KATHMANDU, August 28: Two-day-long SAFA International Conference on 'Role of Professional Accountants in Economic Development and Sustainability' kicked off in Kathmandu on Sunday.

The conference has brought together more than 150 chartered accountants from six South Asian countries to discuss the role of accountants for sustainable economic development.

South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) is a federation of professional accounting bodies in the SAARC region. Currently, it has nine member bodies from five countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan has the observer status in SAFA.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Gopal Man Shrestha, inaugurated the conference at a ceremony held on Monday.

SAFA, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN), and Certified Professional Accountants (CPA) of Afghanistan have jointly organized the conference.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha said that the role of accountants was instrumental in the development of a country's economy. He also called for enhancing the quality of the profession of accountancy.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Prakash Jung Thapa, the ICAN's president, said that development of financial infrastructure was as important as the development of physical infrastructure of a country. 
Speakers from participating international bodies -- International Federation of Accountants, International Accounting Standards Board, European Federation of Accountants and Auditors, World Congress of Accountants, and SAFA member bodies -- will present their views, the organizers said.

Issues like role of professional accountants in economic development, fighting financial crimes for sustainable economic development, future of reporting, future of the profession, and contribution of integrated reporting framework to enhance transparency in the financial sector will be discussed during the two-day conference.

 
• safa int’l conference kicks off