Professionals from Developing Countries Become Leaders in Performance Auditing

Many fellows from the Canadian Comprehensive Auditing Foundation (CCAF) program have become leaders with a positive influence on their peers. Bernadette George is one of those fellows. After her graduation from the CCAF program in 2009-2010, Mrs. George was appointed Deputy Director of Audit of Saint Lucia, with the responsibility of supervising the performance audit practice.

"The fellowship afforded me the opportunity to gain practical knowledge and much-needed experience in the field of performance auditing," said Mrs. George. "Having been exposed to new audit methodologies and practices, I am now in a position to improve the performance audit practice at the Audit Office of Saint Lucia."

For the last 30 years, the CCAF, with CIDA's support, has been sharing its expertise in performance (value-for-money) audit with fellows from developing countries who already have a background in finance or accountability.

Through the International Legislative Audit Assistance Program for Improved Governance and Accountability, this year alone, 11 fellows, one each from Barbados, Benin, Costa Rica, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Saint Lucia, and two each from Tanzania and Vietnam, completed a 10-month placement with four Canadian audit offices―the Auditors General of Canada, Québec, Alberta, and British Columbia.

During their stay in Canada, they studied performance auditing through on-the-job learning with audit teams, professional development courses, and the development of a strategy paper under the guidance of Canadian mentors.

"In addition to gaining practical experience, the program has helped to improve my development as a professional," said Mrs. George. "The interactions with various persons, bodies, and associations and my participation in a number of activities enabled me to further develop my interpersonal and communication skills, enhance my self-confidence, and learn about the latest developments, trends, and practices in the field of performance auditing."

Fellows go back to their countries with new abilities and tools to monitor public institutions and can influence, at different levels, the decisions affecting the integrity of public administration. The results on the ground speak for themselves. With the help of program participants, Guyana, for instance, recently completed its first performance audit, and Ghana has won an award for the best report in Africa.

Since the creation of the program in 1980, 209 fellows from 53 countries have graduated. For more information on the CCAF, please visit the foundation's website.