
• Awareness Raising
Operate internal committee to
promote adoption
Advocacy for introducing IPSAS in
universities
Conduct ongoing communication
with Ministry of Finance and SAI
Publish articles
Supporting Adoption & Implementation of IPSAS
PAO Examples
42. CASE STUDY:
SAUDI ARABIA
ABDULLA AL-MEHTHIL
Assistant Undersecretary, Saudi
Arabia Ministry of Finance
DR. AHMED AL-MEGHAMES
Chairman, Saudi Organization for
Chartered and Professional
Accountants (SOCPA)
43. 1
Saudi Arabia: Ministry of Finance
ABDULLA AL-MEHTHIL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOc4rec268M
Hatem (5 minutes):
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished participants, in my capacity as the Chairman of AFAA, I would like to convey to all of you participating in this event my heartfelt welcome. It is my pleasure to give a few opening remarks at this important event co-hosted between IFAC, the World Bank and AFAA. I want to thank our audience for coming together and considering how best to advance the accountancy profession in the MENA region (but also globally as these topics are relevant for all). We have over 500 participants registered for the event today, representing:
Senior Government officials
Representatives from Supreme Audit Institutions
Heads of Professional Accountancy Organizations
AFAA & IFAC Members
The theme for the webinar today is the transition from cash-basis to accrual-basis accounting in MENA including the challenges and exploring how to overcome them. The transition from cash-basis to accrual-basis accounting can be a difficult one, but this conversation matters to all of our stakeholders in every country, because advancing the accountancy profession means advancing the public interest.
At AFAA, like IFAC, our members are Professional Accountancy Organizations (PAOs) - we have a key role in any effective transition, given our central roles in business, the public sector, and across society. We have the capacity to facilitate the production of high-quality financial information by our members.
And this is a topic that is important for all, including the donor community which benefits through more reliable country systems, improved transparency and accountability, strengthened systems of monitoring and evaluation, and reliable information that facilitates donor decision making. With that, I would like to welcome Jens Kristensen, Practice Manager, in MENA at the World Bank, to provide some important opening remarks. JENS speaks
Method
- Engaging over 30 experts from public finance community from IFAC, ACCA, and the IPSAS Board. 3 roundtable discussions covering UK, Aus, Canada – plus 12 semi-structured interviews with experts from jurisdictions that had implemented accruals.
I will focus my contributions on 3 areas
1st, we have a few slides setting out the current reporting bases around the world
2nd, I’d like to share some of the benefits of accruals identified by our experts
3rd, we also collected lessons learned from this expert community on how to maximise the benefit of accrual information
Then, I’ll close off with a final slide sharing some ways for you to continue engaging in our work.
A government’s ability to do anything depends on its public financial management (PFM) system. This is how it prepares budgets, obtainsthe financing, spends the money, and keeps its accounts.
When you think about it, it is extremely impressive for governments to be able to get money into remote villages to pay school teachers.
Over half of countries using accruals by 2025. This comes from IFAC 2021 International Public Accountability Index report.
Important that budgeting and accounting are BOTH on accrual basis
Transparency
Consistent production of audited accounts can provide additional transparency, though this must be undertaken with caution – as a number of experts acknowledged that increased complexity could reduce effective transparency
Fiscal credibility
enhance comparability internationally (a good case for aligning with IPSAS)
Certain jurisdictions shared that creditors expressed interest in the accrual accounts during the last financial crisis – and that this additional information help to prevent further credit rating downgrades
Transparency
Consistent production of audited accounts can provide additional transparency, though this must be undertaken with caution – as a number of experts acknowledged that increased complexity could reduce effective transparency
Fiscal credibility
enhance comparability internationally (a good case for aligning with IPSAS)
Certain jurisdictions shared that creditors expressed interest in the accrual accounts during the last financial crisis – and that this additional information help to prevent further credit rating downgrades
Now this takes us on to the last area I would like to cover this morning
And that is the lessons learned by the global community of experts on HOW BEST TO CREATE AND USE the DECISION-USEFUL INFORMATION that arises from accruals
In our analysis of the transcripts we saw a few key enablers of d-u info.
Starting with a pre-recorded video from David Watkins who is currently in IPSASB meetings this week, followed by a live presentation from Laura.
