Emiratisation within the internal audit function was the main focus of a panel discussion at the recently held Internal Audit Festival at the Paris Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi.

Internal audit practitioners called for a stronger Emiratisation strategy to encourage more UAE nationals to enter the audit profession, said a statement.

Ahmad Dahabiyeh, executive director at the Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority, said the lack of Emirati audit professionals working in government could have an adverse impact on the state’s ability to deliver basic services.

“One concrete example is when a budget for a government hospital is not approved on time because it has not been reviewed by an internal auditor - that could lead to a possible delay in the release of funds and in turn hamper the ability of the hospital to provide basic hospitalisation and healthcare services to the public,” Dahabiyeh said.

One of the reasons cited by the panellists for the lack of certified Emirati internal auditors is because of lack of awareness that an audit profession can be a career option; and for the few who know about it, the perception is that there is no career growth for an internal auditor.

Fadi Sidani, partner-in-charge, Middle East enterprise risk services, Deloitte, said: “A massive awareness campaign is necessary to raise the profile of the audit profession especially among college and university students to entice them to explore the possibility of pursuing a career as an internal auditor after graduation. Within the profession, educating internal auditors that there is a strong career path within the profession that could lead all the way to the top echelons of senior management.”

Another important step that could pave the way for more Emiratis to become certified internal auditors is the launch of the Arabised version of the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) qualification, he said.

Abdulqader Obaid Ali, president, Internal Audit Association UAE (IAA UAE), said: “The CIA qualification is the mark of excellence in the practice of internal auditing in the world and you can just imagine where the profession would go and the level of awareness reach if a lot more Arabs, and hopefully UAE nationals, get certified. The greater number of certified audit professionals in the region undoubtedly will take governance, risk management and control to its heights in the region.”

The number of CIA qualified internal auditors in the Middle East is estimated to be 4,112, broken down per country as follows: Jordan 212, Bahrain 366, Egypt 386, Lebanon 360, Oman 328, Saudi Arabia 836, and the UAE 1,624 (UAE nationals and expatriates included).

The first Internal Audit Festival which took place recently organised 10 different forums across the UAE, involving key sectors of the UAE economy, including banking, information technology, oil and gas, and sports, the statement said.

Public sector forums were also organised to emphasise the importance of auditing in the government sector, it said. – TradeArabia News Service