CAG elected to UN audit body

India has been elected to the 16-member audit advisory committee of the United Nations with its nominee, Shashi Kant Sharma, the Comptroller and Auditor General, garnering the largest number of votes in a crucial election to the UN Board of Auditors, on Friday.

Also known as the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), the audit body will play a crucial role in helping the UN to examine the organization's budget and numerous management initiatives put forth by the secretariat.

Sharma won 124 votes out of the total 186 cast in the General Assembly's Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary questions. His closest contender, Maria Gracia Pulido of the Philippines secured only 62 votes.

Sharma will be appointed to the UN Board of Auditors for a six year term beginning 1 July 2014.

The committee also recommended the appointment of another Indian, Devish Uttam, along with Toshihiro Aiki (Japan) and Zhang Wanhai (China) from the group of Asia-Pacific states; Carlos Ruiz Massieu (Mexico) from the group of Latin American and Caribbean states and Richard Moon (United Kingdom) and Catherine Vendat (France) from the group of Western European and other states.

These six ACABQ members would serve for three-year terms beginning 1 January 2014.

The dozens of recommendations will be forwarded to the General Assembly for adoption during the sixty-eight session.

The committee considered appointments to the Committee on Contributions, Investments Committee, Board of Auditors, International Civil Service Commission and Independent Audit Advisory Committee.

The General Assembly had established the UN Board of Auditors to audit of the accounts of the United Nations organisation and its funds and programmes and to report its findings and recommendations to the Assembly through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.

The Auditors-Generals of UN member states are elected to the Board. India had last sat on the board in 1993 for six years.