CAG of India appointed external auditor of IAEA and WIPO

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has been appointed external auditor of two major UN agencies - the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at Vienna and the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

The CAG's appointment by these organisations marks a departure from the tradition of Europ'e stranglehold on these prestigious positions. It is also for the first time a top auditor from the emerging world has been appointed to the position.

These appointments were made in the face of competition from other developed countries like United Kingdom, Spain and Norway.

IAEA and WIPO are specialized agencies and the appointment of the CAG to these positions is a recognition of the professional capabilities of the CAG's auditing talent pool.

"The international community has acknowledged that public auditors of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department have high professional competence. In particular, their knowledge, expertise and domain experience in conducting performance audits has been highly acclaimed. It is in recognition of such expertise that in the face of competition from Auditors' General of developed countries such as UK and Norway, the CAG of India has been preferred," an official release noted.

The tenure of these audits could extend up to six years.