A key topic for discussion was independence for Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) and the transition towards a more independent federal audit office in Somalia. Discussions were held with the Chair of the IDI Board and Auditor General of Norway Per-Kristian Foss and the IDI Director General Einar Gørrissen.
IDI and SAI Somalia have been partners since 2015. Recently, SAI Somalia has developed a new Federal Audit bill with advice from IDI and a WB-funded consultant. The bill will hopefully be presented to the Parliament in Somalia soon and will be crucial for a transition towards a more independent Federal Audit Office. Independence is necessary for an effective external audit function in a country. It can give a number of national benefits, such as greater trust in government and better public service delivery. This is why independence is a clear international standard for Supreme Audit Institutions.
“We in IDI are honored by the visit of the Finance Minister of Somalia. The discussions were good and I am impressed by the interest and insight of the external audit function shown by the Minister. This is very promising, as the support of the Ministry of Finance is key for building a stronger SAI in Somalia,” says IDI Director General Mr. Einar Gørrissen.
The current cooperation between SAI Somalia, IDI and AFROSAI-E were also discussed. The main goal of the cooperation is to enable SAI Somalia to implement their strategic plan for 2018-2020, especially in the areas of auditing, internal governance and new legal framework. A combination of technical advice and logistical support is provided. This is organized through two peer-teams (audit and internal governance and independence) with representatives of IDI, AFROSAI-E, SAI Botswana, SAI Uganda and SAI Ethiopia.
Additional support to SAI Somalia were also put on the agenda. Some of the strategic goals are not fully supported. The SAI has especially requested for more permanent technical advice on site as well as a long term professional development programme.