Pretoria, South Africa – The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) of Somalia has taken a significant step toward strengthening public accountability and transparency by joining the AFROSAI-E Regional Workshop on Communication and Stakeholder Engagement under the theme “Reporting for Impact.” The week-long training, held in Pretoria, South Africa, brought together senior officials and communications experts from across Africa to explore new ways of making audit reports more influential and accessible to the public.
Representing Somalia, OAG officials actively participated in sessions focused on improving how audit institutions communicate findings to citizens, policymakers, and development partners. The discussions highlighted the importance of translating technical audit results into actionable insights that can influence governance reforms and enhance trust in public institutions.
According to the OAG, the training equipped Somali auditors with practical tools to craft clear, compelling, and evidence-based audit reports that not only expose irregularities but also help decision-makers respond effectively. Participants also learned advanced strategies for engaging stakeholders, including civil society and the media, to ensure audit findings reach wider audiences and prompt tangible policy changes.
AFROSAI-E (African Organization of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions) has been instrumental in supporting African audit offices through peer learning and capacity-building initiatives. The Pretoria workshop emphasized that impactful reporting is central to the role of SAIs in promoting integrity, efficiency, and accountability in public finance management.
For Somalia, participation in such regional forums underscores the government’s growing commitment to building strong oversight institutions capable of safeguarding public resources and advancing transparency. As the OAG continues to modernize its systems and enhance professional standards, the lessons learned in Pretoria are expected to strengthen its contribution to Somalia’s broader governance and reform agenda.