'Advancing audit accountability workshop' kicks off in Kathmandu

Freedom Forum is pleased to co-host the 'Advancing Audit Accountability: How can we strengthen responsiveness and actions' workshop in Kathmandu on 11-12 December amidst the distinguished participation from six different countries of the globe. The Office of the Auditor General of Nepal, the International Budget Partnership and Freedom Forum have hosted the international event as part of the audit accountability initiative. "Under the initiative, a community of audit experts in various countries, including Nepal, Ghana, Tanzania, Argentina, Mexico and Sierra Leone is testing a hypothesis that enhanced strategic engagement and between key oversight actors and from within and outside government can promote action on select audit findings that are currently being ignored by governments" informed Claire Schouten, Senior Program Officer of the International Budget Partnership (IBP) which convened the learning initiative. The community is participating in initiative to help catalyze relationships among various oversight actors in target countries, clearly communicate the problems identified by audits and spur actions that are needed to address these problems. "As a partner of the initiative, we are testing the hypothesis in regard to the performance audit on users' committee of Nepal undertaken by Office of Auditor General (OAG) through the intervention of communication, engagement and research activities", said Taranath Dahal, Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Forum. The lessons from this initiative can generate evidence on how audits truly become tools for enhancing government accountability. This meeting has brought together participants from supreme audit institutions, civil society representatives, who have engaged extensively with audit agendas in their countries and international public finance specialties who are knowledgeable on audits. "The meeting will build on lessons and recommendations that emerged from meetings on audit accountability in 2016, 2017 and 2018", Claire added. The key expected outcome from the workshop is the advancement of strategies to strengthen collective actions and responsiveness of government to audits of public concern. For more information, Freedom Forum info@freedomforum.org.np 01-4102030/ 4102022