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AGO developing a framework to conduct environmental audits

Shahudha Mohamed
09 December 2020, MVT 16:26
Auditor General Hassan Ziyath speaks at the Parliament Finance Committee. PHOTO: MIHAARU
Shahudha Mohamed
09 December 2020, MVT 16:26

Auditor General Hassan Ziyath declared, on Tuesday, that the Auditor General’s Office (AGO) was developing a framework to conduct environmental audits, to help the government manage environmental challenges.

Ziyath made this statement in an interview to the Financial Management Magazine, where he discussed challenges to the Audit sector and delved into the issues he tackled upon assuming his position at the Auditor General’s Office.

“Our focus is to promote accountability and transparency in the use of public resources. So, we’re helping the government manage environment challenges by assessing the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of the government’s responses through our audits”, he said.

Ziyath added that the AGO was also working with the environment ministry to assess the effectiveness of their response to these environmental impacts.

“We recently issued a performance audit report on the effectiveness and sustainability of the government’s response to coastal erosion. We also carry out financial statement audits of projects involving climate finance”.

As a low-lying island nation with a unique and sensitive environment, Maldives stands first in line to suffer the grave consequences of global warming and climate change.

Despite the state’s various pledges to tackle imminent threats to the environment, local NGOs, movements and advocates have accused the government of failing to 'walk the talk' and live up to electoral pledges made with respect to sustainable development and halting environmental degradation.

Local environmental collective ‘Save Maldives’ recently slammed President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the government for continuing unsustainable development projects such as the reclamation of Gulhifalhu, Kaafu Atoll, reportedly funded by foreign loans of USD 300 million.

Save Maldives had criticised President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration earlier in February as well, for disregarding sustainable development in a time of national and global crisis. At the time, the Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure had overturned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s rejection for the proposed development of Maafaru International Airport.

Moreover, although Maldives has been at the forefront of climate advocacy since 1987, with Former President and incumbent Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed appealing to the international community as recently as during 2019's COP24 summit, several Maldivians have continued to express opinions that across administrations, government attitudes on the matter remain slack.

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