DOHA: The 21st meeting of the heads of the financial and accounting audit bureaus in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries was held in the Qatari capital Doha on Monday, with the participation of the head of Kuwaiti Audit Bureau, Issam Al-Roumi. In a speech during the meeting, the head of the Qatari Audit Bureau, Abdulaziz Al-Emadi, said that the audit work in the Gulf countries has witnessed remarkable development over the past years thanks to “the keenness of the financial and accounting audit bureaus to keep pace with developments and the best professional practices adopted in the field.

Al-Emadi praised the “prestigious” level reached by the Gulf agencies through their practices “in protecting public funds and enhancing integrity, transparency, disclosure, and accountability, in addition to achieving sustainable development goals. He added that the Gulf bureaus face “new challenges” imposed to confront cybersecurity challenges, stressing that joint Gulf work is the “best way” to confront all these challenges, which requires doubling efforts to activate cooperation and enhance joint work in the future.

He also praised the initiative of the Kuwait Audit Bureau to hold a youth forum within the scope of the financial and accounting control bureaus in the GCC countries, indicating that it will have a positive impact in terms of preparing the future generation. In turn, the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, said that the tireless efforts of the GCC countries to enhance transparency and reach an advanced accounting control system are some of the important elements through which the GCC was able to occupy “this distinguished regional and global position.”

He lauded the heads of the financial and accounting control bureaus in the GCC countries and their aspiration to approve a number of decisions and control guides that would enhance joint Gulf work in the field of financial and accounting control. He stressed that this cooperation not only contributes to enhancing transparency and financial credibility but also goes beyond that—to be a “fundamental pillar” to support the sustainable development process and achieve the desired economic integration.

Al-Badawi also pointed out that the Committee of Heads of Financial and Accounting Auditing Bureaus in the GCC countries is proceeding on the “steady steps” to achieve cooperation and integration in the areas of financial and accounting auditing by improving the means of controlling and protecting public funds and enhancing cooperation. He added that the GCC countries “have now gained a distinguished regional position in many fields, including politics, economy, and investment, topping many international indicators that rival the largest and most advanced countries.

The Kuwaiti delegation participating in the meeting is headed by the President of the Audit Bureau, Issam Al-Roumi, while the delegation includes Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative, Financial, and Information Technology Affairs, Dr. Saud Al-Zamanan, and Media and Public Relations Supervisor, Abdullah Al-Sajari. - KUNA