Coordinated audit of the International Biosphere Reserve Eastern Carpathians

Report ID: 258

The International East Carpathians Biosphere Reserve, similarly to other biosphere reserves, should meet the criteria and functions specified by the UNESCO and included in the Statutory Framework, and should be directed by the guidelines for actions specified by the UNESCO in the Seville Strategy and the Pamplona Recommendations.

Between 2014 and 2015, as part of the activities of the  EUROSAI WGEA, the SAIs of Poland (Audit Coordinator), Slovak Republic and Ukraine decided to perform a parallel audit  to evaluate the activities carried out on the territory of the International Biosphere Reserve of the Eastern Carpathians for their National and Landscape Parks  which form the reserve on the Slovak, Ukrainian and Polish side and ensure implementation of the objectives, for which the biosphere reserve has been established.

The inspection consisted of the following issues:

• activity of the national authorities, related to the functioning of the Reserve and the entities it incorporates, including international cooperation;

• public funds intended for the functioning of the IECBR and for the functioning of the entities it incorporates, as well as the manner in which these funds are to be used;

• implementation of the provisions included in the regulations and other official documents concerning the functioning of the Reserve and entities it incorporates.

These issues were included in the “Joint inspection areas”, and each Party incorporated them for implementation within the national inspections.

Period subject to the inspection: Years 2012–2016.

Inspections – at the same time in Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine – have been conducted in the first half of 2017.

The objectives of the International East Carpathians Biosphere Reserve are being implemented, but it is not the Reserve that implements projects in its area – the parks that form theReserve perform statutory tasks resulting from national regulations and not specified as tasks of the biosphere reserve.

Supreme audit institutions of Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland, on the basis of the results of parallel audits, state that for proper determination – and effective implementation – of the common strategy of the Reserve, common priorities and objectives, it is necessary to take action by the competent authorities of the three countries to conclude an intergovernmental agreement in on the functioning of the Reserve.

Multilateral Audit on the Arctic States’ national authorities’ work with the Arctic Council

Report ID: 262

The SAIs of  Denmark, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States of America collaborated on a multilateral audit of national participation in the Arctic Council - an intergovernmental forum to promote cooperation on Arctic issues.

The multilateral audit, coordinated by SAI Norway and SAI Russia, was carried out in accordance with a strategic plan signed by the participating SAIs in October 2012 and was aimed to inform Arctic governance and enhance the usefulness of the Council in understanding and managing Arctic issues.

In addition to the national reports, the SAIs issued a memorandum  highlighting the results of a cooperative audit. The audits conducted by the five SAIs where they are similar in scope, and does not necessarily represent the views or conclusions of each SAI.

Key findings include the following:

• Changes in the Arctic have elevated the importance of international cooperation in the Arctic
• The Arctic Council has contributed to enhanced cooperation, governance and Scientific knowledge
• The Council faces key challenges related to its organizational structure, establishing priorities, funding its work, and ensuring the effective implementation of voluntary recommendations adopted by member states
• Indigenous groups make important contributions to the council, but face Challenges participating

Source: https://oaarchive.arctic-council.org/handle/11374/1527

AFROSAI-e _Collaborative Audit for Integrating Environmental Risks in an Audit at Local Government

Report ID: 263

During the 2015,  AFROSAI-E Governing Board and Technical Update Meetings, the role of SAIs in addressing critical environmental challenges through their day-day audit activities was discussed. They decided to design a simplistic way to use SAIs’ existing financial and human resources to identify possible areas of improvement supported by solution-driven  planning towards environmental focus and decide to conduct an Environmental Risk Project.

The SAIs of South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Tanzania decided to participate in the program, which comprised, among others, the development of an e-learning programme, in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the execution of parallel audits and the development of a joint publication.

Find attached (in a merged file) the joint publication explaining the project methodology, as well as the  AUDIT REPORT ON MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE IN HUYE DISTRICT – 2016 preparared by SAI Ruanda, as a result of the audit conducted in the framework of the Project.

Source: https://afrosai-e.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Integrating-Environmental-Audit-Risks-in-Audit-at-LG-level-Brochure1_00.pdf

REPORT OF THE REVIEW OF HIGH QUALITY PERFORMANCE AUDITING IN THE PACIFIC

Report ID: 266

During 2016 PASAI undertook a review of the performance auditing capacity of its members, in particular the capacity building benefit gained through the Cooperative Performance Audit (CPA) program.

The first objective of the review was to follow up and analyse the impact on the SAIs that participated in the first five cooperative performance audits led by PASAI. The benefits had been evaluated since 2010 through PASAI’s after action reporting process. However, a review was required to capture and consolidate this information and to ensure its currency.

Within the CPA Program, PASAI has conducted cooperative performance audits and training for PASAI members since 2009 with the objective of enhancing performance auditing capacity:

CPA 1 Solid Waste Management  2010*

CPA 2 Access to Safe Drinking Water 2011*

CPA 3 Managing Sustainable Fisheries 2012*

CPA 4 Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risks Reduction 2013/14*

CPA 5 Public Debt Management 2015*

For SAIs, the benefits of engaging in cooperative performance audits include facilitating mutual sharing and learning, capacity building, networking, and identifying and adopting good audit practices.  Among other interesting topics, the report addresses the results of the impact evaluation of PASAI Cooperative Performance Audits (CPA).

Source: https://www.pasai.org/review-high-quality-performance-audits-pacific

* This report is available on this virtual catalogue.

Audit of Disaster Risk Reduction

Report ID: 267

WIthin the framework of the activities of the former INTOSAI Working Group on Accountability for and the Audit of Disaster–related Aid (AADA), from 2011 to 2013 the SAIs of Azerbaijan, Chile, India, Indonesia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Turkey (coordinator) and Ukraine carried out a coordinated audit.

The aim of the audit was  to provide inputs for the draft versions of ISSAI 5510 "Audit of Disaster Risk Reduction" and testing and improving its content.

The joint report presents the results of the international parallel/coordinated audit in two sections:

• In part I: Joint report and common conclusions of the international parallel/coordinated audit.

• In part II: Summaries of the national audits were given.

Source: http://www.sayistay.gov.tr/en/?p=2&ContentID=234