Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations

Geneva

STATEMENT BY INDIA

Report by the External Auditor to WIPO General Assembly, delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary (Economic Affairs) on 4 October 2017

Thank you Mr. Vice Chair

2.      India would like to thank the External Auditor of WIPO - the Comptroller and Auditor General of India - for the report contained in document A/57/4 on the financial statements of the WIPO for the year 2016 ending 31 December.

3.     The report is comprehensive and was submitted in a timely manner providing ample opportunity for Member States to examine and deliberate on it. My delegation has gone through these observations and also carefully studied the various recommendations made by External Auditor and the response of the WIPO Secretariat. 

4.     We would like to thank the External Auditor for the consistent meticulous work in making these useful recommendations and welcome the steps taken by the WIPO Secretariat in implementing these recommendations streamlining financial and human resource management. 

5.   The monitoring of the implementation of recommendations made by external audit is an important part of the accountability process. Most of the recommendations made in this report are at various stages of implementation.

6.    We complement the WIPO management for their response to the recommendations by the External Auditor and the measures taken by them for improvements in various areas. We would urge the Secretariat to take action to implement the pending recommendations especially on operationalisation of IT Modernisation project.

7.    The current External Auditor of WIPO, has also undertaken external audit of World Health Organization, International Maritime Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Organization for Migration. Its work has received worldwide praise. The highest degree of professional standards, competence, credibility and trustworthiness, of Comptroller and Auditor General of India, has been well recognized in its engagement with various United Nations bodies.

8.     Before concluding, my delegation would like to place on record its appreciation for the diligent work of the External Auditor of WIPO and for making timely presentation of this Report.

With these words I thank you, Mr. Chairman.