Comptroller and Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu has been re-elected as the external auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO) for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027. CAG is already holding this position in WHO for a four-year term from 2019 to 2023. 

"The present election was held on May 29, 2023, in the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, where the CAG of India was re-elected with an overwhelming majority (114 out of 156 votes) in the first round of voting itself," the CAG said in a statement. 

CAG's appointment is a recognition of its standing among the international community as well as its professionalism, high standards, global audit experience and strong national credentials, it added. 

"This resounding victory was made possible by the sustained support and tireless efforts of the Permanent Representative of India to The United Nations at Geneva, his officers and a special team of handpicked officers from CAG," it said. 

CAG was present in the meeting and in his address outlined his vision as the external auditor of WHO, emphasising process improvement for better outcomes, transparency and a professional approach. 

This is the second major international audit assignment for the CAG this year following his selection for the post of external auditor (2024-2027) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva in March 2023. 

Besides WHO, the CAG is currently the external auditor of the Food and Agriculture Organization (2020-2025), International Atomic Energy Agency (2022-2027), and Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2021-2023). 

CAG is a Member of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors. He is also a member of the Governing Boards of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and ASOSAI. CAG chairs the INTOSAI Knowledge Sharing Committee, its Working Group on IT Audit, and the Compliance Audit Sub-Committee. 

Image Source:Jagran Josh