External Audit

Abstract

This chapter first examines the place of external audit and the supreme audit institutions (SAIs) that are responsible for providing audit services to government in individual countries, and addresses possible misconceptions about external audit. It then notes differences in the scope of external audit and of institutional models of audit among countries. The origins of external audit in the accounting profession and the nature and origin of accepted pronouncements and standards of auditing are then discussed. Finally, the chapter reviews the accepted components of good external audit — namely, independence, adequate audit scope and coverage and adequate SAI capacity, impact and accountability.