16th ASOSAI Assembly in Delhi: CAG Murmu Leads Global Audit Talks
The 16th ASOSAI Assembly concluded successfully in New Delhi, with 200 delegates from 42 countries discussing public audit, governance, and accountability. Hosted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Girish Chandra Murmu, the assembly saw the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, a roadmap that reinforces ASOSAI members’ commitment to equality, transparency, and innovation.
CAG Murmu commended various initiatives by the Supreme Audit Institution of Thailand to effectively implement the Bangkok Declaration 2021, charting a path for ASOSAI and its 48 members towards greater resilience, innovation, and governance in today’s New Normal. He expressed gratitude to the previous chair of ASOSAI, SAI Thailand, and Secretary General, SAI China.
Murmu congratulated seven newly elected SAI members of the Governing Board of ASOSAI (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, and UAE) and two members of the Audit Committee (Iran and Vietnam). He praised the collective efforts behind the Declaration, which will guide future efforts to improve audit practices and governance in the region.
The Declaration focuses on leveraging digital public infrastructure to provide equitable access to services, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG-5 (Gender Equality) and SDG-10 (Reduced Inequality). The four-day event, inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu on September 24, 2024, brought together Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) from Asia to enhance public sector auditing.
CAG Murmu, who assumed the Chairmanship of ASOSAI for the term 2024-2027, is expected to steer the association towards new horizons of public audit excellence. He emphasized the relevance of advanced technologies in driving the socio-economic milieu across the world and the need for SAIs to strengthen their capacities to audit in this transformed world, especially in light of post-pandemic inequalities.
The assembly also saw the induction of new members to the ASOSAI Governing Board and ASOSAI Audit Committee, ensuring the continuation of strong leadership and innovation in public sector auditing. Murmu expressed confidence that the assembly’s outcomes will have a lasting impact on the global audit community, addressing key matters such as capacity development, knowledge sharing, and strengthening of institutional frameworks.
Doubts Revealed
ASOSAI -: ASOSAI stands for the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions. It’s a group of countries in Asia that work together to improve how they check and manage government money.
CAG -: CAG stands for Comptroller and Auditor General. In India, the CAG is a very important person who checks how the government spends its money to make sure everything is done correctly.
Girish Chandra Murmu -: Girish Chandra Murmu is the current Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. He is responsible for overseeing the financial audits of the government.
New Delhi Declaration -: The New Delhi Declaration is a set of guidelines and goals agreed upon by the countries at the ASOSAI Assembly to promote fairness, openness, and new ideas in government audits.
President Droupadi Murmu -: Droupadi Murmu is the President of India. She is the head of the country and was present to start the ASOSAI Assembly event.
Governing Board -: The Governing Board is a group of people chosen to make important decisions for ASOSAI. They help guide the organization and its activities.
Audit Committee -: The Audit Committee is a group of people who help make sure that the financial audits are done properly and that the organization’s money is managed well.
Digital infrastructure -: Digital infrastructure means the technology and systems needed to support digital activities, like computers, internet, and software. It’s important for modernizing how audits are done.
UN Sustainable Development Goals -: The UN Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 goals created by the United Nations to make the world a better place by 2030. They include things like ending poverty, improving education, and protecting the environment.