(d) Assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of internal and external audit services

(viii) Identify appropriate key performance indicators for the performance management of external audit services

External audit

Audit services 10.0

1.200 Common Services comprises Commissioner General's Office, Legal Services, Audit and Inspection, External Relations, Public Information, Policy Analysis, New York and Geneva Liaison Offices, Administration and Human Resources, and Financial Services.

The increase also relates to higher than estimated external audit costs ( 75,300) partially offset by decreased requirements under other contractual services ( 37,500), including Internet services, medical consultants and contractual security services.

The amount of 1,657,900 covers the estimated requirements for external audit ( 462,400) as requested by the Board of Auditors, and for internal audit ( 1,195,500) as requested by the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

(a) Audit services 10 000

The provision under audit costs reflected a reduction in the costs of both external and internal audit, reflecting the resource levels recommended by the Board of Auditors and the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

The working group fully supported the resources requested for external audit ( 479,900) and internal audit ( 1,240,700).

The Audit Services Branch will update the checklist for the 2005 audit exercise.

(d) Enhancement of the external audit functions of the Fund and expansion of the Fund's internal audit coverage

The setting or compliance with international internal or external audit standards

Follow up of the recommendations made in prior external audit reports

(i) To consider the effectiveness and objectivity of the external audit process

UNICEF will issue guidance on the follow up of external audit recommendations.

This evaluation will also prepare the UNHCR Audit Service for the external audit envisaged by the United Nations Board of Auditors.

Provision is made to cover the cost of external audit for the Mission.

All publicly owned enterprises are subject to external audit and accounts are published.

The office of the Director also coordinates the reviews of the internal and external audit functions and ensures the implementation of audit recommendations.

In 2005, the UNFPA Audit Services Branch carried out an audit of the data transfer from IMIS to Atlas.

Quality audit is the process of systematic examination of a quality system carried out by an internal or external quality auditor or an audit team.

This provides an overview of the tools and processes in place to analyse, track and manage external audit recommendations and corporate audit issues at UNDP.

Table 1 shows the ratings used by their respective audit services.

External audit welcomes this initiative to modernise the procurement system, which should carry significant benefits.

The United States delegation wondered whether the lower estimated cost of external audits by the Board of Auditors reflected reduced audit coverage or better audit efficiency.

An external audit was something completely separate from and outside the management structures of an organization.

This recommendation is related to the recommendation of paragraph 195 of the 2004 External Audit Report.

For 2004 the cost of audit services was approximately US 2.1 million.

It is worth noting that even the organizations that do not have an institutionalized audit committee have set up mechanisms to review internal and external audit matters as well as progress made in implementing audit recommendations.

(ii) Audits facilitation of internal and external audits and follow up on the implementation of audit recommendations

This guideline will be communicated by the Audit Services Branch to country offices.

Strengthened capacity of the Office of Internal Oversight Services in audit and investigation

Perez, National Directorate of Services for External Trade, Panama

Following previous external audit recommendations on this matter, UNHCR has introduced a new policy on audit certification for implementing partners which will affect projects as of 1 January 2004.

The UNFPA Audit Services Branch sends reminders regularly and has enlisted the assistance of the UNFPA geographical divisions to obtain outstanding project audit reports.

The status of the implementation of external and internal audit recommendations was reported regularly to the Oversight Committee.

Under the cost sharing arrangements, it is estimated that approximately one half of external audit costs are expended on the audit of administrative operations and one half on investment operations.

The UNHCR Audit Service works in close cooperation with UNHCR's Inspector General's Office and liaises with the United Nations Board of Auditors to ensure coordination between external and internal audit.

Action plans are entered in a database maintained by the UNFPA Audit Services Branch.

(a) Reviewing the strategy and workplans of internal and, in some organizations, external audit and discussing the scope and content of their audits so as to identify audit priorities and suggesting potential audit areas within which to address the organization's risks

UNHCR agreed with the Board's recommendation to invite the Office of Internal Oversight Services to liaise with other United Nations audit services so as to harmonize internal audit ratings, in order to allow comparability among organizations.

UNHCR agreed with the Board's recommendation to invite the Office of Internal Oversight Services to liaise with other United Nations audit services so as to harmonize internal audit ratings, in order to allow comparability among organizations.

UNHCR agreed with the Board's recommendation to invite the Office of Internal Oversight Services to liaise with other United Nations audit services so as to harmonize internal audit ratings, in order to allow comparability among organizations.

UNHCR planned to invite a representative of the Board of Auditors to attend the review of external audit reports.