The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) invites its members and associates to submit outstanding published articles on topics of interest to accountants in business for its 2007 Articles of Merit Award for distinguished contribution to the development of the role and domain of the professional accountant in business.

The Articles of Merit Award is designed to facilitate communication and the sharing of knowledge on key financial and management accounting topics among IFAC's member bodies and their members in business. From among the articles submitted by member bodies, the PAIB Committee will select approximately 10 winning articles that will be published in an information paper, Articles of Merit: 2007. Articles selected for publication are those that have made or will make a distinct and valuable contribution to the advancement of PAIBs.

The annual Articles of Merit publications are widely distributed and read, providing a means for member bodies, authors, and the journals in which the articles are published to obtain recognition worldwide. A press release announcing the award winners is sent to all IFAC members, associates, and regional accountancy bodies, as well as the international media, who may download the publication free of charge from the IFAC website.

In addition, PAIBs worldwide are notified through IFAC's electronic news vehicles. In 2006, nearly 5,000 copies of past Articles of Merit publications were ordered or downloaded by accountants in business and other professionals worldwide from the IFAC website.

How to Nominate Articles
Members and associates are encouraged to nominate up to three articles for the 2007 Articles of Merit. All submissions must be in English and must be received by the PAIB Committee staff no later than April 20, 2007. For more information on how to submit articles, see the 2007 Articles of Merit Call for Nominations which is posted in the Discussion Board on the IFAC MemberNet.

IFAC is the worldwide organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. Through its independent standard-setting boards, IFAC sets ethics, auditing and assurance, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business.

United Nations (UN) System organizations are recruiting a number of candidates to assist in the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs). Candidates for these positions must possess relevant experience in implementing international accounting standards or applying "IPSAS similar" standards within a public sector or international organization. Public sector accountants with experience in preparing accrual financial statements would also be of interest. Announcements on open positions are available from the UN Human Resources website. One such open position is the Finance and Budget Officer, which can be accessed on this site under occupational group "Finance," Vacancy Announcement # 412519. For more information, visit the UN website.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global organization for the accountancy profession, is seeking nominations for members of its boards and committees for 2008. IFAC member bodies, members of the Forum of Firms and, in some instances, members of the public may nominate candidates by April 15, 2007. All members of IFAC boards and committees are expected to act in the public interest and must sign a declaration committing to act with integrity and in the public interest in their role within IFAC.

Public Members Sought
Individuals, organizations, accountancy firms, and IFAC member and regional bodies may submit nominations for the following public member positions on IFAC's independent standard-setting boards. Two public members are sought for the International Accounting Education Standards Board. One public member is sought for the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants. And one public member is sought for the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board. Public members must be seen to be independent of any special interests and seen to be acting to represent society as a whole. Nominees for the public member positions must have an appropriate level of knowledge about the work of the respective standard-setting board, although they do not need to have a professional accountancy designation.

Member Body Nominations
In addition to nominating public members, described above, IFAC member bodies may nominate additional candidates for membership on the IFAC Board, all independent standard-setting boards, the Compliance Advisory Panel, the Developing Nations Committee, the Professional Accountants in Business Committee, the Small and Medium Practices Committee, and the Nominating Committee. Member bodies may submit more than one nomination for each respective board and committee, and they are encouraged to nominate candidates with varying backgrounds.

Forum of Firms' Nominations
Five positions on the Public Interest Activity Committees are open to nominations from members of the Forum of Firms, an organization of international firms that perform audits of financial statements that are or may be used across national borders. Two positions are open on the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. Two positions are open on the International Accounting Education Standards Board. And one position is open on the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants.

How to Submit Nominations
The Call for Nominations for IFAC Boards and Committees in 2008 describes the positions available on IFAC boards and committees and the qualifications required for each position as well as the process for submitting nominations. The Call for Nominations may be viewed on IFAC's website. All nominations must be submitted by April 15, 2007 using the online Candidate Information System, which can be accessed online. For more information on the role and activities of each of IFAC's boards and committees, visit its website.

IFAC is the worldwide organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. Through its independent standard-setting boards, IFAC sets ethics, auditing and assurance, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business.

