Internal audit in the context of governance – an international seminar for internal auditors opened at Wyndham Grand Tbilisi Hotel. Organized by the National Bank of Georgia and the Central Bank of the Netherlands, the event invites internal audit experts and professionals from different countries to discuss current topics, share knowledge and expand peer communication.

 

Natia Turnava, Acting Governor of the NBG, opened the seminar.

 

"The National Bank of Georgia traditionally hosts representatives of central banks of different countries who are responsible for internal audit issues. This seminar is held each year with the support of the Central Bank of the Netherlands, and it is very important to share our experience with colleagues from different countries around the world, because internal audit and its proper functioning are important for the transparency and risk reinsurance of any central bank. We are pleased to see that our colleagues are interested in our novelties and experiences year by year, and today we hosted another very successful event", said Natia Turnava.

"We have been working together with the National Bank of Georgia on organizing regional seminars for 4-5 years, and I must say that it has been quite successful. This seminar is about governance, which usually deals with processes, organizational culture, behavior of people within the organization, etc. It is essential that the strategy and mandate of an organization are implemented well. Officially, the management is responsible for running the organization, and therefore the role of internal units is quite important for its proper functioning and transparency," said Robert Cornelisse, expert of the Central Bank of the Netherlands.

 

The event brought together internal auditors of 12 central banks of the countries included in the Belgium-Netherlands Constituency of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as Eastern Europe and Central Asia countries. Also, in order to promote the development of the internal audit profession in Georgia, the NBG invited representatives of the internal audit offices of commercial banks and ministries of Georgia to the event.

 

Robert Cornelisse and Lisette Mulder - experts of the Central Bank of the Netherlands – spoke at the event. Separate sessions were devoted to the discussion of relevant and important topics such as: governance and its essence, risk management and culture, Information Technology governance, audit of governance processes, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues.