AuditaONU aligns strategies for 2025 peacekeeping mission audits
By Secom / Serint
The Serzedello Corrêa Institute (ISC) for Capacity Building hosted the first integrated planning meeting on July 30 for the teams auditing United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations in 2025. The gathering included auditors assigned to missions in Kosovo (UNMIK), Lebanon (UNIFIL), and Cyprus (UNFICYP), as well as supervisors and senior staff from the Department for Auditing United Nations Operations (SecexONU).
The two-day program provided participants with the opportunity to align procedures, reinforce collaboration, and exchange lessons learned from the 2024 audit cycle. The agenda also included a virtual meeting with auditors from France and China, members of the UN Board of Auditors along with Brazil, and dedicated sessions for discussing risks, common practices, and knowledge-sharing. The main topic was the guidance document that establishes the technical standards and operational procedures for auditing peacekeeping mission.
According to Eduardo Favero, Head of SecexONU, the work developed by the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in UN audits has demonstrated Brazil’s technical excellence and adaptability in the international arena. He recalled that the first mission sent to Kosovo, a year ago, marked a new stage of institutional maturity. “Since then, we’ve made great strides in planning, executing, and reviewing our audits. It’s been a steep learning curve, from fieldwork to adapting to specific protocols,” he said.
Favero also emphasized that the experience goes beyond technical aspects: “This work is for TCU, for Brazil, and for us as auditors. It’s a remarkable opportunity to apply international auditing standards, develop new skills, and truly understand the importance of communication, negotiation, and diplomacy in this type of mission.”
How TCU contributes to UN peacekeeping audits
Through the TCU, Brazil conducts financial and performance audits of the following United Nations peacekeeping missions:
- UNMIK – United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
- UNIFIL – United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
- UNFICYP – United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
As a member of the UN Board of Auditors, through the TCU, Brazil reviews the accuracy of financial statements, assesses the efficient use of resources, and issues recommendations to enhance governance. The implementation of past audit recommendations is also evaluated.
Teams participating in the 2025 peacekeeping audits, under the supervision of SecexONU auditors Bruno Medeiros Papariello and Lucas Oliveira Gomes Ferreira:
UNMIK – Kosovo: Ana Paula Smidt Nardelli, Arlene Costa Nascimento, Gabriel Dias Dória, Jean Carlo Correia Firmino and Vinicius Zacarias Madela.
UNIFIL – Lebanon: Getulio Martins Padilha Júnior, José Arimathea Valente Neto, Jordana Farias Pereira, Luciano Aires Teixeira, Ricardo Broegaard Jonas and Vitor Forjaz Rodrigues Caldas.
UNIFICYP – Cyprus: Alessandra Pereira de Melo, Cynthia de Freitas Queiroz Berberian, Regivalder Pereira da Silva, Renata Silveira Carvalho and Robson Hugo Araújo dos Santos.
United Nations Board of Auditors
In July 2024, Brazil, represented by the TCU, began its term on the UN Board of Auditors. Working alongside the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of France and China, the TCU conducts external audits of the organization’s financial statements, funds, programs, and peacekeeping missions. This work also includes issuing recommendations to improve governance and resource management.
In addition to UNICEF, Brazil audits the following UN agencies and organizations: United Nations Agency for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations University (UNU), United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), and peacekeeping missions in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Cyprus (UNFICYP), and Kosovo (UNMIK).