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has issued revised standards to increase the clarity and usability of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs). The 11 revised accrual basis IPSASs and a revised Preface to International Public Sector Accounting Standards are a step towards the IPSASB's goal of achieving convergence.

IPSASs set out the financial reporting requirements by governments and other public sector entities. The IPSASB aims to converge IPSASs with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, while at the same time also considering public sector specific issues and reflecting public sector emphasis within the standards.

To help apply the IPSASs, the revised Preface to International Public Sector Accounting Standards clarifies that, from now on, all paragraphs within all IPSASs have equal authority.

"Global convergence of financial reporting standards remains one of the key objectives of IFAC and the IPSASB," states Mike Hathorn, IPSASB Chair. "Revising these IPSASs reflects the IPSASB's commitment to progress the IFRS convergence component of its work program, as well as address public sector specific issues not dealt with by IFRSs."

The 11 revised IPSASs are effective for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2008.

The revised IPSASs and the revised Preface to International Public Sector Accounting Standards can be downloaded from the IFAC online bookstore: http://www.ifac.org/store. They will also be included in the 2007 edition of the Handbook of International Public Sector Accounting Pronouncements.

IFAC is the worldwide organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international public sector financial reporting standards through the IPSASB, IFAC, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets ethics, auditing and assurance, and education standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business.

Good morning and thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. It is a pleasure to meet with staff of the World Bank, with whom we are working ever more closely on the development of the global accountancy profession. One of the reasons for our visit today is to explore with the Bank whether there are areas in which this cooperation could be extended or deepened. Our organizations share a mutual aspiration to contribute to the integral development of the countries around the world. When I speak about integral development, I refer to a development that reaches both the economic, the social and the cultural spheres.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be here with you for this CFO/CFO forum. I would like to thank the new President of the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA), Mr. Indrajith Fernando, for his kind invitation to address you this morning.

Since its founding in 1984, SAFA has been an example of how regional integration and collaboration can help to strengthen the global profession. so that together we can more effectively contribute to the integral development around the world. When I speak about integral development, I refer to a development that reaches both the economic, the social and the cultural spheres.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for inviting me to speak before you today on a topic that I think is critical to the well being of Sri Lanka and to other countries both in South Asia and worldwide: that is, the importance of corporate governance in the public sector. It is a topic that is receiving increasing attention from the media, the public and governments themselves, although it has been long been of importance to the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

For twenty years, IFAC has been working to improve the financial reporting and financial management of governments at all levels - national, state and provincial, and local - as well as that of other public sector entities worldwide. The fiscal accountability of governments is central to enhancing economic growth and development worldwide - one of IFAC's most important goals. Failing to hold governments to account, can, I believe, compromise and even jeopardize ongoing private sector initiatives to building and maintaining confidence in the financial reporting process, lead to friction within government management, and, in less stable environments, result in significant citizen unrest.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to be here with you today for the induction of the twenty-third President of the South Asian Federation of Accountants. I would like to congratulate Mr. Indrajith Fernando on his appointment as your new President, and I look forward to working with him in the coming year.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests. Before starting my presentation I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and its President for inviting me to speak at this conference. It is a real pleasure to be here in India. India certainly lives up to the promise of the Incredible India! Tourist adverts! Delegates, the object of my presentation is to explain how the International Federation of Accountants, and in particular its Small and Medium Practices (SMP) Committee, seeks, in collaboration with IFAC member bodies, to help SMPs in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and elsewhere. Before describing our activities let me open with a few introductory words on the SMP Committee.

Thank you very much for inviting me to participate in this conference. As evidenced by the membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the profession here in India is continuing to grow and thrive. It mirrors, I believe, India's own growth and development.

To talk about the new era of the accountancy profession means talking about its future. It means considering the possible challenges and opportunities. Talking about the future does not necessarily imply the existence of a visible path, a well-defined road, but it does entail the need to define a destination, a goal, an objective. And it has to be a clear one.

As an organized profession, we need to know clearly where we stand and where we want to go. We need to understand our present, our current situation as professional accountants, and we need to analyze the context, so that we are able to face the future with the right understanding and the proper tools.