By Susana Laulu, Program Director, PASAI
In the Pacific region, supreme audit institutions (SAIs) play a vital role in promoting transparency, accountability and good governance. They are tasked with scrutinising public finances, ensuring that government spending aligns with laws and policies, and providing assurance to citizens and development partners.
However, many SAIs across Pacific Island nations face a persistent challenge: a shortage of skilled professionals in auditing. This capability gap impacts the effectiveness of audits, weakens oversight and undermines efforts to hold governments accountable.
As public expectations rise and international standards evolve, the need for capable, well-supported audit teams becomes more urgent.
What’s driving the shortage?
Budget constraints limit the ability of SAIs to operate, deliver their mandates and retain skilled professionals and staff.
The private sector offers better pay, benefits and incentives.
Not enough professionals are available in the islands to fill the gaps.
There are limited opportunities for capability development, higher education and professional development.
There is a “brain drain” of skilled professionals migrating to Australia and New Zealand or to international organisations for better pay and career growth opportunities.
There is not enough awareness to promote government auditing as a career that contributes to national integrity, accountability and sustainable development.
What we are doing about it
Staff shortages will continue to be a challenge for Pacific SAIs but following the approval of the PASAI strategy 2024–2034, we have made significant changes to improve and enhance service delivery to our members.
We completed a Competency Framework that informs the completion of SAI capability pathways for compliance, financial and performance audits. The pathways provide a systematic structure for capacity development and career growth by targeting the competency requirements of SAI staff at 4 different levels:
new to the SAI
new to the audit stream (compliance, financial or performance)
audit professionals (compliance, financial or performance)
audit manager/executive (compliance, financial or performance).
In addition to the capability pathways, we have completed capacity development plans (CDPs) for all SAIs. The CDPs highlight each SAI’s strategic priority areas that need improvement. These priority areas indicate SAI commitment to independence, audit quality and institutional governance so they can effectively fulfil their mandates.
The capability pathways and SAI CDPs inform our programs to support SAIs. We deliver the programs through blended learning, direct technical support and advocacy to address skill gaps, improve competencies of SAI staff, and progress independence and institutional strengthening.
In implementing these programs and support delivery, we are working collaboratively with the Technical Hub in the development of resources and activities to enhance SAI capacity and staff capability. We are also working closely with SAIs to facilitate work plans with their twinning partners. Our collaboration with the Technical Hub and twinning partners is crucial to the effective and efficient coordination and delivery of support to the region and the SAI.
Together, we can invest in people, build stronger, capable and sustainable SAIs to make public administration more transparent and accountable for all Pacific people.
