The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) today announced the selection of Certified Public Accountants Ireland (CPA Ireland) to partner with the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and its training arm, the Nigerian College of Accountancy (NCA), to review and strengthen its study materials and examination processes.

NCA is a postgraduate professional college established in 1994. It is responsible for determining the standards of knowledge and skills needed by potential ANAN members and promoting the highest standards of competence, practice, and conduct. NCA provides tuition to 1,000 full-time residential students every year, as well as to part-time students through its mature students program.

In working with ANAN, CPA Ireland will review, update, and make recommendations for ongoing maintenance to the syllabus, study materials, and examination for NCA’s professional and conversion programs.

“CPA Ireland is no stranger to the accountancy profession in Nigeria, having worked with ANAN on a number of projects in recent years,” said Eamonn Siggins, CPA Ireland Chief Executive. “We have a strong understanding of ANAN, its position in the accountancy profession in Nigeria, and the Nigerian profession. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with ANAN through this partnership to advance accountancy education.”

“Working with CPA Ireland to strengthen their training and examination will help NCA elevate their accountancy education in line with good practice, and position them to make a strong contribution to building public sector accountancy capacity as well as attract increasing numbers of students,” said Alta Prinsloo, IFAC Executive Director, Strategy, and Chief Operating Officer.

In 2014, IFAC received almost £5 million from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to fund PAO capacity building in ten emerging countries over seven years. CPA Ireland joins other global accountancy organizations that have been selected to develop the profession in specific nations. Each partner organization was selected following global Calls for Expressions of Interest and an extensive proposal and review process involving multiple global organizations and the IFAC PAO Capacity Building Program Oversight Committee and Independent Selection Panel. Work stemming from these partnerships are currently underway in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe and a planned project in Kyrgyzstan is in development.

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 more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About CPA Ireland
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland) is one of the main Irish accountancy bodies representing 5,000 members and students. The CPA designation is the most commonly used designation worldwide for professional accountants and the Institute’s qualification enjoys wide international recognition. Its current membership operates in public practice, Industry, financial services and the public sector and CPAs work in over 40 countries around the world.

CPA Ireland is active in the profession at national and international level participating in the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies – Ireland – CCAB (I) and together with other leading accountancy bodies the Institute was a founding member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) – the worldwide body. CPA Ireland is also a member of the Federation des Experts Comptables Europeens (FEE), the representative body for the main accountancy bodies in 37 European countries.

The Institute fulfils its statutory role as a recognised body by overseeing the professional activities of its members in practice, and insuring that education and training standards are maintained. As the first accountancy body to introduce a mandatory regime of Continuing Professional Development, the Institute ensures that all CPAs remain at the leading edge throughout their careers. The Institute provides a quality service to its Members and Students, which has been recognised through the award and maintenance of ISO 9001:2008. For further information visit www.cpaireland.ie.

About DFID
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty. They are ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/dfid.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants® (IESBA®)’s staff publication, Ethical Considerations Relating to Audit Fee Setting in the Context of Downward Fee Pressure, has been published in Spanish.

This publication was developed in response to stakeholder concerns about downward pressure on fees being a factor potentially adversely impacting audit quality. It highlights important considerations in the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) for auditors in relation to the setting of audit fees.

The publication will be relevant to auditors when considering tendering for a new audit engagement, or when proposing or agreeing to fees for recurring audit engagements. It may also be of interest to those charged with governance, preparers, regulators and audit oversight bodies, investors, and others with an interest or role in auditors’ work and their independence.

The Instituto de Censores Jurados de Cuentas de España performed this Spanish translation, which is a result of the Ibero-American cooperation framework, known as the IberAm project. Established in 2012, the IberAm project—which includes IFAC and its member organizations in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain—is an IFAC-authorized translation and review process that strives to achieve longer-term, sustainable processes for single, high-quality Spanish translations of international standards and other IFAC publications. The Interamerican Accounting Association, IFAC’s regional organization for Latin America and the Caribbean, is an observer to the project.  The project also involves a Review Committee of technical experts representing IFAC member organizations in nine Spanish-speaking countries.

An overview of translations of IFAC’s publications is available online in the Translations Database.

IFAC is pleased to respond to the UK House of Commons’ Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s inquiry into government accounts. In addition to IFAC’s overall comments and based on its understanding of the public sector reporting framework and arrangements in the UK, IFAC believes that it is a model to which other countries might well aspire. Alongside other countries that have strong public sector financial reporting arrangements (like New Zealand and Australia), the UK should see itself as a leader in this field.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)’s new and revised auditor reporting standards, Reporting on Audited Financial Statements – New and Revised Auditor Reporting Standards and Related Conforming Amendments, designed to enhance auditor’s reports for investors and other users of financial statements, have been published in Spanish. This includes the International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 701, Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditor's Report, and changes to other ISAs related to auditor reporting, as well as to those addressing the auditor’s responsibilities in relation to going concern and communication with those charged with governance.

The Instituto de Censores Jurados de Cuentas de España performed this Spanish translation, which is a result of the Ibero-American cooperation framework, known as the IberAm project. Established in 2012, the IberAm project—which includes IFAC and member organizations in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain—is an IFAC-authorized translation and review process that strives to achieve longer-term, sustainable processes for single, high-quality Spanish translations of international standards and other IFAC publications. The Interamerican Accounting Association, IFAC’s regional organization for Latin America and the Caribbean, is an observer to the project. The project also involves a Review Committee of technical experts representing IFAC member organizations in nine Spanish-speaking countries.

An overview of translations of IFAC’s publications is available online in the Translations Database.

Accountants in both public practice and industry play a crucial role in an organization’s success. But assessing, or even quantifying, that role is a complex endeavor. Understanding the relationship between using accountancy expertise and business performance requires consideration of what accountancy expertise entails and consideration of a wide range of performance measures.

The IFAC Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee recently submitted a comment letter to the International Audit and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)’s Invitation to Comment, Enhancing Audit Quality in the Public Interest: A Focus on Professional Skepticism, Quality Control and Group Audits (ITC).

All citizens should care how governments budget and account for their spending. Bad financial information means services suffer and public servants can’t be properly held to account. Join us on the Accountability. Now. journey.

Algunos líderes del sector público y organizaciones profesionales de contabilidad del Caribe se reunieron en Nasáu para revitalizar los esfuerzos por mejorar la gestión financiera del sector público y apoyar el crecimiento económico de la región.

El ministro de Finanzas de las Bahamas, MP Michael Halkitis, abrió esta reunión estratégica, cuya duración fue de tres días, y declaró: "El gasto del sector público abarca una gran proporción del producto interno bruto del Caribe. Con base en las sumas asociadas, es imperativo resolver nuestros problemas. Nuestra economía regional depende de la toma de decisiones sensatas en torno al gasto, a partir de datos precisos. Un mejor presupuesto financiero público así como una mejor contabilidad y presentación de la información, con base en la contabilidad de devengo, nos permitirá cubrir todos los aspectos de nuestras finanzas y nos ayudará a traer sostenibilidad al gasto público y a las comunidades que servimos".

Con el patrocinio del Gobierno de Bahamas y su socio contribuyente CPA Canadá, y liderado por el Instituto de Contadores Certificados del Caribe (ICAC), la Federación Internacional de Contadores^® (IFAC^®) y el Banco Mundial, se realizó esta novedosa reunión con el fin de acercar las colaboraciones intergubernamentales y fortalecer las relaciones entre los líderes del sector público y la profesión contable.

