In line with the comprehensive modernization vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II, particularly the political modernization vision, the Audit Bureau organized a virtual workshop entitled "Auditing Political Parties Funding by Supreme Audit Institutions" This workshop, held in cooperation with the OECD's SIGMA initiative(Support for Improvement in Governance and Managmetn),a joint initiative of the OEDD and the European Union (EU)and principally funded by the (EU), with the participation of the Bureau’s auditors and employees from the Independent Election Commission.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Radhi Al-Hamadeen, President of the Audit Bureau, emphasized the key role of supreme audit institutions in auditing political parties funding. He highlighted the urgent need for transparency given the growing interest in political participation as a cornerstone of political life. Dr. Al-Hamadeen also underscored the impartiality of supreme audit institutions, which maintain an equal distance from all parties.

Dr. Al-Hamadeen stated that the Audit Bureau following the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, emphasizing the need for parallel political, economic, and administrative modernization. He noted that the Audit Bureau is part of a committee chaired by the Independent Election Commission, which includes the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Central Bank of Jordan, the Anti-Money Laundering Unit, and the Association of Banks. This committee aims to monitor expenditures related to the bank accounts of parties and local lists and control their spending. Additionally, it audits the compliance of lists and candidates with the rules of funding election campaigns and all forms of electoral advertising activities.

Furthermore, Dr. Al-Hamadeen mentioned that increasing public trust in the role of audit institutions requires developing mechanisms and methodologies according to the international standards and best practices. This ensures equal opportunities for all participants and leads to the formation of parliamentary councils with the highest levels of integrity and independence.

During the workshop, Mr. Alastair Swarbrick, SIGMA senior policy advisor, presented a paper on SIGMA's experience in parties financing and the role of supreme audit institutions in monitoring election campaign financing. The workshop also featured presentations on the experiences of Balkan countries, SIGMA's recommendations, and best practices in this field.

Additionally, Mr. Giorgi Alasania, Deputy Head of Quality Assurance at the State Audit Office of Georgia, shared his experience in auditing parties funding, election campaigns, donations, and potential violations. He noted that transferring the audit of parties to the Anti-Corruption Commission in Georgia was driven by public and media pressure.

The Audit Bureau also presented a paper on its role in auditing financial contributions to political parties and election campaigns, outlining the legal and technical framework for the audit.

This workshop, the first of its kind, is part of a series of activities conducted by the Audit Bureau in collaboration with international institutions. It aims to enhance the efficiency of the Bureau's staff, improve institutional performance, and keep pace with best international auditing practices. This is driven by the Audit Bureau's belief in enhancing public trust in party participation at the national level, particularly in elections, which in turn contributes to accelerating the pace of the political reform.