Strengthening cooperation between the State Audit Office of Viet Nam and the National Audit Office of Mongolia

Attending the meeting and the signing ceremony, there were other participants, including Ms. Undarmaa Purevdorj, Director of the Personnel Department; Ms. Uyanga-Erdene Arslanbaatar, Director of the Information Technology Center; Mr. Khishigjargal Tsendsuren, Chief Auditor of Tuv Province; and several other members of the delegation.

Joining the event, there were also Mr. Nguyen Ba Dung, Director General of the International Cooperation Department; Mr. Nguyen Luong Thuyet, Director General of the Department of Audit Policy and Quality Control; and Mrs. Pham Thi Thu Ha, Director General of the Information Technology Department.

Welcoming the Mongolian delegation, Auditor-General Ngo Van Tuan expressed his gratitude to Mr. Zagdjav Deleg and the delegates for accepting the invitation to pay a working visit to Viet Nam on the occasion of the SAV’s 30th anniversary of the establishment and for their valuable contributions at the international workshop “The Role of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in Preventing and Combating Corruption, Enhancing Public Integrity and Good Governance” held on the morning of July 9.

Tuan conveyed delight when witnessing the comprehensive development of the 70-year relationship between Viet Nam and Mongolia, affirming that the two nations are possessing the deep historical, heritage, and cultural ties and the traditional friendship. The two peoples share a long-standing tradition of mutual support and cooperation during challenging times. He expressed aspiration to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, especially in areas where the MNAO excels at, such as environmental auditing, mining auditing, and healthcare auditing.

 

Highly appreciating MNAO’s support, Auditor-General Ngo Van Tuan acknowledged the Office’s positive sentiments and active support in the past, particularly during Viet Nam’s hosting of the 14th ASOSAI Assembly in 2018 and its role as the ASOSAI Chair for the 2018-2021 term.

At the meeting, Auditor-General Ngo Van Tuan also provided information on Viet Nam’s socio-economic situation; trade and investment exchanges between Viet Nam and Mongolia, and the cooperation between the two SAIs. He also shared details about the organizational structure and activities of SAV, emphasizing the priorities outlined in the SAV Development Strategy by 2030, including international cooperation.

In terms of international cooperation, SAV currently has 19 active bilateral agreements with international partners, mainly counterpart SAIs. Moving forward, SAV aims to continue being a responsible member in building and implementing multilateral commitments and agreements with INTOSAI, ASOSAI, and ASEANSAI; fulfilling its role as an ASOSAI Governing Board member for the 2021-2024 term; and running for the ASOSAI Audit Committee candidacy for the 2024-2027 term.

Discussing future cooperation with the MNAO, Tuan expressed desire to enhance bilateral cooperation activities between the two agencies. Especially after the signing of the new MoU, the SAV proposed further exchanging high-level and expert-level delegations, and sharing audit experience in areas of mutual strength. In the multilateral cooperation framework, Auditor-General Ngo Van Tuan suggested that the agencies continue to create chances for official and side meetings, and maintain mutual support at multilateral forums organized by ASOSAI and INTOSAI.

As an active and responsible member of the ASOSAI community, and with the strengths and experiences accumulated over time, SAV aims to make further contributions to ASOSAI activities, especially in capacity as an ASOSAI Audit Committee member for the 2024-2027 term. SAV therefore seeks the support of MNAO for its candidacy for such the post at the upcoming 16th ASOSAI Assembly in India.
 

On the Mongolian side, Mr. Zagdjav Deleg thanked SAV for inviting the MNAO to participate in the events celebrating the 30th anniversary of SAV and congratulated SAV on its achievements over the year. Mr. Zagdjav Deleg also praised SAV for successfully organizing the international workshop. This meaningful event demonstrates solidarity and a unified perspective on the role of SAIs in anti-corruption efforts.

Mr. Zagdjav Deleg highlighted that in 2024, Viet Nam and Mongolia celebrated the 70th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic relations. Mongolia always values nurturing and cultivating its traditional good relations with Viet Nam. He also noted that there is still much potential to enhance bilateral cooperation, and hoped that the relationship between the two nations continue to boom in the near future.

Appreciating the shared insights of Mr. Zagdjav Deleg, Auditor- General Ngo Van Tuan expressed hope to witness the future bilateral cooperation between the SAV and MNAO to bolster effectively and efficiently, meeting the increasing demands of each agency.

Following the courtesy meeting, the signing ceremony of the MoU on cooperation between SAV and MNAO took place. According to the MoU, the areas of cooperation of the two SAIs include regular exchanging management-level delegations to further enhance mutual understanding and determine the cooperation orientation; organizing technical delegations and joint workshops to share each other’s experience and professional expertise; and developing audit capacity and skills in areas of mutual interest.

Additionally, both sides will develop and submit proposals on Sustainable Development Goals specific to the Asian region to INTOSAI and ASOSAI; support each other and participate in capacity-building activities organized by INTOSAI, the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI), and ASOSAI. They will also learn from and cooperate with each other in auditing and other activities; and exchange information on audit methods, standards, rules, and regulations.

Through the signing of the MoU, both SAIs are confident that the relationship between the two agencies will quickly enter a new phase of more practical and effective development based on a solid foundation of friendship and cooperation./.