United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is a United Nations
organ whose primary purpose is to perform world-wide audit
, investigation, inspection, programme monitoring, evaluation and consulting services to the United Nations Secretariat
and the rest of the United Nations System
.
Its intended and mandated function is similar to many national government audit organisations, like the Government Accountability Office
in the United States
. And like most of its national counterparts it reports to the General Assembly
rather than to the Secretary-General's office.
The current head of the OIOS, Under-Secretary-General
Carman Lapointe-Young
of Canada
, was appointed as Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services for a five-year term starting on 14 September 2010, succeeding Inga-Britt Ahlenius
of Sweden
.
The agency was established in 1994. Its first head was Under-Secretary-General
Karl Paschke.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
organ whose primary purpose is to perform world-wide audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
, investigation, inspection, programme monitoring, evaluation and consulting services to the United Nations Secretariat
United Nations Secretariat
The United Nations Secretariat is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and it is headed by the United Nations Secretary-General, assisted by a staff of international civil servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies for...
and the rest of the United Nations System
United Nations System
The United Nations system consists of the United Nations, its subsidiary organs , the specialized agencies, and affiliated organizations...
.
Its intended and mandated function is similar to many national government audit organisations, like the Government Accountability Office
Government Accountability Office
The Government Accountability Office is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress. It is located in the legislative branch of the United States government.-History:...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. And like most of its national counterparts it reports to the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
rather than to the Secretary-General's office.
The current head of the OIOS, Under-Secretary-General
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
An Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations is a senior official within the United Nations System, normally appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Secretary-General for a renewable term of four years....
Carman Lapointe-Young
Carman Lapointe-Young
Carman Lapointe-Young has since 2010 been Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services of the United Nations.- External links :*...
of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, was appointed as Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services for a five-year term starting on 14 September 2010, succeeding Inga-Britt Ahlenius
Inga-Britt Ahlenius
Inga-Britt Monica Stigsdotter Ahlenius is a Swedish auditor, public servant and former Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services .Ahlenius was born in Karlstad, Sweden...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
The agency was established in 1994. Its first head was Under-Secretary-General
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
An Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations is a senior official within the United Nations System, normally appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Secretary-General for a renewable term of four years....
Karl Paschke.
Role and function
According to its website:The Office submits reports to the Secretary-General that provide insight into the effective utilization of the resources of the Organization and the protection of its assets and also makes these reports available to the General Assembly. OIOS adds value by providing world-wide audit, investigation, inspection, programme monitoring, evaluation and consulting services to the United Nations Secretariat and a wide range of United Nations operational funds, programmes and tribunals. OIOS sees itself as an agent of change, committed to help client departments and offices bring about responsible administration of resources and a culture of accountability, transparency, results-orientation and risk awareness.
Under-Secretaries-General
| # | Portrait | Under-Secretary-General | Dates in office | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karl Theodor Paschke Karl Theodor Paschke Karl Theodor Paschke is a former Under Secretary General for the United Nations. He was born in Berlin in 1935. He studied jurisprudence in Bonn and Munich before working for the Foreign Office. From 1994 to 1999, he served as head of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services. Among... |
1 January 1994 – 31 December 1999 |
 GermanGermans The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages.... |
|
| 2 | Dileep Nair Dileep Nair Dileep Nair was the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services and head of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services. In that capacity, he oversaw investigations of wrong doings related to the United Nations in a range of countries including within the... |
24 April 2000 – 23 April 2005 |
 SingaporeSingapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... an |
|
| 3 | Inga-Britt Ahlenius Inga-Britt Ahlenius Inga-Britt Monica Stigsdotter Ahlenius is a Swedish auditor, public servant and former Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services .Ahlenius was born in Karlstad, Sweden... |
15 July 2005– 14 July 2010 |
 SwedishSwedes Swedes are a Scandinavian nation and ethnic group native to Sweden, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries.-Etymology:... |
|
| Prior to joining the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), Ahlenius was Auditor General of Kosovo from 2003 to 2005. Previously she served as the Auditor General of Sweden from 1993 to 2003. Before her appointment as Auditor General of the Swedish National Audit Office, Ahlenius worked for the Ministry of Finance of Sweden as Head of the Budget Department from 1987 to 1993. During her tenure as Auditor General of Sweden , Ahlenius chaired the INTOSAI Auditing Standards Committee for eight years. She was chairman of the Governing Board of the European Organization for Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) during 1993 to 1996. Mrs. Ahlenius was a member of the Committee of Independent Experts that was called for by the European Parliament with a mandate to examine the way in which the European Commission detects and deals with fraud, mismanagement and nepotism. [Their report led to the resignation of the Commission.] | ||||
| 4 | Carman Lapointe-Young Carman Lapointe-Young Carman Lapointe-Young has since 2010 been Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services of the United Nations.- External links :*... |
14 September 2010– Incumbent |
 Canadian |
|
| Carman L. Lapointe of Canada was appointed as Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services for a five-year term starting on 14 September 2010. Prior to her appointment she was the director of the Office of Audit and Oversight at the International Fund for Agricultural Development during 2009-2010. From 2004 to 2009, she was the Auditor General of the World Bank Group. Lapointe has also held chief oversight positions in a number of Canadian crown corporations. Among them: Corporate Auditor with Canada Post Corporation; Auditor of the Bank of Canada; Vice President, Internal Audit and Evaluation with Export Development Canada. She has served as Chairperson and member of the Audit Committee of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and as Audit Committee Member for UNRWA. In 1994-95, Lapointe was Chairperson of the Institute of Internal Auditors, the profession's global organization. She has also served on the Criteria of Control Board of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and currently serves on a standards task force for the International Federation of Accountants. |
||||