Johannesburg - South Africa intends to use its position as chair of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) to foster a culture of clean audits in the public sector, said Auditor General Terence Nombembe.
"Our challenge is to ensure adherence to the international standards of supreme auditing institutions to promote better auditing outcomes," Nombembe told a media briefing on Tuesday at the Sandton Convention Centre.
South Africa assumed the presidency and three-year chairmanship of INTOSAI on Monday at the start of the body's 20th conference - XX INCOSAI 2010. Over 600 auditors general and finance ministers from around the world are at the congress, which finishes on 27 November.
Its primary focus is on sustainable development and providing knowledge to enhance auditing.
Government corruption and measures to promote clean governance will also feature highly on the agenda.
Another priority, Nombembe said, was to assert and maintain the independence of auditors general, as well as to hold public sector officials accountable for wrongdoing, which still remains a thorny issue in some developing countries where corruption is rife.
The congress will debate improved methods of tackling fraud and corruption, as well as addressing public debt.
The International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions will also be launched. It is expected to deliver high quality guidelines that are globally accepted for auditing and financial management, and compliance and performance in the public sector.
"It will be the first time that internationally accepted independent auditing guidelines for governments will be released as part of these standards," said Henrik Otbo of Denmark, who oversees the professional standards of INTOSIA.
Otbo said these standards will significantly improve INTOSAI's quality of audit and in turn lead to improved public sector accountability.
Among the dignitaries attending the conference are international donors keen on adherence to clean governance by developing countries, to ensure continued aid to them.
