The Role of the Audit Bureau in Oversight of the Oil Sector and Combating Smuggling

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the role of the Audit Bureau in overseeing the oil sector and combating smuggling through the following key areas: assessing the effectiveness of the Audit Bureau in carrying out its oversight functions over the oil sector from legal and procedural perspectives; identifying the nature of the challenges and obstacles facing the Bureau in its efforts to combat oil smuggling; evaluating the level of institutional coordination between the Audit Bureau and other security and regulatory agencies and its role in reducing smuggling operations; and exploring proposed mechanisms and strategies that could enhance the efficiency of the Audit Bureau in monitoring the oil sector and effectively combating smuggling. The study adopted the descriptive methodology due to its relevance to the study objectives. The key findings of the study are summarized as follows: • The Libyan Audit Bureau is considered the most effective civilian oversight body in uncovering deficiencies and corruption in the oil sector, despite ongoing political and security challenges. • Oil smuggling operations persist despite oversight efforts, primarily due to weak coordination among security and regulatory bodies and the absence of a unified executive authority. • The oversight role of the Audit Bureau sometimes lacks enforcement impact due to the absence of legal deterrents and the existence of a fragmented judicial authority. The increased level of transparency promoted by the Audit Bureau has contributed to raising public awareness and enhancing the role of civil society organizations in addressing corruption risks within the oil sector.