The Angolan capital Luanda hosted the 9th General Assembly and 11th International Colloquium of the Forum of African State Inspectorates General and Similar Institutions (FIGE) on 23 and 24 October 2024.
23 October began with an audience granted by His Excellency João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, to the heads of the member delegations of the Steering Committee. This cordial and hospitable meeting provided an opportunity for the members to thank the President of the Republic for the warm welcome they had received and for the exceptional support provided by Angola’s IGAE since it joined the Forum.
The event, held under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Angola, H.E. João Lourenço, took place at the Intercontinental MIRAMAR Hotel and brought together representatives of FIGE member institutions, members of the Angolan government, as well as international experts and partners, including the World Bank’s Vice-Presidency for Integrity, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the UNODC Globe Network and the Sorbonne University.
The Executive Secretary of FIGE and Inspector General of the Republic of Djibouti, Mr Hassan Issa Sultan, presented the organisation and its achievements, emphasising that after 18 years of existence, FIGE has 27 member institutions from 20 countries on the African continent and a solid network of international partners.
The FIGE, he said, also has a training institute that provides high-quality training in auditing, control and inspection for the staff of member institutions. He also pointed out that FIGE is a platform for sharing and exchanging experiences, best practices and studies in line with developments in public sector control and audit techniques, with the aim of creating a positive synergy capable of generating momentum for improved governance in Africa.
He did not fail to express his gratitude to the General State Inspectorate of the Republic of Congo, headed by Mr Germain KIAMBA, Comptroller General of the State, for his leadership during his term of office. The Executive Secretary of FIGE also congratulated Mr. João Manuel Francisco of the General Inspectorate of State Administration and his team for the impeccable organisation of the meeting.
The outgoing President of FIGE, Mr Germain KIAMBA, began his speech by thanking His Excellency Mr Joao Manuel GONÇALVES LOURENÇO, President of the Republic, and the Angolan people for their warm welcome.
The Auditor General of the Republic of Congo did not fail to acknowledge that the actions of the State Inspectorates General and similar institutions, which face significant daily challenges, deserve to be supported and strengthened. He highlighted the many achievements during his term of office, including progress in harmonising organisational standards and strengthening the operational capacities of auditors from member institutions through training provided by the FIGE Institute. He concluded his speech by emphasising: « It is therefore with a sense of accomplishment that I am handing over the baton to the Inspector General of the Angolan State Administration, confident that my successor will continue and perpetuate the work and actions already begun.»
A solemn moment! The Executive Secretary then proceeded with the handover of the Chairmanship of the Steering Committee from the outgoing Chairman, Mr Germain KIAMBA, to the new Chairman, Mr João Manuel Francisco, Inspector General of the General Inspectorate of the Angolan State Administration. The new President thanked the outgoing President and the members of FIGE for their trust and reaffirmed his commitment to continuing the work of his predecessor and promoting good governance and the fight against corruption.
In his inauguration speech, Mr. João Manuel Francisco emphasised that the rotating presidency of FIGE represents not only an opportunity to strengthen cooperation ties between our countries, but also an important milestone in consolidating the principles of good governance, transparency and integrity in the exercise of inspection, control and audit functions at the continental level. For the new leader, the rotating presidency of FIGE will be an opportunity to share best practices, align our strategies and strengthen international collaboration to combat irregularities and promote more effective and transparent public management in our countries.
The Minister of State and Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic, Mr Adão de Almeida, highlighted the devastating effects of corruption, which weakens societies, erodes the credibility of institutions and hinders the development of nations. He stressed that African states face complex challenges in meeting the needs of their populations, and that corruption further exacerbates these difficulties. He also shared Angola’s experience in the fight against corruption, highlighting the significant progress made since President João Lourenço took office in 2017.
After taking family photos with senior Angolan officials, representatives of FIGE member institutions present in Luanda gathered for a plenary session of the General Assembly to review and approve all items on the agenda, including the extension of the strategic plan period until 2027, as it was due to end in 2025. Also on the agenda was the approval of the working groups’ recommendations on FIGE audit standards and benchmarks presented by the internal technical committees mandated by the Steering Committee, as well as the approval of the FIGE roadmap and action plan for 2022 to 2024 and its integration into the annual activity report of the FIGE Executive Secretariat.
In addition, the General Assembly approved the amendment to Article 18 of the FIGE’s internal regulations to limit itself to sending quarterly reminders to members who have not yet paid their membership fees. This revision now provides that the penalty of 1% per month of delay beyond one year of delay, as stipulated in the aforementioned article that has just been amended, will no longer apply.
A highlight of this plenary session was the Renewal of the members of the Steering Committee with the General Inspectorate of the State Administration of Angola appointed to the position of Chair, the entry of the General Inspectorate of Finance of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the position of Vice-Chair and host of the 10th General Assembly. In addition, the IGE of the Republic of Senegal joined the Steering Committee, alongside the IGE of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Madagascar as other members.
The highest governing body of FIGE also recommended clearing FIGE’s outstanding membership fees and outstanding special contributions to the FIGE Institute. It also recommended the introduction of manuals, intervention guides and codes of ethics within member institutions.
The FIGE General Assembly concluded with a commitment by representatives of member institutions to consolidate achievements and continue efforts towards continuous improvement, ensuring the undeniable and irreversible progress of this pan-African organisation, FIGE.
