HE al-Attiyah with Prof al-Misnad, Tarling, al-Sada and al-Mulla at the opening session of the 4th National Internal Audit Conference at the Hilton yesterday.
By Pratap John/Chief Business Reporter
Qatar requires more national certified public accountants (CPAs) although there is a strong pool of Qatari accounting graduates, said HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority.
“This is a big challenge for us,” al-Attiyah told Gulf Times in Doha yesterday.
He said Qatar’s is a strong output of accounting graduates. “We see hundreds of accounting graduates among Qataris, but the number of CPAs is not adequate. Qatar needs lots of CPAs; the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) should work towards developing more Qatari CPAs,” al-Attiyah suggested.
Nonetheless, al-Attiyah said he was “quite satisfied” with the steady stream of national accounting professionals.
“A few years ago, many Qatari graduates were not sure whether they should pursue accounting as a profession. But today, we see many young Qatari accounting professionals, both male and female. IIA Qatar chapter has played a major role in spreading awareness about the accounting profession,” al-Attiyah said on the sidelines of the 4th National Internal Audit Conference at the Hilton Doha yesterday.
“What gives me more satisfaction is the fact that in today’s IIA conference, we have many Qataris as participants; many of them women. Internal auditing is a very important task and at the very heart of a corporate culture. Internal auditors should be the guardians of our corporate life.
“Internal audit plays an essential advisory role, adds competitive value to organisations and promotes a corporate culture of continued improvement and performance at different levels.
“Globally, internal auditors play an important role in fighting corruption in the corporate world. Hence, we must support and encourage internal auditors,” al-Attiyah said.
In his address, Phil Tarling, past global chairman of IIA, said, “Our profession is truly one that transcends national borders and is the same across the many geographical areas. In fact, as I travelled last year as the global chairman, I was struck by the fact that the problems faced by auditors in Burundi were the same as those in Britain, where I live. The difference is one of maturity of the profession, which the global institute helps to rectify, by its international standards.
The Qatar National Vision 2030 takes as leading elements of economic development both a stimulating business climate capable of attracting foreign funds and encouraging national investment as well as a transparent and accountable government, he said. “On behalf of the Global Institute of Internal Auditors, I would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to the Government of Qatar and HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah for their support to the profession of internal auditing,” Tarling said.
The Global Institute of Internal Auditors has more than 185,000 members in some 190 countries, with 109 Institutes, of which Qatar is one, and 156 Chapters in North America. There are approximately 120,000 professionals qualified under the designation Certified Internal Auditor, a certification that is accepted as the “must have” qualification by regulators and governments around the world.
Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad, president, Qatar University; Ibrahim bin Hashim al-Sada, acting president, State Audit Bureau and Hassan al-Mulla, president IIA Qatar were among the dignitaries present.
Below: Participants at the conference. PICTURES: Jayan Orma
