编者按：国际会计师联合会中小事务所论坛已于6月5日在乌干达首都坎帕拉召开。本次论坛由乌干达注册会计师协会和泛非洲会计师联合会共同主办，主要关注影响小企业发展的因素及中小事务所提供服务的方式。来自30个国家的33个会计职业组织的175名代表参加了论坛。如欲了解更多信息，请登录WWW.IFAC.ORG/2013SMPFORUM。

over 175 delegates from 33 professional accountancy organizations in 30 countries convened in Kampala, Uganda, for the seventh annualIFAC Small and Medium Practices (SMP) Forum. Co-hosted with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU) and the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), this year’s event featured a keynote address by Right Honorable Rebecca Kadaga, Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda.

The SMP Forum brings together representatives from the regulatory community, regional and national professional accountancy bodies, standard setters, and thought leaders and experts in their fields to collaborate on solutions to the challenges and pressures facing SMPs, both regionally and globally. This year’s event focused on trends that may impact the growth of small business and the way SMPs deliver their services. In addition to the co-hosts, the event was made possible by the generous support of our gold sponsor, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants; and silver sponsors, Corpul Expertilor Contabili si Contabililor Autorizati din Romania (CECCAR), Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Hong Kong Institute of CPAs), and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

IFAC CEO Fayez Choudhury noted, “The IFAC SMP Forum is an important event that allows us to learn how we can best support professional accountancy organizations in the development of their SMP members globally. The focus on innovative solutions to the unique challenges SMPs face is essential for helping SMPs to continue to adapt and create value. With this event, we aim to facilitate capacity development, which has long been a focus for IFAC, through the sharing of ideas and best practices on a global platform.”

Naru Thakkar, president of ICPAU, and Dr. Mussa J. Assad, president of PAFA, said, “We are proud to host this year’s SMP Forum with IFAC, as supporting the development of SMPs is at the core of our mission and values. Africa has sustained continued growth over the last fifteen years despite economic volatility and crisis elsewhere in the world. While parts of Africa have seen explosive growth and other areas are still developing, the accountancy profession is crucial to providing a sound financial infrastructure to support both.”

IFAC SMP Committee Chair Giancarlo Attolini added, “The world is changing and standard setters, practitioners, and regulators are responding. There are vast opportunities for SMPs, including internationalization and expanded business lines. Now is the time to position SMPs for growth so that by the time the economic recovery gains more momentum globally, SMPs and the small businesses they serve can lead the way.”

For more information on the IFAC SMP Forum, including the agenda and speakers, seewww.ifac.org/2013SMPForum. Presentations will be made available in the week following the event. A Trainers’ Seminar was also held in conjunction with the Forum for a smaller group of attendees.