The UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global organization for the accountancy profession, today announced an agreement to develop professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) in emerging economies. The new initiative was announced at a roundtable event in London, hosted by Justine Greening, UK Secretary of State for International Development, and attended by Warren Allen, IFAC President.
Under the agreement, DFID will provide £4.935m funding to IFAC over seven years. The funding will be used to strengthen PAOs in at least 10 DFID focal countries in four regions: Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. IFAC will facilitate, coordinate, and supervise capacity building programs and technical support, including peer-to-peer support by more established PAOs, including those in the UK. These programs will build the developing country PAOs’ managerial, financial, and technical capacity so that they can drive improvements in professional and ethical standards.
“IFAC has a long history of working to build capacity and strengthen PAOs as part of our public interest mission, and we are delighted about this significant next step in that journey,” said Fayez Choudhury, CEO of IFAC. “Well-functioning PAOs ensure a sustainable supply of professional accountants that support high-quality accounting practices and financial information in both the public and private sectors. They support enhanced confidence in business and transparency in use of public funds, giving rise to increased foreign investment and donor funding and improved government accountability and transparency—and therefore are essential to economic growth and stability.”
Ms. Greening said, “The UK’s financial sector is second to none and its skills and experience can boost development across the world. By helping developing countries to manage their own resources better and attract investment we can create the jobs and growth needed to lift people out of poverty.”
IFAC and DFID are signatories of MOSAIC: Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Accountancy and Improve Collaboration, which sets out the basis for improving cooperation and collaboration between IFAC, international donors, and the international development community to increase the capacity of PAOs and improve the quality of financial management systems in emerging economies.
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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.