Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations
     Geneva

 STATEMENT BY INDIA
Report by the External Auditor to WIPO General Assembly, delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary (Economic Affairs) on 5 October 2016

Thank you Mr. Chairman

I am speaking in my national capacity, and not as Regional Coordinator.

2. India would like to thank the External Auditor of WIPO, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, for the report contained in document A/56/4 on the financial statements of the WIPO for the year 2015 ending 31 December.

3. The report is comprehensive and was submitted in a timely manner providing ample opportunity for Member States to deliberate on it. My delegation has gone through the observations and also carefully studied the 30 recommendations made by External Auditor and the response of the WIPO Secretariat.

4. We would like to thank the External Auditor for the consistently meticulous work done in making these useful recommendations and welcome the steps taken by the WIPO Secretariat in implementing these recommendations, specifically those on the Arbitration and Mediation Centre and relating to staff travel and rules.

5. WIPO may devise a detailed mechanism to ensure that the revenue arising out of PCT international filing fees in any reporting year reconciles with the figure based on PCT applications published in that year. My delegation expects that WIPO shall formalize suitable indicators and criteria that would guide it on the necessity of performing revaluation of the property and equipment each year.

6. The monitoring of the implementation of recommendations made by external audit is an important part of the accountability process. Most of the recommendations made in this report are at various stages of implementation. We complement the WIPO management for their response to the recommendations by the External Auditor and the measures taken by them for improvements in various areas. We would urge the Secretariat to take action to implement the pending recommendations.

7. The External Auditor of WIPO, has also undertaken external audit of World Health Organization, International Maritime Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency, International Organization for Migration. Its work has received worldwide praise. The highest degree of Professional Standards, competence, credibility and trustworthiness, of this Supreme Audit Institute of India, has been well recognized in their engagement with various UN bodies.

8. Before concluding, my delegation would like to place on record its appreciation to the External Auditor for their diligent work and for making a timely presentation of their Report.

With these words I thank you, Mr. Chairman.