GOVERNMENT corruption and measures to promote clean governance will feature highly during the six-day conference of 159 international government auditor that began in Johannesburg last night and ends on Saturday.

A key development last night was the appointment of SA's auditor-general Terence Nombembe as chairperson of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (Intosai) for three years.

Nombembe is also chairperson of the African chapter of the institution.

The organisation draws its membership from 159 auditor-generals from all over the world, including 18 from African countries.

In an exclusive interview with Sowetan, Nombembe said the conference had chosen to prioritise such key issues as international standards of supreme auditing institutions and a global audit on climate change.

Another priority, according to Nombembe, was to assert and maintain the independence of auditor-generals, a thorny issue in some developing countries where corruption was rife.

With their primary role to add credibility to the management of public funds, some government auditors in developing countries had to contend with political interference which threatened their autonomy.

"Among other priorities, our challenge is to ensure adherence to the international standards of supreme auditing institutions to promote better auditing outcomes in the public sector," Nombembe said.

Among dignitaries attending the conference at the Sandton Convention Centre are international donors keen on adherence to clean governance by developing countries to ensure continued aid to developing countries.