Eritrea – Institutional Capacity Development in OAG Eritrea (20 months)

The purpose of the project is to strengthen the institutional and professional capacity of OAG Eritrea to ensure that quality audits are delivered based on ISSAI guidance, within budget and timeframes. OAG faces a backlog of audits, having been hampered by a combination of shortage of skilled staff and inefficient audit practices. In part this relates to lack of financial and operational independence (including no responsibility for hiring staff and setting salary levels). The OAG proposes to address this through a combination of updating its audit approach, investing in IT capacity and IT audit tools, and enhancing the professional audit and managerial capacity of its existing staff. Three main areas of activity are proposed (i) upgrade of IT hardware, local networks and purchase and installation of data analysis software (ii) establishment of service contracts with suitable experts in regularity (financial and compliance) audit, performance audit, Information Systems audit, and an ISSAI expert (iii) capacity development activities geared towards practical implementation of the ISSAI-based AFROSAI-E audit manuals. The latter would combine classroom based training and on-the-job training in regularity and performance auditing, as well as Information Systems auditing and training on Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATS). Additionally, it is hoped to second a small number of auditors to peer SAIs for period of around 3 months. Finally, some pilot audits would be undertaken in performance and information Systems auditing. The proposed budget may need further clarification to ensure all planned activities are fully costed.
Providers of support:
The African Development Bank expressed their interest in supporting this initiative fully and a grant of 230000usd was approved. They are under dialogue.