The Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority (ADAA) has announced a comprehensive update of the Internal Audit Rules applied to entities subject to its mandate. The update aims to enhance the efficiency and quality of internal audit activities, ensure sustainable oversight of public resources, and reinforce an integrated framework for institutional governance and transparency.

This update come as part of ADAA’s ongoing efforts to improve the quality of internal audit outputs through the implementation of continuous audits for financial and operational activities in entities subject to ADAA’s mandate to ensure efficiency, transparency, and timely risk response, in addition to broadening the role of internal audit function in financial audit through participating in the process of appointing the statutory auditor and monitoring the audit outcomes. The updated rules include enhancement of performance indicators for internal audit units in entities subject to ADAA’s mandate, with the aim of strengthening their role in safeguarding public funds and the effectiveness of internal controls.

The update emphasises the importance of integrating digital transformation within the agenda of internal audit units within entities subject to ADAA’s mandate through promotion of the use of data analytics in audit outcomes to ensure more accurate and effective oversight. The update also regulates the appointment of audit firms providing internal audit services to entities subject to ADAA’s mandate, ensuring transparency and quality audit outcomes.

The updated rules follow the launch of the first edition in 2021, which marked a pivotal step in enhancing the effectiveness of internal audits. The newly revised version reflects ADAA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen audit quality, elevate the efficiency and effectiveness of the internal controls framework, and protect public funds, consolidating Abu Dhabi’s position as a regional and global reference in governance and oversight.