The Art of Audit published to mark Saskia J. Stuiveling’s retirement
Eight current and former presidents of supreme audit institutions who have played a leading role in the international SAI community spoke openly with Roel Janssen about their work as external auditors in the public sector. The interviews were held to mark Saskia J. Stuiveling’s retirement as President of the Netherlands Court of Audit and have been bundled in English under the title, The Art of Audit.
In The Art of Audit, Faiza Kefi (Tunisia), Josef Moser (Austria), Terence Nombembe (South Africa), Heidi Mendoza (Philippines), Alar Karis (Estonia), David Walker (US), John Muwanga (Uganda) and Abdulbasit Turki Saeed (Iraq) talk about the roles they have played to emancipate and professionalise SAIs in vulnerable countries, often in the face of opposition and sometimes in very difficult and dangerous conditions.
The Art of Audit
Public accountability, good governance and public trust in the government are inextricably linked with each other. SAIs have a special role to play. In the Netherlands, the Court of Audit checks whether government expenditure and revenue are accurate and whether policy is implemented as intended. SAIs also seek to strengthen confidence in government, especially in countries with weak democracies. SAIs work to reveal corruption and determine whether the government actually produces the roads, wells and houses it promises. SAIs can rightly be called watchdogs working in the interests of the public and parliament.
The Court of Audit has been partnering the SAIs of emerging democracies for many years. The book is one outcome of its work and is intended to increase awareness of the position and work of SAIs everywhere in the world.
Roel Janssen, the book’s compiler, is a financial and economic journalist. He has worked for NRC-Handelsblad for 30 years and is the author of several non-fiction works on the economy. The book has been published in English and is also available as an e-book.
For more information or a review copy, please contact Amsterdam University Press at marketing@aup.nl of 020 530 7187.