Bahrain’s NAO submits annual report, welcomes new AG, Celebrates Staff Representing FIPP, Earning Top Honors

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NAO Submits Annual Report

H.E. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, Auditor General of Bahrain’s National Audit Office (NAO), submitted NAO’s 2018-2019 Audit Report to His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, in accordance with NAO law. The NAO, formed in 2002, is financially and administratively independent from legislative and executive government authorities.

NAO’s annual report includes the results of auditing the final account of the State, as well as final accounts of NAO audited entities. The report also includes the performance and administrative audit results together with NAO comments and relevant audited entity responses.

The report is issued in several stages to ensure data accuracy. Preliminary NAO audit results are sent to the appropriate authority, who then has the opportunity to comment and discuss NAO observations and recommendations with the auditors. Eventually, the NAO sends a draft report to the Minister or Head of the respective institution to obtain written feedback. In keeping with international standards and best practices, this feedback is then included in NAO’s annual report.

The Auditor General stressed the NAO will continue to help audited entities strengthen internal audit systems to improve performance and ensure efficient and effective use of public resources for the benefit of Bahrain’s citizens.

NAO Welcomes New Auditor General

H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa was appointed as NAO Auditor General in May 2019. Prior to his appointment, he served as Minister of Finance from January 2005 until December 2018 and assumed responsibility for overseeing oil and gas affairs between July 2012 and December 2014. He previously held positions as Director of the Bahrain Stock Exchange and Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain.

He has represented Bahrain in a number of regional and international financial bodies, such as the Islamic Development Bank, and chaired the Development Committee of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund from 2009 to 2011. In Bahrain, he served as Chairman of Mumtalakat, the Social Insurance Organization and the Future Generation Reserve Council and was a Board member of the Supreme Council for Defense, Economic Development Board, as well as a number of other national entities during his tenure as Minister of Finance.

He holds a Master of Business Management from St. Edwards University, United States, 1986.

NAO Senior Audit Manager Selected at New FIPP Member

Mahmood Hashim Mahmood, currently working as Senior Audit Manager in the NAO Administrative Audit Directorate was recently selected to serve as a member of the Forum of International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Professional Pronouncements (FIPP) for a three-year period from 2020 to 2022.

He has more than 13 years of experience in accounting, financial and administrative auditing in the private and public sectors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Bahrain, is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from the State of New Hampshire Board of Accountancy and is a Certified Training Specialist from the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI).

NAO Staff Awarded Top Honors in GCC Competition

Amira Ahmed Madan (3rd from left) and Mona Hassan Buhusayyen (2nd from left), NAO audit supervisors won first place in October 2019 in the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) 4th Research and Studies competition in the field of Auditing and Accounting for the joint research project they conducted on “The Role of Supreme Audit Institutions in Activating Internal Audit Units in Entities Subject to Audit.” NAO Bahrain’s Auditor General, H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa (3rd from right), was on-hand to congratulate Madan and Buhusayyen.

Madan and Buhusayyen participated in the GCC competition as a challenge to go beyond normal work and expand internal auditing knowledge while enhancing audit quality. They analyzed and validated different sources and met with colleagues and superiors alike to discuss thoughts and recommendations on the topic.

Both found the research provided them with a better awareness of internal audit importance along with learning how to more effectively and efficiently carry out audit work when dealing with internal auditors in external entities. The research also enhanced knowledge on risk areas and internal audit report information; eased communication with, and collection of relevant information from, audited organizations; and added value to the audit work they perform.

NAO Auditor General, Delegates Visit Singapore AGO

A six-member NAO delegation, led by Auditor General H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa (5th from left), visited Singapore’s Auditor General Office (AGO) in October 2019. The Bahrain delegation met with Singapore’s Auditor General, Goh Soon Poh (5th from right), and other AGO officials to exchange knowledge on audit methodologies and procedures applied to different audit types aimed achieving higher-quality results. In addition, NAO was briefed on AGO’s experience in managing training programs, including on-the-job-training and evaluating program capacity-building benefits.

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