Hanoi (VNA) – Auditor General of the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) Ho DucPhoc has vowed to take more concrete actions to foster cooperation within theAsian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in a bid to bringinto fully play the potential of its members and take it to a new height.

Environmentalissues are becoming a serious threat to the growth of each country, makingenvironmental audit for sustainable development more important, said the newASOSAI chairman, referring to the theme of the 14th ASOSAI Assemblythis year.

SAV willfurther step up environmental audit in the time ahead and strengthen operationaudit to assess the management and use of resources and environmentalprotection of state agencies towards the sustainable development goals, Phoctold a press conference in Hanoi on September 22, following the conclusion ofthe assembly.

The ASOSAI 14 Assemblyadopted the Hanoi Declaration which demonstrates SAV’s commitments towardsASOSAI’s mission in promoting knowledge sharing and capacity building amongmembers with a focus on environmental auditing for sustainable development ofthe nations and the region.

It was thefirst time Vietnam hosted a regional event in public auditing and took over thechair of ASOSAI for the 2018 – 2021 term. The 14th ASOSAI Assembly providedSAV an opportunity to enhance cooperation and commitment on public auditstandards to the highest level to serve the common interests of its members.

During theASOSAI 14 Assembly, SAV has held various meetings with other ASOSAI members toreach agreements on cooperation in building a transparent and effectivenational financial system.

NepaleseAuditory General Tanka Mani Sharma expected that, as a chair of ASOSAI 14,Vietnam will play a leading role in the development of the audit community notonly within the ASOSAI but also at the International Organisation of SupremeAudit Institutions (INTOSAI), and further promote bilateral partnership in thefield.

On the otherhands, the ASOSAI 14 Assembly affirmed SAV’s strategic vision for internationalintegration and cooperation by 2020 which highlights its mission inimplementing the Party and State of Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence,self-reliance and multilateralization, said Vice Chairman of the NationalAssembly Phung Quoc Hien.

In her openingremarks at the ASOSAI 14 Assembly, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi KimNgan also hailed SAV for its development over the last two decades. It haseffectively supported the NA in supervising the national financial system, shenoted, adding that it has also learned from international experience to improvecapacity of its auditors and strengthen new areas of audit, such as operationaudit, information technology audit, public debt audit and environmental audit.

The ASOSAI Assembly, which is heldevery three years, is the venue for all heads of ASOSAI member supreme auditagencies to discuss and decide on major issues, necessary documents, regimes,and policies to achieve the association’s objectives and further itsdevelopment. It also serves as a forum for sharing experience in the field ofstate audits.

The 14th ASOSAI Assembly took placefrom September 19 -22 in Hanoi.  The main sessions included the 7thSymposium, technical-level meetings of the Secretariat and Committees, WorkingGroups, and the 52nd and the 53rd Governing Board meetings.

This year’s event saw the largestASOSAI gathering to date. Approximately 400 delegates from 79 internationaldelegations, including ASOSAI members, the representatives of INTOSAI's workinggroups and international organisations as observers, participated in theAssembly.

The assembly elected the members ofGoverning Board, namely Indonesia, Kuwait, Russia, Nepal, Bangladesh and twomembers of the ASOSAI Audit Committee for the term 2018-2021 - Turkey andKazakhstan.

It also approved the reports on thebudget, research activity and capacity building, the implementation of theASOSAI strategic plan, recognising Palestine SAI as a new member, and theregulations for observers for the Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions inSouth East Asia - ESEANSAI.

Auditor General of Vietnam officiallyassumed the role of Chairman of ASOSAI and Auditor General of China asSecretary General of ASOSAI for the 2018-2021 term at this Assembly. –VNA