Permanent Mission of India
Geneva

Statement by India at the 25th session of Program and Budget Committee of WIPO on Agenda Item 6 - Report by the External Auditor, delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary(Economic) on 30 August 2016

Thank you Madam Vice Chairperson

I am speaking in my national capacity, and not as Regional Coordinator.

2. India would like to thank the External Auditor of WIPO, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, for the presentation of the report contained in document WO/PBC/25/4 on the financial statements of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for the year 2015 ending 31 December.

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

4. We acknowledge the substantive observations and specific recommendations made by the external auditor for the financial year 2015 regarding the delivery of various programs and activities by the WIPO management.

5. We would like to thank the External Auditors for the continuous meticulous work done in making these useful suggestions and welcome the steps taken by the WIPO Secretariat implement these recommendations, specifically those on the Arbitration and Mediation Centre and relating to staff travel and rules.

6. WIPO may devise a detailed mechanism to ensure that the revenue arising out of PCT international filing fees in any reporting year reconciles with the figure based on PCT applications published in that year. My delegation would like to request the WIPO to formalize suitable indicators and criteria that would guide it on the necessity of performing revaluation of the property and equipment each year. There is a need to reassess the useful lives of assets to reflect fair presentation and to achieve a reasonable estimate of useful lives of assets. Also, a formal documented policy for write-off of amounts that it is unable to return to the applicants, may be devised by WIPO.

7. 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. We complement the WIPO management for their response to the recommendations by the External Auditor and the measures taken by them for improvements in different areas. We would urge the Secretariat to take action to implement the pending recommendations.

8. Reports by External Auditor have been an invaluable tool for the work of the Program & Budget Committee. We are confident that the reports from the current External Auditor, who has undertaken external audit of WHO, IMO, FAO, OPCW, etc., during the past years have been of immense value. The degree of competence, credibility and trustworthiness, of the Supreme Audit Institute of India, has been well recognized in their engagement with other UN bodies.

9. Before concluding, my delegation would like to place on record its appreciation to the External Auditor for their diligent work and for making a timely presentation of their Report, which would become the basis for PBC's recommendations.

Thank you Madam Vice Chairperson
Muchas Gracias de nuevo