The NAO continues to engage its employees in virtual international training courses with the aim of keeping its staff informed and aware of global developments in the field of auditing and accounting.
During the past two months employees of the NAO learnt about experiences and ideas in the field of auditing through International Audit Organizations or other Supreme Audit Institutions especially in developed countries.
The NAO is affiliated with international professional organizations such as the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI), and the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI). It is also a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council Accounting and Auditing Organization (GCCAAO).
Hence, NAO employees are offered the opportunity to participate in seminars, conferences and training courses arranged by these organizations to promote international cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and experiences between member supreme audit institutions (SAIs).
Many NAO employees took this opportunity and joined several on-line webinars, discussion and training sessions including a symposium on “Leaders of Supreme Audit Institutions and Key Stakeholders”, held jointly by the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI), and the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Development Initiative (IDI). Participants in this symposium exchanged experiences, challenges and lessons learned from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) around the world related to audit missions concerning emergency funds dedicated to tackling the Corona pandemic (COVID-19). They also learned about the stakeholder perspective on control of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in light of this crisis.
Furthermore, employees of the NAO attended a two-day international webinar on the strategic roles of SAIs in times of crises, organized by the secretariat of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and the Special Committee for the Feasibility Study on the Establishment of a Working Group on Crisis Management Audit (WGCMA). The on-line discussion sessions provided a valuable opportunity for ASOSAI members to exchange their audit cases, best practice and research results for different types of crises, including COVID-19. Speakers focused on further developing the capacity of ASOSAI members and helping them to be better equipped to respond to crises when they occur.
In addition, some NAO employees were briefed by the SAI Brazil on its experience in the field of innovation during an international discussion session organized by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Development Initiative (IDI). Representatives from the SAI Brazil explained the creation of its Innovation Lab, designing a strategy to meet the challenge of changing culture and ways of thinking and overcoming obstacles. They showed how they were able to deliver more effective products and services, reviewed their major projects, and presented the 10 steps of innovation based on their experience.
On top of that, the NAO took part in a virtual discussion on ways to ensure transparency and accountability during the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of stakeholders. The session, organized by the SAI of the Republic of Indonesia, aimed to gather various stakeholders to share their experiences and knowledge on how to identify and overcome risks that might hinder transparency and accountability during the current crisis to ensure good public finance management. Prominent speakers from government agencies, SAIs, professional associations and academia presented their experiences and expertise in this field.
It is noteworthy that the percentage of technical employees in the NAO is about 70%, while the percentage of those with professional qualifications is 51%.
