Accepting the invitation of the Chairman of the Working Group on Environmental Audit of ASOSAI (ASOSAI WGEA) - the National Audit Office of China and the Chairwoman of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the State Audit Office of Viet Nam (SAV) in its position as a member of ASOSAI WGEA sent a delegation to attend the 9th working meeting of ASOSAI WGEA from August 23-25, 2023 in Astana, Kazakhstan
Delegates took a group photo with the Chairwoman of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Mrs. Natalya Godunova and the Deputy Auditor General of the National Audit Office of China - Mr. Li Feng, Chairman of ASOSAI WGEA
Delivering their speeches at the meeting’s opening, Chairwoman of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Chairman of ASOSAI WGEA emphasized the importance of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in undertaking environmental audits, specifically audits of climate change, water and land resources, etc. ASOSAI WGEA plays a significant role as a connecting bridge in sharing knowledge, experience and good practices in environmental auditing to assist SAIs in proposing solutions to minimize the impact of economic activities on the living environment while pursuing sustainable development.
The meeting's agenda included the second Green Vision Award Ceremony, the report on the operation of Working Group on Environmental Audit of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI WGEA) for the years 2023-2025, the Seminar on climate change, environmental preservation and safe drinking water, the activity reports of ASOSAI WGEA and the Working Group on Environmental Audit of the Arab Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI WGEA); ASOSAI WGEA's Work Plan for the years 2023–2024,... These are topics that member SAIs pay close attention to, and will have a significant impact on the future development of ASOSAI WGEA in particular and ASOSAI in general.
Overview of the meeting
Delegates actively discussed the issues, challenges, and suggested solutions in auditings of climate change, environmental protection, and clean water safety during the Seminar’s two discussion sessions. The panels regard various experiences and best practices from the reports of member SAIs as valuable contributions to the field of environmental auditing in the region and around the globe.
Within the framework of the meeting, the Head of SAV’s Delegation, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nguyet Anh presented the results of the cooperative audit “The management of water sources in Mekong River Basin” which was presided over by SAV with the participation of SAI Myanmar and SAI Thailand. In its capacity as ASOSAI Chairman for the 2018–2021 tenure, SAV made the proposal and received significant support from other member SAIs in implementing this international cooperative audit, which aimed to put into practise the commitments and solutions outlined in the Ha Noi Declaration, adopted at the 14th ASOSAI Assembly under the theme “Environmental Auditing for Sustainable Development”, while also affirming the role and position of the ASOSAI community in the implementation of the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Through sharing experiences in conducting the audit, SAV has shown its position as a responsible member by actively engaging in ASOSAI activities generally and in ASOSAI WGEA particularly.
Head of SAV’s Delegation, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nguyet Anh presented the results of the cooperative audit “The management of water sources in Mekong River Basin” during the meeting
Along with other delegates attending the meeting, SAV’s representatives exchanged their thoughts on the presented papers and provided opinions on ASOSAI WGEA's Work Plan for the years 2023–2024. According to comments from SAV’s representatives, the National Audit Office of China, in its capacity as Chairman of ASOSAI WGEA, highly appreciated the contributions made by SAV to ASOSAI WGEA’s Work Plan and would consider adjusting the operational phase of the Plan in compliance with INTOSAI WGEA’s Work Plan for the 2023-2025 period as well as ensuring that there would be sufficient time to carry out the tasks outlined in the Plan.
Concluding the meeting, Chairman of ASOSAI WGEA, Mr. Li Feng and Member of the Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kaskin Tilegen congratulated the delegates on the meeting’s success and expressed their wish that member SAIs would continue to actively participate in ASOSAI WGEA activities in the near future./.