The Ceremony for Awarding the First Certified Internal Auditors in the public sector was held at the Ministry of Finance.

The event was opened and addressed by Deputy Minister of Finance Mikheil Dundua, Head of the State Internal Control Department Giuli Chkuaseli and Director of the Ministry of Finance Academy Tariel Chulukhadze.

Work on the development of the national certification program began in 2020, led by the State Internal Control Department (Harmonization Center) of the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with international partner organizations.

With the support of donors, three pilot groups were trained under the certification program at the Ministry of Finance Academy. These groups consisted of internal auditors from both central government ministries and local municipal internal audit units.

After completing the training, 31 internal auditors were awarded certificates.

The goal of the internal auditors’ certification program in the public sector is to enhance the qualifications of individuals currently employed or seeking employment in internal auditor positions. This, in turn, will contribute to strengthening the internal audit function and increasing its role as an independent and objective assurance provider within institutions.

It is important to note that the certification program aligns with international standards and also responds to local needs, addressing all challenges and improvement opportunities identified through external quality assessments conducted by the Harmonization Center.

The event was attended by Deputy Ministers from the Ministries of Finance, Regional Development and Infrastructure, Justice, Environmental Protection and Agriculture, and Education, Science and Youth; mayors of municipalities; representatives of the Government Administration; heads of internal audit units and trainers.

For video click the link: https://youtu.be/3yMXo14z8DY