The Tunis Conference:
A Spectacular Success
It was billed as the most significant event in the history of the accountancy profession in the Arab World.
The ASFA-IFAC sponsored first Arab International Accountancy Conference held in Tunis end-November brought together more than 400 professional leaders and decision-makers, a veritable ‘who’s who of Arab and international accounting and finance. It was the first public occasion ever when so many distinguished personalities of the profession as well as business and governmental leaders had gathered in this part of the world. The three-days of public speeches, open panels, off-the record private discussions, and a variety of receptions, dinners and other social events made for a memorable event. Participation was by invitation sent to key government officials and to recognized authorities it, accounting, education, and international professional bodes. There was almost full representation from Arab countries and most of the foreign delegates were from Europe, U.S.A. and Canada.
The opening ceremony was attended by HE. Habib Bourguiba, Jr., personal advisor to the President of the Republic of Tunisia and a number of Ministers and Ambassadors and other officials, businessmen, members of the press and faculties of different universities.
Participants The following organizations had also participated in the Conference:
Arab Society of Certified Accountants (ASCA)
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
(Chartered)
Federation Internationale des Experts Comptables Francophones (FIDEF)
Union Europeenne des Experts Comptables Economiques et
Financiers (U.E.C)
International Accounting Standards Committee
Societee des Experts Comptables Francais
Ordre des Experts Comptables et des Comptables Agrees
British Association of Accounting Technicians
The Middle East Society of Associated Accountants
The Moroccan Society of Accountants
Egyptian Society of Accountants
Ordre des Experts Comptables de Tunisie
The Lebanese Association of Certified Pubic Accountants
Syrian Society of Accountants
Sudanese Association of Accountants
Bahrain Association of Accountants
Members of Kuwait Association of Accountants and Auditors
Members of U.A.E. Merchants Association
Topics The Conference, chaired by Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, dealt with the following topics of prime importance covering the Arab world:
1. The role of the accountants in the service of the economy
2. The range of services offered by the accounting profession
3. Duties and obligations of the accountant
4. The organization chart of professional bodies
5. Accounting education
6. Accounting standards
7. Audit practice
8. Taxation
9. The future of the Arab accounting profession.
Based on the discussion that participants had at the different sessions, the following resolutions and recommendations have been taken:
Resolutions:
1. The Conference wishes to express its gratitude to H.E. Habib Bourguia, President of the Republic of Tunisia. for his patronage of the Conference, and, to the Tunisian government for their hospitality and assistance. It also wishes to record its appreciation to HRH. Prince Hassan Bin Talal for his support to the Conference and to ASCA.
2. To invite all qualified Arab accountants, who are members of internationally recognized examination bodies to join ASCA.
3. Also to thank Mr. Robert May, President of IFAC for announcing the admission of ASCA to the membership of IFAC, noting that IFAC is the custodian of the profession internationally and imposes upon its members to abide by their statements of auditing standard practices and guidelines.
4.To cooperate with the University of Jordan in establishing jointly a center of studies for the preparation of ASCA’s students to take the joint examination papers of ASCA and the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and to other Arab universities.
5. To expedite the publication of the proposed professional periodical under the name of “The Arab Certified Accountant,’ the object of which shall be to provide a platform for the propagation of knowledge amongst Arab accountants and to keep them abreast of everyday developments.
6. To hold conferences on an annual or periodical basis and announce that the next conference on the future of the accounting profession in the Arab World shall be held in Cairo in November 1986 and that President Mohamed Husni Mubarek has kindly agreed to have the conference held under his patronage and that the “Foreign Conference Administration”, of the Egyptian Foreign Office shell kindly facilitate the holding of this conference by making the necessary arrangements in coordination with ASCA’s Board.
7.To thank Mr. Wael Abu-Chakra, Secretary General of the Conference, Mr. Antoine Mattar, Executive Director, London Office, and all those who took part in the organizing and the smooth running of the Conference, and particularly the President and members of the Tunisian Society for their monumental effort to make it successful.
8. To stress the need for the distribution of the edited copies, to all participants, of the papers which were delivered at the Conference.
Recommendations
1. ASCA shall carry out a statistical survey of all matters relating to the profession in the Arab World, so that a comprehensive and complete source of information may be available and which will help in matters of planning for improving the profession.
2. To make better and more effective representations to government offices and offer advice on matters of legislation relating to taxation and commercial law, in a constructive way that will render a service to the Arab economy and assist Arab governments to achieve their fiscal objectives.
3. To put on record the absence of some Arab accountancy organizations from the scene of activities of IFAC and in particular in respect of representing the region on its Board and emphasize the necessity of ASCA’s playing an active part in all activities of the international professional organizations so that such participation will make ASCA’s presence recognized and that the Arab profession be adequately represented in all international organizations.
4. To make the Arab community fully aware of the role of the accountant in the fields of improving the efficiency of the economy and his/her responsibilities and the services which he/she is able to offer.
5. To encourage the establishment of the concept of “self regulation” of the profession, and to consider this course of action as the best way of developing the profession and of protection of its reputation.
6. To provide the environment in which all those who are working within the profession may be able to prepare themselves for the ASCA/ACCA joint.examinations and become members or both.
7. To emphasize the adherence to the IFAC and IASC’S statements and guideline and to translate them into Arabic and to adapt their contents in such a way as will be consonant with the laws and customs in the Arab world.
8. To establish an examination system, for the qualification of the Arab accountant, at an internationally comparable level, and the papers shat be in Arabic, and shall be based on laws and fiscal legislative practice in the Arab world.
9. To carry out an immediate survey of the needs of the profession and prepare a list of topics to be enlisted in SSAPS, for further reference by members.
HE, Mamdout, Azzam, the Representative otfheArsbLeague, addressing the FirsiArab lnternationalAccountancyConferer,cein runis, Seated from L raP: Mr. Was! ,4bu-Chakra. President FIDEF: Mr. TaIatAbu-Ghazalek President, ASCiI; HE Sateh Ben Mba,ska, Minister of Finance, Tunisia: Or Bassam Af-Saket, Representative of HAM. Prince Hassan of Jordan; and Mr Bob May, President. tEAS. all participants, of the papers which were deivered to the
Conference.
Part of the Conference Programme and Schedule of Speakers
November 25, Third Day
09:00 Panel Discussion
Taxation in the Arab World
Chairman HE Zaki Mazboudi, Former Minister or Planning and Finance, Lebanon
Member of the Lebanese Parliament
Speaker: Mr. Taufic Kalal
General Director, Tax Department. Tunisia
Taxation In Tunisia Speaker: Dr. Joseph Torbey Head of Taxation Department, Lebanon
Interaction between Various Tax Systems in the Arab World Speaker: Mr. Mustafa Shawki, FASCA Board Member, Arab Society of Certified Accountants
Taxation in Egypt
Speaker: Dr. Saleh Jadallah, CPA, FASCA
Board Member, Arab Society of Certified Accountants
Taxation in Saudi Arabia
11:00 Break
11:30 Presentation
The Future of the Arab Accountancy Profession
Introduction: Mr. George Aweida, AASCA , President, The Middle East Society of Accountants
Speaker: Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, FASCA, President Arab Society of Certified Accountants (ASCA)
12:00 Closing Session
Recommendations and Resolutions
14:00 Closing Conference
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