Hanoi (VNA) 🥀– Delegates from regional and international audit institutions expressed their strong support for the environmentally focused theme that Vietnam selected for the ongoing 14th Assembly of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in Hanoi.

The event, hosted by Vietnam for the first time, has been held under the theme “Environmental Auditing for Sustainable Development”. With this in mind, participants are expected to make suggestions on how to use environmental auditing as an efficient tool for sustainable development, thus introducing important and useful policies, solutions and efficient tools to solve environmental problems. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Archana Shirsat, a representative from the INTOSAI Development Initiative, highlighted environmental protection as part of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development’s key goals. The theme reflects ASOSAI members’ commitments and contributions to the UN’s pursuit of sustainable development in general and global environmental protection in particular, she said. Shirsat also stressed the need for supreme audit institutions (SAIs) worldwide to respond to emerging issues, such as the technological revolution and digital destruction that is happening to the environment. “SAIs would need to adopt innovative audit approaches to address such issues as environmental protection and sustainable development,” she said. Hu Zejun, head of China SAI, praised the event’s theme, saying that it is not only significant for sustainable development in Asia, but also for the protection of the global eco-system and sustainable development of humankind. Zejun, Auditor General of China’s National Audit Office, who is also in charge of the ASOSAI Secretary General for 2018-2021, stated that the Chinese Environmental Audit Institution was established in 1998 to enforce the Government’s policy on environment protection and ensure a sustainable economic development. China SAI is willing to share with Vietnam its experience in organising methods to ensure synchronous implementation at all levels, technology application in the field and enhancing staff capacity in environmental auditing, Zejun said. “Being neighbouring countries, Vietnamese and Chinese SAIs have developed a comprehensive cooperation and continue to share information with each other in all fields,” said Hu Zejun. Likewise, Sirin Phankasem, vice head of Thailand SAI and a member of the ASOSAI Governing Board, expressed his belief that the 14th ASOSAI Assembly will be a success, particularly with the key agenda focusing on green issues. According to Phankasem, Thailand has been carrying out numerous water auditing activities. The country also has great experience in environmental auditing training. “Thailand is willing to provide support for Vietnam in audit capacity training and activities of the ASOSAI in Vietnam’s chairmanship term,” said. Phankasem. ASOSAI gathers 46 member organisations with diverse legal statuses, culture, politics, and development level, leading to varying viewpoints on public auditing and generating interest among members. The ASOSAI Assembly, which is held every three years, is the venue for all heads of ASOSAI member supreme audit agencies to discuss and decide on major issues, necessary documents, regimes, and policies to achieve the association’s objectives and further its development. It will also serve as a forum for sharing experience in the field of state audits. This year’s event sees the largest ASOSAI gathering to date, with the participation of around 250 delegates from 46 supreme audit institutions in Asian countries. Representatives from the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and a number of other international organisations are also attending as observers.–VNA