CHALLENGES
Lack of awareness
Successful IPSAS adoption requires the understanding, education, and engagement of key stakeholders which is not easy because the Executive Arm of government needs to be engaged and supportive of the process along with the public accounts committee (or equivalent). So stakeholder engagement is key to increase awareness.
Legislative Barriers
Legal changes are required, as well as new regulations and governance practices to accommodate IPSAS implementation which presents a significant challenge.
Resistance to Change
IPSAS adoption requires cultural change which is a significant challenge. The best way to overcome this is effective project management, supported by change management capability and relevant experience. Effective communication is also essential.
Skills capacity
Governments and public sector organizations may not have the skills, competence and staffing levels needed; so, to overcome this, it would be helpful to have a program of training to raise skills, recruit and retain IPSAS-focused and skilled staff.
Implementation Cost
Costs will be incurred from awareness raising activities, training, the use of consultants, IT upgrades, and the development of appropriate guidance and translation tools. For these reasons, countries in MENA may need to adopt IPSAS in conjunction with a wider public financial management improvement program, which requires additional investment.
PAOs can help to raise awareness of the need for transparent financial reports in the public sector, including providing training on accounting standards.
Donors can support the professionalization of public sector financial management
Audit firms and other stakeholders can assist with public finance management training, expertise and capacity building
PAOs can leverage the a) knowledge gained through development of systems of training, education, and preparation of accountancy professionals; b) experience assisting members in transitioning from national to international standards; c) and international insight into best practices in quality control and investigation and discipline to support public sector efforts to professionalize and enhance the capacity of their workforces, adopt and implement international standards, and develop internal processes for quality control within the government.
When PAOs work together through regional organizations they achieve greater development gains than when they work alone. Regional accountancy organizations can have a strong impact on the development of national-level PAOs. By combining regional knowledge, expertise, and ability at the regional level, they offer opportunities for mutual support and assistance to individual national-level efforts in PAO development.
In MENA, some PAOs struggle to identify how they can support the public sector and their own members as many employment opportunities occur in the public sector. Some PAOs in the region plan or currently offer IPSAS certifications to public sector employees to support strengthening public financial management. Most PAOs use their best endeavors to raise awareness of the importance of adoption and implementation of IPSAS, engage in dialogue with public sector standard setters to highlight the benefits if IPSAS, and/or undertake research into the lessons learned and best examples of adoption and implementation.
In Jordan, the Ministry of Finance is responsible for adoption of public sector accounting standards which are modified cash-basis at the moment. But there is now an IPSAS implementation roadmap in place, with implementation assistance being provided by the United States Agency for International Development under Jordan’s Fiscal Reform Project. Significant progress has been made in supporting the Government of Jordan’s application of the cash-basis IPSAS. The project envisions a gradual transformation from cash basis to accrual basis of IPSAS accounting.
IASCA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jordanian Association of Certified Public Accountants to support IPSAS implementation through the project and both bodies have been providing support producing seminars/training courses on the subject; (b) giving consultancy and advice in implementing each standard; (c) recommending the adoption of best accounting policies that will serve the Jordanian economy and governmental budget; and (d) providing any assistance to the project as needed.
IASCA also promotes and raises awareness by making available Arabic translations of the standards in a timely manner and provides updates via its website on IPSASB pronouncements.
It has established dialogue with professional accountancy organizations in the countries of the region to enhance knowledge sharing on IPSAS adoption and implementation. In addition, IASCA offers courses and hosts conferences and lectures on IPSAS throughout the Arab world. In 2018, IASCA launched its IPSAS certification program, IPSAS Expert.
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Now to Palestine. The Palestinian Ministry of Finance is responsible for issuing public sector accounting policies, which are implemented by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). IPSAS have not been adopted, and there are currently no known plans for adoption. BUT, the Palestinian Association of Certified Public Accountants (PACPA) has been very active in raising awareness amongst the entities responsible for adoption and implementation of IPSAS.
For example, PACPA sent a formal letter to the President of Palestine explaining the importance and the positive effects resulting from the adoption of IPSAS. It is also sent the President a copy of the translated IPSAS. PACPA has received a positive response from the State Audit & Administrative Control Bureau regarding the formal letter that was sent.
Also, PACPA has established an internal committee to promote adoption of IPSAS and collaborates with regional and international institutions to gather information and cases on IPSAS adoption and implementation experiences to share with the Palestinian National Authority.
PACPA also organizes workshops and publishes articles on IPSAS-related topics for its members.