Vinod Rai re-elected as UN auditors panel head

Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai has been re-elected as Chairman of United Nations Panel of External Auditors for 2013.

Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai has been re-elected as Chairman of United Nations Panel of External Auditors for 2013.

HT Image

"CAG Vinod Rai has been re-elected Chair of the (UN) Panel for the year 2013, while the CAG of the United Kingdom, Amyas Morse, has been re-elected the vice-chair of the Panel", an official statement said.

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has appreciated the panel and the yeoman service rendered by the external auditors in improving governance in the United Nations system, it said.

The Panel headed by Vinod Rai discussed the major business transformations currently underway in the United Nations with Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in a recent meeting.

Some of the major issues that came up for discussion during the meeting include the requirement for optimising the process of deriving benefits from the business transformations currently underway.

The need to put in place a mechanism to govern voluntary contributions which form a major portion of funding that the UN receives and the need for strengthening coordination between the panel and the UN Secretariat were other issues discussed during the meet.

The Panel of External Auditors plays an important role in promoting accountability and strengthening governance mechanisms in the UN organisations.

The Panel meets annually to discuss emergent issues in the audit of UN organisations. At present, the Panel comprises Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Pakistan, Philippines, Switzerland, Tanzania and the UK.

The United Nations' Panel of External Auditors which comprises Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) engaged in auditing United Nations, its specialised agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency, held its 53rd meeting which concluded last night at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Rai met the Secretary General along with the heads of the participating SAIs and briefed him on the decisions of the Panel's meeting regarding conduct of audit.