Mohammed Isa Al Abbasi 
To meet the current and future challenges in the field of “internal public audit”, the General Inspectorate of Finance intends to benefit from support and keeping pace with two techniques provided by the World Bank. This was announced during a joint symposium, this week, senior officials from both institutions, as well as international experts and Moroccan financial inspectors.
According to data published by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the event included “a series of formations and lectures, and studying cases on the most advanced audit practices”, according to a partnership stipulated in the strategic action plan 2023-2026 for the General Inspection of Finance within the “deep transformation” of the institution, which remains the “reference external auditor” in Morocco for projects funded by international donors.
Standards and techniques
The Ministry of Economy and Finance stated that “the technical support provided by the World Bank is based on two main axes, aiming to face the current and future challenges of internal public auditing.” The first concerns “to update the standards and practices of the General Inspectorate of Finance in accordance with the latest international standards”, and the second concerns “integrating advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence, in the path of audit operations.”
In the details, the extension of the standards, especially the standards of ISSAI (International Standards of Supreme Audit Institute), allows “to update the evidence of the applicable audit by the General Inspectorate of Finance”, according to the data of the Ministry of Finance, in parallel with “identifying foreign institutions similar to enhancing the exchange of best practices and areas of cooperation, thus enhancing localization of standards International Public Public Auditing.
As for the inclusion of the integration of advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence, according to the declared official data, “modernizing audits and improving task efficiency”, targeting “exploiting the capabilities provided by artificial intelligence to develop classic financial audit practices and meet the increasing demands in the field of transparency and efficacy”, which prompted a team consisting of financial inspectors and World Bank experts to “foreseeing solutions Innovative technology to enhance the accuracy and efficacy of audit tasks. ”
In this context, Hassan Al -Esfi, Professor of Public Finance at the University of Mohamed V in Rabat and the expert at the World Bank in the public sector, explained that “it is applied that the control institutions in the public sector (public inspectors and financial courts) are familiar with a set of cosmic standards in directing the operations Public Accounting System, according to Decree No. 1235-07-2 on November 4, 2008 related to monitoring state expenses, which urges the commanders to spend on the status of an internal control system so that they can benefit from some softness in traditional financial control.
Al -Arfi, in a statement to Hespress, indicated that “the standards are in constant development and multiple,” adding that “it is natural for these criteria to include the conditions and ingredients to benefit from artificial intelligence, and what it can provide for the function of scrutiny and works to develop it”, evoking “the approval of the Moscow Declaration in the 23rd Conference (Instosai), by encouraging the higher institutions for financial censorship and accounting (Sais) to take care of Future Agents, who can use data analyzes, artificial intelligence tools (AI) and advanced qualitative methods. ”
And artificial intelligence can “facilitate the audit,” according to the same expert, as “it helps in performing many regulatory processes that take a long time more efficiently”, setting the example with “the technology of automating RPA operations that enable many repetitive audit tasks more efficiently”, as well as a “SAI artificial nervous network that allows for assumptions based on problems or notes Specified in previous audit operations such as exceeding cost and time, contradictions for the conclusion and implementation of deals, wrong tax accounts, and disbursement of unauthorized grants.
He highlighted that “the invitation of monitoring bodies, by motivating international institutions, to use artificial intelligence is an encouraging and suitable invitation, and the higher financial control and accounting devices must prepare to face the challenges of its implementation on the ground to link responsibility to accountability automatically.”
“A difference”
“The initiative, which frames within the promotion of transparency and rational governance, is a milestone in the field of financial audit in Morocco, highlighting several important dimensions, including enhancing the independence and professionalism of the General Inspectorate of Finance in accordance with Moroccan privacy, by updating the criteria of audit and adopting approaches based on technology, the Moroccan financial system becomes more compatible with Global practices without neglecting the requirements of the local context.
Ishu also explained, in the testimonies of Hespress on the subject, that “raising the level of financial control efficiency, taking into account the requirements of local development, is possible by introducing artificial intelligence, which allows improving the accuracy of audits and reducing the margin of error in financial reports, while directing efforts towards addressing the most urgent financial issues in Morocco,” noting that cooperation between the inspectors and international financial institutions “establishes Morocco’s website as a reliable international partner In financial scrutiny, “which” reflects Morocco’s commitment to developing a more transparent financial environment and in response to the requirements of the international community, with a focus on the priorities of the national economy. “
“Enhancing the financing of development projects in line with national priorities” from the dimensions of the initiative “considering the World Bank as a major actor in financing social initiatives, this partnership will support the sustainability of financing major projects and ensuring their implementation within a framework of transparency and accountability, taking into account the strategic priorities of the Moroccan government.”
Wise more and more efficient
At the appreciation of the professor of economics, this cooperation between Morocco and the Bretton Woods Foundation is a “qualitative step in the path of developing financial audit and enhancing good governance, taking into account national specifications and benefiting from successful international experiences in modernizing financial audit systems and internal financial control (singled out Estonia, Canada, Singapore and Brazil).
He continued, saying: “By updating international standards, employing modern technology in a manner commensurate with the Moroccan economic structure, and strengthening strategic relations, Morocco is steadily moving towards consolidating the advanced financial audit system that keeps pace with global standards and supports sustainable economic development in a clear and specific Moroccan context.”
Regarding the “Technical Support and Development Axes”, Isho highlighted that “the effort to update the audit standards, according to the latest international practices, taking into account the local context, includes updating the scrutiny signs of the General Finance Inspectorate in accordance with ISSAI standards (international standards for higher financial institutions), while adapting them to compatible with Moroccan legislation and Moroccan administrative reality.”
As for the integration of artificial intelligence and advanced technology, he aims to “enhance financial efficacy in a Moroccan context”, while “improving financial audits using artificial intelligence solutions that provide a more accurate data analysis, which contributes to detecting financial abuses and enhancing transparency”, while “respecting the Moroccan economic structure.” The digital transformation is expected to contribute to “raising the efficiency of financial audit and a rapid response to the requirements of modern governance, taking into account the technical and logistical challenges of Moroccan institutions.”
