Jeddah: President of the General Court of Audit (GCA) Hussam Alangari handed the Peer Review Report to Chairman of the Chamber of Accounts of Azerbaijan Vugar Gulmammadov on Tuesday.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the report outlines the review carried out on the Azerbaijani audit institution, as part of a series of similar assignments conducted by the GCA through its specialized team for a number of counterpart audit bodies. Such reviews aim at sharing professional expertise among supreme audit institutions, enhancing transparency and accountability in the public sector, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of audit work in line with international best practices and standards.

The handover ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 15th General Assembly of the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI), which opened on Tuesday in Jeddah, Makkah Region.

A specialized team of auditors from the GCA had earlier visited the headquarters of Azerbaijan's Chamber of Accounts to assess its compliance with international standards issued by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), in accordance with GUID 1900 - Peer Review Guidelines. The scope of work included evaluating the Chamber of Accounts' independence by examining relevant documents, legislation, rules, regulations, manuals, and instructions.

The review also included a series of meetings to examine operational and financial aspects, as well as an assessment of audit mechanisms through sample testing and preparation of preliminary findings. The initial findings were discussed with officials from the Azerbaijani Chamber of Accounts, followed by a concluding meeting presenting the evaluation results and recommendations that provide a framework for improving and developing the institution's performance.

The collaboration reflects the commitment of both sides to making optimal use of the memorandum of understanding between them in the fields of accounting, auditing, and professional cooperation.