The OAG´s workshop brings together key audit personnel from the OAG with advisors and peers to foster a shared space for exchanging ideas and recommendations
Wednesday 10th January, Mogadishu: The Office of the Auditor General of Somalia (OAGS), on Wednesday, concluded a three-day seminar dedicated to the development and finalisation of the Annual Overall Audit Plan (AOAP) for the Financial Year (FY) ended 2023.
In his opening remarks, the Auditor General, H.E. Ahmed Isse Gutale stated that “the objective of the workshop is to bring together key audit personnel from the Office of the Auditor General with advisors and peers in order to foster a shared space for the exchange of ideas and recommendations.”
Participants included Directors and Managers from all audit streams of the OAGS, Technical Advisors, and representatives from partner institutions such as the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), the African Organization of English-Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E), OAG Uganda, Turkish Court of Accounts (TCA), and the Swedish National Audit Office (SNAO).
The conference meticulously reviewed the AOAP, a process initiated by the OAGS team in August 2023. Each audit stream underwent a detailed examination, aiming to craft a final Audit Plan that optimally allocates resources to high-risk areas, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and relevant audit reports. The targeted audits for 2024 include:
The compliance audit stream is set to undergo the most significant year-over-year change. Focused on government entities’ adherence to established laws, regulations, and internal boundaries, this component will see the Office of the Auditor General broaden its audit scope to cover a substantially higher portion of the approved National Budget compared to 2023 (2023’s compliance audit covered 57% of the approved national budget, while the 2024 audit will cover 80%). Furthermore, the OAGS will target never-before-audited Ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
This year also marks a pivotal milestone for Performance Audits at the OAGS. This audit stream, piloted in the 2023 audit year, will see a continuation of ongoing performance audits as well as some additions.
With the formal sign-off of this pivotal plan, the OAGS initiates its 2024 audit activities earlier than usual. This early start, it was noted, will allow ample time for the distribution of audit staff resources among the planned audits, thereby ensuring the production of high-quality and on-time audit reports.
For further information about the project, see the IDI SAI Somalia webpage.
The Auditor General Office of Somalia (OAGS) signed a new Cooperation Agreement with AFROSAI-E and IDI on 9 May 2023
On May 9th, 2023, the Auditor General Office of Somalia (OAGS) signed a new Cooperation Agreement with the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions English-speaking (AFROSAI-E) and the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI). The signing took place during the AFROSAI-E Strategic Review and 19th Governing Board Meeting held in Accra, Ghana.
The new phase of the OAGS Peer-support Project aims to enable the OAGS to achieve key strategic outputs for 2023 and 2024. These outputs include delivering annual financial and compliance audits, forensic audits, and sharing audit results with key stakeholders. The successful delivery of these strategic outputs is expected to enable the achievement of the OAGS’s strategic outcomes, especially the Parliament playing an active role in follow-up of audit recommendations and improved implementation of audits by the executive. The Royal Norwegian Embassy has provided funding to IDI to cover the costs of the project for this period.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony, the Auditor General of Somalia, H.E Ahmed Isse Gutale expressed his appreciation for the support provided by AFROSAI-E and IDI, which has led to tangible results in all areas under the previous Strategic Plans 2017-2020 and 2021-2022. He emphasised that the new Strategic Plan 2023-2027 is both ambitious and reflective of the progress that the OAGS has achieved over the years, stating “Now more than ever, we need your valuable, continued support.” The OAGS Peer-support Project is seen as an essential tool to successfully implement the OAGS’s strategic goals for the next five years.
AFROSAI-E and IDI assured SAI Somalia of their support to enable OAGS to deliver on the strategic plan. Meisie Nkau, Chief Executive Officer, AFROSAI-E CEO, confirmed that, “From our side, we will help you in delivering your strategic plan and monitor progress. We look forward to assisting your office with greater audit coverage and impact.”
IDI also expressed its commitment to the cooperation agreement. “We are committed to this cooperation agreement and look forward to working with OAGS.”
The signing of the cooperation agreement marks the next chapter of collaboration between OAG Somalia, AFROSAI-E, and IDI to strengthen the OAGS’s role in promoting and ensuring good governance in Somalia and providing value and benefit to Somalia citizens. This partnership is expected to have a positive impact on the OAGS’ ability to carry out its mandate and contribute to building a more transparent and accountable government in Somalia.
For further information about the project, see the IDI SAI Somalia webpage.
IDI and AFROSAI-E have entered a new phase of collaboration with the federal Office of the Auditor General of Somalia.
The INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E1) have entered a new phase of collaboration with the federal Office of the Auditor General of Somalia (OAGS). The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports the project financially with 7,4 million NOK for 2021-2025.
The main goal of the project is to enable the OAGS to implement key strategic priorities for 2021-2025. Peer based technical support will be provided in several areas, including on-the-job guidance to improve the quality and coverage of the annual financial and compliance audits. Peers will also train OAGS staff in forensic audit methodology as well as on auditing of information systems.
To enable audit impact, a prioritised area of support will be stakeholder engagements. The OAGS intends to increase awareness on how public sector auditing works and creates value for both Ministries and Parliament. The OAGS will also be supported in its ongoing technical collaboration with the Auditor General offices in each of the Federal Member States.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Auditor General of Somalia, |
Ambassador Gunnar Holm, |
AFROSAI-E CEO, |
IDI Director General, |
To further grow the organisation, guidance will be provided for professional development, digitalization and internal governance systems. The support will be provided by experienced staff in IDI and AFROSAI-E as well as peers from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in the region. The SAIs of Uganda, Malawi and Turkey will provide resource persons.
“We in OAGS have benefitted greatly from peer support over the last years, and are glad this unique collaboration can continue. Together with our peers and the financial support from the Norwegian embassy, I am sure we can achieve great results also over the next years,” says Mr. Mohamed Ali, Auditor General of Somalia.
“The federal audit office of Somalia has delivered important audit results over the last years, and demonstrated its key role in promoting good governance in Somalia,” says the Norwegian Ambassador, Mr. Gunnar Andreas Holm. “Our expectation is that the OAGS will continue developing as an institution so there is an independent, sustainable and strong external audit function in Somalia. We believe a modernised legal framework for the OAGS will be an important step to ensure this.”
“AFROSAI-E serves all English-speaking SAIs in the region, and we are impressed by how the OAGS has developed over the last years, despite the difficult environment they operate in. We are excited about how the OAGS is digitalizing its audit processes using the AFROSAI-E tool. The collaboration with other partners, peers and donors works very well in the OAGS and they stand out as a regional star of coordination,” says Ms Meisie Nkau, CEO of AFROSAI-E.
“We in IDI are grateful to MFA Norway for the grant as it enables us to continue support building on the tremendous progress by the OAGS from 2018 to 2020,” says IDI Director General Mr. Einar Gørrissen. “We are experiencing a great dynamic between the SAI and peers, and over the next years we will do our best to enable the OAGS to succeed in its ambitious plans for improving both audits and becoming a more effective organization.”
For more info about the project, see the presentation at the IDI webpage Somalia – OAGS Peer Support Project 2021-22 (idi.no) or contact the IDI Project Manager Jostein F. Tellnes (Jostein.tellnes@idi.no).
[1] AFROSAI-E is the African Organisation of English Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (based in Pretoria, South Africa).