La presidente del ICAC, Jasmine Davis, en su discurso de bienvenida a los delegados comentó: "La profesión contable cuenta con una sólida competencia para ayudar a nuestros compañeros que fomentan la confianza del gobierno en las finanzas del sector público. Apoyamos incondicionalmente sus esfuerzos por una mejor integración de nuestra economía en la economía global —una labor que puede alcanzar su máximo potencial cuando los mercados de capitales, los inversores y nuestros propios ciudadanos son conscientes de que nuestras finanzas gubernamentales se basan en fundamentos sólidos". 

La directora de operaciones de la IFAC, Alta Prinsloo, agregó: "La última crisis financiera mundial resaltó las debilidades inherentes de los gobiernos altamente endeudados, incluyendo el Caribe. La gestión y la proyección de ingresos y gastos públicos, así como el control de desequilibrios fiscales se pueden llevar a cabo mediante prácticas de contabilidad sólidas. A través de nuestra campaña Accountability. Now., nos complace brindar nuestro apoyo a este emocionante evento que estimulará la comunicación, la consulta y la colaboración intensivas en los gobiernos del Caribe, la profesión contable y los socios internacionales, incluyendo el Banco Mundial".

Samia Msadek, directora de la Práctica Global de Gobierno del Grupo del Banco Mundial enfatizó que es esencial contar con una gestión financiera pública sólida para el éxito y la prosperidad nacional. "La manera en que los gobiernos manejan la fiscalidad, el préstamo y el gasto es fundamental para fortalecer la economía, reducir la pobreza y garantizar un mejor estilo de vida al pueblo caribeño mediante la inclusión y la prosperidad conjuntas", afirmó. 

Las exclusivas mesas redondas de tres días abordaron prioridades económicas, sociales y empresariales de la región; reformas públicas financieras frente a la presentación de informes (perspectivas regionales e internacionales); la participación de partes interesadas; los desafíos de la profesión contable en el Caribe y las estrategias de creación de capacidad; y la capacitación técnica en los más recientes desarrollos en cuanto a Normas Internacionales de Contabilidad para el Sector Público.

Acerca del ICAC
Desde su fundación en 1988, el Instituto de Contadores Certificados del Caribe ha ofrecido un espacio para el avance de la profesión contable en el Caribe. Actualmente, con una red de aproximadamente 3700 profesionales, el ICAC es la organización líder de la región en el proceso de impulsar el interés de los contadores y profesionales en la industria financiera dentro del Caribe promoviendo mejores prácticas y estándares aceptados a nivel internacional, el liderazgo intelectual, la investigación y el desarrollo continuo profesional. En 2006, la IFAC calificó al ICAC como un "Reconocido Grupo Regional". www.icac.org.jm

Acerca del Grupo Banco Mundial
El Grupo Banco Mundial es una institución financiera para el desarrollo, que brinda asistencia financiera y técnica a países en vías de desarrollo en el mundo. Su misión gira en torno a dos metas principales: erradicar la pobreza extrema para el año 2030, reduciendo el porcentaje de personas que viven con menos de un $1.90 al 3% o menos y fomentando la prosperidad conjunta al impulsar el crecimiento de los ingresos del 40% de la población menos favorecida de cada país. El Grupo Banco Mundial tiene su sede principal en Washington DC, y cuenta con más de 10.000 empleados en más de 120 oficinas en todo el mundo. www.worldbank.org

Acerca de la IFAC
IFAC es la organización global para la profesión contable, dedicada a servir el interés público a través del fortalecimiento de la profesión y la contribución para el desarrollo de economías internacionales sólidas. La IFAC se compone de 175 miembros y asociados en 130 países y territorios, representando aproximadamente a 3 millones de contadores en la práctica pública, la educación, el gobierno, la industria y el comercio. Accountability. Now. Es una iniciativa de la IFAC cuyo propósito es generar consciencia sobre la imperiosa necesidad de información financiera comparable, transparente y de alta calidad para el sector público, y sobre la importancia de la participación ciudadana en el proceso de responsabilización de los gobiernos. www.ifac.org