Officials from seven Pacific government audit offices including Samoa are currently undergoing training on accounting and reporting standards.

The Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) advised in a media release issued on Wednesday this week that it is collaborating with the University of the South Pacific (USP) to deliver a series of online workshops on accounting and reporting standards for government auditors.

Twenty participants (16 females and four males) from seven government audit offices (the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu) will participate in seven online workshops that started on Wednesday on International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The training aims to bring staff at public audit offices up to date with IPSAS and their applications to the government financial reporting framework.

The sessions will include discussions on standards as well as practical exercises and case studies to illustrate their application. Additionally, consultation sessions of up to two hours will be available to each participating audit office on a needs basis throughout the workshop series which runs until 7 December 2022.

The facilitation team includes PASAI Director (South Pacific), Meresimani Vosawale-Katuba, and from the USP School of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Dr Nacanieli Rika, Dr Folototo Seve, Dr Ilimotama Cawi, and Professor Arvind Patel.

On the intended training outcome for the 20 participants, Vosawale-Katuba said international financial and auditing standards are the benchmarks to support governments. 

“When SAI staff conduct audits in accordance with international financial and auditing standards that helps to support the government in its decision-making through reliable and transparent financial reporting,” Ms. Vosawale-Katuba said.

Building the capacity of its member SAIs to effectively audit financial statements is fundamental to PASAI’s overarching goal of improving accountability and governance in the Pacific region. PASAI acknowledged the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).