The State auditing agencies from Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia recently got together to discuss ways of stepping up cooperation in this field with the main focus on improving the quality of audits.

Speaking at a seminar held in Vietnam ’s northern province of Ninh Binh on June 7, Vietnam ’s State Auditor General Dinh Tien Dung reviewed the level of cooperation between the auditing agencies of the three countries over the years.

He stressed on the need for the three State auditing agencies to exchange their experiences in training and specialist knowledge, especially in new areas.

To improve the quality of auditing and audits, Vietnam has put forward various measures, including developing more in-depth auditing and raising the general quality of auditing to evaluate its management and enhancing auditing in new areas that are of public concern.

Dung’s views were shared by Cambodia ’s State Auditor General Som Kim Sour, who said there was a need for auditors to have professional experience and a good sense of morality.

It is necessary to set up an interior monitoring system to oversee all activities and ensure a balance of information in reports which have to reflect both positive and negative results, she added.

Other measures proposed at the seminar focused on modernising training methods, drawing up guidelines and providing samples of audits as well as carrying out assessments.

Some delegates also pointed out the shortcomings in the three State auditing agencies, such a general lack of experience in auditing, the quality of auditing and audits that are not up to standard.

They attributed the problems to the number of inadequate auditors, poor training, the shortage of mid and long-term plans and outdated information being included in audits.-VNA