Bon bini to The Institute of Internal Auditors chapter Curacao

Bon bini means welcome in our local language Papiamentu so herewith we welcome you to the Web site of The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Curacao chapter.

About The IIA

Established in 1941, The IIA is an international professional association with global headquarters in Altamonte Springs, Fla., USA. The IIA is the internal audit profession's global voice, recognized authority, acknowledged leader, chief advocate, and principal educator. Members work in internal auditing, risk management, governance, internal control, information technology audit, education, and security.

Please see The IIA Web site for more information on The IIA.

About The IIA Curacao chapter

The IIA Curacao chapter was founded in September 2000 and the mission is to provide dynamic leadership for the global profession of internal auditing on Curacao. Activities in support of this mission will include, but will not be limited to:

• Advocating and promoting the value that internal audit professionals add to their organizations;
• Providing comprehensive professional educational and development opportunities; standards and other professional practice guidance; and certification programs;
• Researching, disseminating, and promoting to practitioners and stakeholders knowledge concerning internal auditing and its appropriate role in control, risk management, and governance;
• Educating practitioners and other relevant audiences on best practices in internal auditing; and
• Bringing together internal auditors from different countries to share information and experiences.

About Curacao

Curacao is an island in the Southern Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. The island area of Curacao, which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curacao, is an independent country since October 10, 2010 and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its capital is Willemstad of which a part of the city center is displayed by the above image. Curacao is the largest and most populous of the three so calles ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). It has a land area of 444 square kilometers (171 square miles). As of January 1, 2008, it had a population of 140,796 inhabitants.

Curacao enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean, with a Global Domestic Product per capita of about US 18,000 in 2007 and a relatively excellent infrastructure which is among the best in the Caribbean. The main industries of the island include oil refining, tourism and financial services. Shipping, international trade and other activities related to the port of Willemstad (like the Free Zone) also makes a considerable contribution to the economy. With the government realizing that its economy needs be more diverse, significant efforts are being made to attract more foreign investments. This policy is called the 'Open Arms' policy with one of its main features to focus heavily on information technology companies. For its size, the island has a considerable diverse economy which does not rely mostly on tourism alone as is the case on many other Caribbean islands. Curacao has strong business ties with both the United States of America (USA), Venezuela and the European Union. It has an Association Agreement with the European Union which allows companies which do business in and via Curacao to export many products to European markets,  free of import duties and quotas. It is also a participant in the US Caribbean Basin Initiative allowing it to have preferential access to the US market.

Please see the Wikipedia for more information on Curacao.