Presentation made by Unis Valencia Williams-Baker, United Nations, at the 16th Annual OECD Accruals Symposium held at the OECD Conference Centre, Paris, on 21-22 March 2016.

1. OECD Accruals Symposium
March 2016, Paris
Unis Valencia Williams-Baker
Deputy Director, Accounts Division
United Nations
the strategy, the results, the benefits
ensuring IPSAS sustainability
IPSAS Implementation at
the United Nations

2. UN system IPSAS implementation
2

3. 3
First IPSAS FS issued for the UN
Achievable
IPSAS
Policies
Strong
Project Mgm
&Governance
Progressive
Implementation of
IPSASs
Benefits Mgm
&
Sustainability
Training and
Communication
Stakeholder Mgm

4. 4
The strategy
Achievable
IPSAS
Policies
Strong
Project Mgm
&Governance
Progressive
Implementation of
IPSASs
Benefits Mgm
&
Sustainability
Training and
Communication
Stakeholder Mgm

5. New items in the UN IPSAS FS
5
Information newly included in the IPSAS FS for UN:
 PP&E, inventories, intangibles, EB liabilities, provisions, finance
leases, allowance of doubtful accounts, investments at FV
 ST donated right-to-use property arrangements as revenue
 LT donated right-to-use property arrangements as assets
 UNDP administered Multi-Partner Trust Funds fully controlled
by UN included
 Joint ventures: ITC, UNSSC, JFA – only UN share now included
 Agent accounting for Tax Equalization Fund – now a liability
 Additional assessments recorded as revenue in relevant year
 Working capital fund and working capital reserves changed
from reserves to liabilities
 Notes: Related party, segment reporting, budget information

6. 2014 UN Vol. I: Assets
6
Structure of $7,487m assets as at 31 Dec 2014
PPE is 90%
land &
buildings of
which $2.1bn
relates to
UNHQ
43.3%
6.1%
5.9%
27.5%
8.0%
1.9%
1.8%
5.2%
74% relates
to Trust/TC/
insurance
funds
0.2%
6
0.1%

7. 2014 UN Vol. I: Liabilities
7
Structure of $5,798m liabilities as at 31 December:
2.0%
9.1%
83.9%
1.0%
1.7%
1.2%
1.1%
Of which 86% relates to ASHI
with ~5.1% each for repatriation
and annual leave
$279m is payables
to Member States
7

8. 8
1. Revised Financial Regulations and Rules
2. IPSAS Policy Framework and corporate guidance documents
3. Risk management framework
4. New Chart of Accounts aligned with Umoja (SAP)
5. Suite of CBT and ILT training products, newsletter, pamphlets
6. Transition plan: opening balances and Dry Run
7. Benefits realization plan
8. Sustainability plan
Major products of IPSAS project

9. 9
Issues and challenges
Achievable
IPSAS
Policies
Strong
Project Mgm
&Governance
Progressive
Implementation of
IPSASs
Benefits Mgm
&
Sustainability
Training and
Communication
Stakeholder Mgm
•Audit and policy issues:
• Accruals and cut-offs; budget consuming
accruals
• Revenue/expenses non-exchange
arrangements
• Donated right to use property arrangements
• Segments reporting
• Accounting for annual leave & other EB
• Reporting entity boundary & consolidation
•Other challenges
• Change management challenges in non-
finance functions
• Significantly more work to prepare the
financial statements
• Ensuring realization of IPSAS benefits

10. 10
New functions to support sustainability
Achievable
IPSAS
Policies
Strong
Project Mgm
&Governance
Progressive
Implementation of
IPSASs
Benefits Mgm
&
Sustainability
Training and
Communication
Stakeholder Mgm
IPSAS/Umoja
policy Function
• Monitor IPSASB
& manage IPSAS
Regulatory
Framework
• Manage changes
to systems and
processes
• On-going
training and
communication
Assurance
function
• Monthly
assurance
reporting by
field offices
• Ongoing data
analytics to
support data
integrity
• Statement on
Internal controls
Asset accounting
function
• Strengthened
DOA for assets
• Asset accounting
role in each field
office
• Strengthened
property
management role
• New Asset
Accounting Unit
Financial
analysis function
• Track IPSAS
benefits using
KPIs
• Present financial
analysis to mgm
• Support Use of
IPSAS
information for
improved
decision making