Looking back on Vietnam’s ASOSAI Chair in 2018-2021 tenure

Hanoi (VNA) – The State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV), as the Chair of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in the 2018-2021 term, made active and responsible contributions to the common development of the region and the world.

As the ASOSAI Chair, the SAV led and oriented the organisation's development in the 2018-2021 period.

“During its tenure, the State Audit Office of Vietnam has promoted ASOSAI's top mission of training, exchanging experience among SAI members with innovation and promptly adaptation to development and continuous changes of the public financial management environment,” Vietnamese Auditor General Tran Sy Thanh told the 15th ASOSAI Assembly held online with the participation of 47 SAI members and several international observers.

During the event, SAIs summarized ASOSAI’s activities in the 2018-2021 term and evaluated the results achieved during the implementation of the Hanoi Declaration and agreed to approve the important agendas of the organisation for the 2021-2024 tenure, including the ASOSAI Strategic Plan for the 2022-2027 period and the Bangkok Declaration.

Becoming a model regional working group of INTOSAI

According to the State Auditor General, right after the Hanoi Declaration - one of the important documents proposed by the SAV at the 14th ASOSAI Assembly - was officially approved at the 54th Governing Board Meeting, SAI Vietnam actively coordinated with the State Audit of China (ASOSAI Secretary General) and members to promote the implementation of the ASOSAI Strategic Plan for 2016-2021. The plan includes three strategic goals of supporting the development of the capacity of SAI members, enhancing knowledge sharing among SAI members, and becoming the Model Regional Working Group of INTOSAI (International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions).

As the ASOSAI Chair, the SAV actively sought and discussed with foreign partners to promote the quality of ASOSAI's implementation of activities, with focus on supporting comprehensive capacity development of SAIs. As such, ASOSAI encourages the implementation of collaborative audits at the regional level.

With an effort to successfully carry out the Hanoi Declaration and to be aware of negative impacts of sea level rise, saltwater intrusion and water quality in the Mekong River basin in general and the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam in particular, the SAV actively researched and submitted to the National Assembly Chairperson and the Prime Minister the policy of allowing the agency to preside over the implementation of the cooperative audit on the management of water resources in the Mekong River basin in association with the implementation of sustainable development goals with the participation of the State Audit of Thailand, and the State Audit of Myanmar.

With the goal of becoming a model Regional Working Group of INTOSAI, during the term of ASOSAI Chair, the SAV proposed many initiatives that were highly appreciated by other SAIs, notably the establishment of a new ASOSAI Working Group on the implementation of sustainable development goals, and an ASOSAI Working Group on Crisis Management Auditing to support SAIs expected to be adopted at the 15th ASOSAI Assembly.

“These initiatives are a testament to ASOSAI's efforts in general and the State Audit Office of Vietnam in particular to build an ASOSAI with professional, dynamic and creative members who are ready to respond to emerging challenges and issues in the region and in the world,” said State Auditor General Tran Sy Thanh.

Active and responsible participation in international activities

Thanh told 47 ASOSAI members that the SAV participated actively and responsibly in INTOSAI's activities.

As the ASOSAI Chair, the SAV represented 47 member SAIs to attend a variety of international events, such as the 9th International Public Sector Conference of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) of the UK in the Czech Republic, and the 23rd INTOSAI Congress in Russia themed “the role of the SAIs in the Achievement of National Priorities and Goals.”

It also called on member SAIs to take part in activities of working groups and research projects of INTOSAI such as the Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA) and Working Group on Audit of Extractive Industries (WGEI), along with the building of INTOSAI’s strategic plan for the 2023-2028.

After three years of taking over the ASOSAI chairmanship, contributions of the SAV for the joint development of the ASOSAI community have been recognised by regional and international SAIs./.