News from Bhutan
RAA Hosts FIPP Meeting in Paro
The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) hosted the 10th meeting of the Forum for INTOSAI Professional Pronouncements (FIPP) Paro from March 4-8, 2019. Twenty-three delegates from 15 member countries attended the meeting and primarily discussed the exposure drafts on principles and guidelines, as well as project proposals submitted by INTOSAI’s Professional Standards, Knowledge Sharing, and Capacity Building Committees for approval. The forum also deliberated on the Strategic Document Plan 2020-2025 and implementation of the INTOSAI Framework of Professional Pronouncements (IFPP).
INTOSAI’s Governing Board created FIPP in 2016 to support professional development by ensuring that INTOSAI provides a clear and consistent set of professional standards. The RAA, represented by Assistant Auditor General Tashi Tobgay, became a member of FIPP in January 2018 for a term of three years.
RAA Tables 2018 Audit Report, Performance Audit Reports to Parliament
The Royal Audit Authority (RAA) of Bhutan tabled the Annual Audit Report (AAR) 2018, along with five performance audit reports to the Joint Sitting of the Parliament on June 21, 2019. The AAR is a compilation of unresolved and significant issues from 597 audit reports issued during the year and includes the certification of consolidated annual financial statements of the Royal Government, as well as RAA’s accounts, operations and accomplishments. A summary on significant issues from joint audits of hydro-power projects was also included. The AAR encompasses irregularities and issues related to fraud and corruption, mismanagement, non-compliance to rules and regulations, and other significant audited agency lapses and deficiencies.
The AAR also contains a series of recommendations categorized into three major domains—Construction Management, Service Delivery, and Financial Management—intended to draw attention to issues so as to promote accountability and improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources.