IFAC recognizes the importance of high-quality auditing and acts to promote and enhance audit quality around the globe, including supporting the development, adoption, and implementation of high-quality, internationally accepted auditing and quality control standards, promoting the need for global regulatory convergence, and supporting the development of strong professional accountancy organizations and accountancy firms.

IFAC recognizes the important role that a well-functioning audit committee plays in governance, risk management, and internal control arrangements for a wide range of different entities. In particular, the outcomes of the global financial crisis, and the responses to it, have highlighted that appropriately structured and well-operated audit committees promote good governance and financial reporting practices within organizations, and improve the quality of reported financial (and potentially, non-financial) information.

Public Finance International (PFI) has published an in-depth interview with IFAC’s new CEO, Fayezul Choudhury, which discusses some of his goals as he takes the reins at IFAC and the landscape for public sector accounting.

Podcast: Meeting Highlights from the IESBA's March 11-13, 2013 meeting in New York.

00:21 Overview

3:34 Responding to a Suspected Illegal Act

6:32 Those Charged with Governance

8:24 Part C of the Code

11:05 Structure of the Code

13:26 Long Association

15:56 Non-Assurance Services

The 2013 edition includes ISA 610 (Revised 2013) and Conforming Amendments, and ISRE 2400 (Revised). This two-part handbook was last issued in 2012. Staff-prepared Basis for Conclusions documents for each of the pronouncements included in the handbook can be accessed here.

This Handbook contains the complete set of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board’s (IPSASB’s) pronouncements on public sector financial reporting. It also includes Chapters 1–4 of the Conceptual Framework for General Purpose Financial Reporting by Public Sector Entities, which were approved in December 2012 and issued in January 2013.

Presentation given by Vincent Tophoff, IFAC senior technical manager, during the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan's CFO Conference 2013, CFO: Meeting Future Challenges! In his presentation, Mr. Tophoff discusses current trends and thinking in risk management and best practices.

The revised IES 5, Initial Professional Development—Practical Experience, aims to assist educational organizations, employers, regulators, government authorities, and any other stakeholders who support the practical experience of professional accountants.

The 2014 World Congress of Accountants (WCOA) was held November 10-13 in Rome, Italy, hosted by the Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili (CNDCEC). Find complete information on the Congress site: www.wcoa2014rome.com.

Speeches and Presentations:

• November 10, Gerardo Longobardi, Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili President, Opening Remarks to WCOA
• November 10, Vincenzo La Via, Director General of the Italian Treasury, Opening Remarks to WCOA
• November 10, Warren Allen, Immediate Past IFAC President, Opening Remarks to WCOA
• November 10, Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria President, Opening Remarks to WCOA
• November 13, Ivan Scalfarotto, Undersecratary for Constitutional Affairs and Relations with the Parliament, Closing Remarks to WCOA
• November 13, Ndung'u Gathinji, 2014 Robert Sempier Award Recipient, Acceptance Speech at WCOA
• November 13, Olivia Kirtley, IFAC President, Closing Remarks to WCOA
• November 14, Olivia Kirtley, IFAC President, Remarks to Pope Francis
• November 14, Pope Francis, Address to WCOA Special Papal Audience