By Sama Marwan,
Egypt’s Central Auditing Organization (CAO) has achieved a historic milestone by securing the position of legal and financial auditor for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the next six years. This marks the first time since the organization’s establishment that Egypt has held this prestigious role. FAO is one of the largest UN agencies, managing multi-billion-dollar budgets and overseeing a vast network of regional and country offices worldwide.
Intensive Diplomatic Efforts to Secure the Victory
Ambassador Bassem Rady, Egypt’s Ambassador to Italy and Permanent Representative to UN Organizations in Rome, announced that this achievement followed a full year of intensive efforts by the Egyptian Embassy, in close coordination with CAO leadership. These efforts led to Egypt qualifying for the final shortlist, competing against the United Kingdom and the Philippines, surpassing several major Western nations that had submitted bids for the role.
Egypt’s Success in the Final Vote
In the final selection round, Egypt’s proposal won the majority vote, outperforming both the British and Filipino candidates, despite both nations having renowned international expertise in financial and legal auditing.
Significance of the Achievement for Egypt and CAO
Ambassador Bassem Rady emphasized that this victory reflects strong international confidence in Egypt’s auditing and financial review expertise. This milestone presents a golden opportunity to enhance CAO’s global standing by:
- Expanding its international auditing experience and solidifying its role as a global financial reviewer.
- Boosting CAO’s financial resources through millions of dollars in auditing contracts with FAO.
- Enhancing Egypt’s influence in the financial and accounting management of international organizations.
Egypt’s FAO Audit Proposal Presentation
The Egyptian delegation presented CAO’s proposal before FAO’s selection committee at its headquarters in Rome, Italy. The delegation was led by Dr. Manal Mohamed Khairy and included:
- Counselor Mohamed Abdel Halim Sherif – Advisor to the CAO President
- Accountant Mahmoud Abdel Karim Mohamed
- Fatma Al-Zahraa – Senior Auditor
About Egypt’s Central Auditing Organization
Egypt’s Central Auditing Organization (CAO), headed by Counselor Mohamed Al-Faisal, was established in 1942 as an independent regulatory authority responsible for monitoring public funds, including:
- Financial (accounting and legal) oversight
- Performance evaluation and follow-up on implementation plans
- Supporting the Egyptian Parliament in its oversight duties
A Global Leap for Egypt in Financial Oversight
This landmark achievement marks a major advancement for Egypt in the global financial auditing sector, further cementing its international credibility in economic and regulatory institutions worldwide.
