The audit team from the Department of External Control for the United Nations (SecexONU) at the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), responsible for auditing the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), began the first phase of this audit work on October 2.

The opening meeting was attended by several key figures. Representing the UN Board of Auditors were Mauricio Wanderley, Director of External Audit for the TCU, and Tiago Dutra, Deputy Director of External Audit for the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for International Organization Audits. Eduardo Favero, director of the Department of External Control for the UN, also participated. From the UNJSPF, attendees included Rosemarie McClean, Chief Executive of Pension Administration, Pedro Guazo, the UN Secretary-General's Representative for Asset Investments, and the heads of the twelve UNJSPF subdivisions.

The audit team consists of auditors Marcos Oliveira (coordinator), Bruno Hartz, Candice Escórcio, Fernando Scafura, Giuseppe de Abreu Antonaci, Lorena de Souza, and Marcus Borela, under the supervision of Director Alessandra Melo. The audit scope covers the evaluation of accounting cycles related to investments, benefit disbursements, contributions, and actuarial liability assessment, identifying risks associated with these processes and evaluating the related controls in place.

The audit results aim to inform the planning for the audit of the financial statements prepared by the UNJSPF for the 2024 fiscal year, which is scheduled to take place in May 2025.

The UN Staff Pension Fund administers the disbursement of more than ten thousand benefits per month, amounting to USD 3.5 billion in expenses in 2023, and oversees more than USD 87 billion in investments. This audit is part of TCU's mandate on the UN Board of Auditors, representing another significant step in the Court's international cooperation efforts. GB