At the February 2012 Professional Accountancy Organization (PAO) Development Committee Meeting in Dubai, UAE, the committee held discussions on the development of PAOs throughout the Middle East region. Committee members, observers, and guests from national, regional, and global stakeholders participated in these discussions. Points made during the course of the meeting have been refined into this informal high-level guidance.

A hallmark of the accountancy profession is its obligation to act in the public interest. But it is not always apparent what this means, and how accountants can determine whether they are meeting this expectation. IFAC, by developing this position paper, is seeking to advance its understanding of this important issue. The paper, which presents a practical definition of the public interest, was developed in the context of IFAC’s mission, to enable IFAC to assess the extent to which its actions and decisions are made in the public interest.

Ten professional accountancy bodies from the Central and East European region gathered for the 6th Cross-Border Meeting in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, on June 21-23, 2012. IFAC Member Body Development Senior Technical Manager Szymon Radziszewicz gave the presentation The Role and Responsibilities of Professional Associations in the Regulation of the Accounting Profession, addressing the applicability framework of the Statements of Membership Obligations and need for a balanced approach in regulation of the accountancy profession, as well as the how the accountancy profession contributes to economic stability and growth. Representatives from the World Bank, Fédération Internationale des Experts-Comptables Francophones, and PAOs in Belgium and the Netherlands also spoke. While in Moldova, Mr. Radziszewicz also met with the Minister of Finance and Audit Oversight Council to discuss difference scenarios for regulation of the accountancy profession in Moldova. Additional materials from the meeting are available through the Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors of the Republic of Moldova's website.

Presentation by Warren Allen, IFAC Deputy President, to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC)'s 30th Caribbean Conference of Accountants on June 22, 2012. The presentation discusses IFAC, the partnership between IFAC and ICAC, and challenges facing the accountancy profession globally.

The World Bank 2012 Fiduciary Forum, Public Financial Accountability in a Changing World: Delivering Results and Managing Risks, was held in Alexandria, Virginia, in May 2012. This biennial event brings together approximately 600 financial management, procurement, and World Bank Vice Presidential Unit staff members, the majority of whom are based in country offices. Participation also included representatives of countries IFAC has a presence in, either through an active member or a development partner.

Warren Allen, IFAC Deputy President, was a speaker at the plenary session, Towards an Integrated Reporting Model to Measure Sustainable Development: Connective Systems, People, and Information. The session addressed the issue of integrating financial, environmental, social, governance, and other important disclosures in an effort to promote sustained and equitable development in response to increasing considerations of financial reporting as a component of reporting and demands from investors for more information in these areas.

Sylvia Tsen, IFAC Director, Quality and Member Relations, was also a panelist during the session “Building Systems and Investing in Skills and Talent,” which focused on education and skills growth for the development of a strong accountancy profession. Additionally, Szymon Radziszewicz, IFAC Senior Technical Manager, gave a presentation during “Accountancy Developments in Africa” session.

At the World Bank’s Accountancy Development for Results: On the Road to 2030 (part of the World Bank 2012 Fiduciary Forum), IFAC Senior Technical Manager, Szymon Radziszewicz, gave a presentation during the “Accountancy Developments in Africa” session. The presentation details the importance of the Statements of Membership Obligations (SMOs) as the foundation of the IFAC Compliance Program and how they assist and foster professional accountancy organizations around the world to support and encourage high-quality financial information and inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

The IFAC Member Body Compliance Program Strategy 2011-2014 highlights the progress of the Compliance Program to date and includes initiatives to further improve the quality of the accountancy profession worldwide.

International Federation of Accountants Chief Executive Officer Ian Ball today praised the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) for its recent decision to adopt international standards in accounting and auditing, calling it “an important benchmark in underscoring the value of accountancy and the accountancy profession to governments and to business on the African continent.”

PAFA was launched in May 2011 and consists of 39 professional accountancy organizations from 34 African nations. Its General Assembly took the action at the inaugural meeting held May 4 in Tunis, Tunisia, resolving to adopt:

• International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) developed by the International Auditing and Assurance Board (IAASB);
• International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) developed by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB);
• International Education Standards (IESs) developed by the International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB);
• International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) developed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB);
• International Financial Reporting Standards for Small and Medium Enterprises (IFRS for SMEs) developed by the IASB; and
• Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants developed by the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA).

“ISAs provide the framework against which the auditor examines a company’s financial statements and judges whether they can be relied upon by investors, capital market participants, and policymakers,” Ball said. “The adoption of IPSASs, along with international standards on education and ethics, is particularly important in Africa, and so this resolution by PAFA is an important milestone. A sound financial infrastructure—in the form of high-quality, recognized standards in auditing, ethics, public sector accounting, and related regulation—is the only way that sustainable economic development is truly achievable as Africa seeks a larger role in the global economy.”

PAFA’s resolution reflects strong support for IFAC’s Statements of Membership Obligations (SMOs), which form the basis of the IFAC Member Body Compliance Program. SMOs serve as a framework for credible and high-quality professional accountancy organizations focused on serving the public interest. PAFA’s resolution underscores the SMO requirements for IFAC members and associates to adopt and support implementation of international standards and maintain adequate enforcement mechanisms to ensure the professional behavior of their individual members.

The SMOs are issued under the IFAC Board’s authority, and the Compliance Advisory Panel (CAP), together with IFAC Compliance staff, is responsible for reviewing their continuing relevance and sufficiency.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of 167 members and associates in 127 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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In February 2012, the PAO Development Committee hosted Mentoring Insights—The Mentor Perspective in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The aim of the workshop was to facilitate and encourage information exchange regarding the various aspects of mentoring through a mixture of presentations and interactive discussion sessions.

The Monitoring Group (MG) has issued a public consultation on the governance arrangements for standard setting. IFAC recognizes the importance of ongoing review and dialogue to enhance these governance arrangements, and we welcome the opportunity to respond to this consultation.

IFAC encourages all key stakeholders and interested parties to consider responding to the MG consultation.