President of the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau and Secretary-General of the National Planning Council H E Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa speaking at the event.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar has opened the 8th National Conference on Internal Auditing, bringing together senior officials, experts and practitioners from across the Arab world to discuss ways to enhance the value of internal audit functions.
The conference was inaugurated by President of the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau and Secretary-General of the National Planning Council H E Dr Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa.
Held under the theme “Pushing the Value Creation Boundaries,” the event aims to raise awareness of the role of internal auditing in improving performance, governance and risk management.
In his opening address, H E Dr Al Khalifa said the government was committed to strengthening administrative modernisation and improving institutional performance through more efficient human resources and effective organisational structures.
He stressed that internal auditing plays a vital role in institutional development and represents a key source of added value within government entities.
His Excellency highlighted Qatar’s Government Excellence Programme as a comprehensive framework focused on good governance, integration between human capital and technology, and the creation of a balanced work environment that promotes efficiency and innovation.
Dr Al Khalifa noted that the growing expectations placed on internal auditors require advanced professional skills and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing work environments. He added that developing and retaining national talent remains a major challenge, particularly in the internal audit profession. As part of efforts to address this, he said the bureau had launched a professional certification initiative to support Qatari employees in acquiring advanced skills, pointing to the Certified Internal Auditor qualification as one of the most prominent internationally recognized credentials.
For his part, President of the Institute of Internal Auditors in Qatar, Adel Al Hashimi, said the conference aims to position internal auditing as a value-adding function within Arab institutions. He said more than 30 local and international speakers are taking part in over 19 sessions and workshops over two days.
Discussions will focus on topics, including artificial intelligence applications, governance, risk management, digital forensics, cybercrime and the impact of global uncertainty on the role of internal auditors. — QNA