The first meeting of the working group of the project initiated by the European Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) and the National Audit Office of the United Kingdom was held with the participation of the experts of the State Audit Office of Latvia, where it was decided to coordinate support for the colleagues of the SAI Ukraine.
After the war started by Russia in Ukraine, colleagues from the SAI Ukraine have called on the international community repeatedly to involve the EUROSAI and use its best practices to provide support to the Ukrainian colleagues in auditing. Significant financial and other assistance from international partners, especially European ones, strengthens the practical cooperation among SAI, EUROSAI members and the SAI Ukraine. The meeting of the working group considered how to create the most effective format of cooperation and ensure synergy with other projects aimed at building the capacity of the SAI Ukraine.
The international community is already providing significant support to improve the transparency and accountability of Ukraine’s public financial system, as well as to promote improvements in the Supreme Audit Institution of Ukraine.
EU4ACU, a project funded by the European Union, is currently being implemented, covering almost all aspects of the work of the SAI Ukraine, including (1) development of international standards-compliant audit manuals for financial, performance and compliance audits, (2) training, (3) strengthening of internal procedures, (4) improving communication, and (5) developing auditing programs.
Within the framework of this project, colleagues from the State Audit Office of Latvia also share their experience and expertise with Ukrainian colleagues. The SAI United States’ Centre of Audit Excellence has launched a project to strengthen the SAI Ukraine. Most of the activities of both projects envisage strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian colleagues and providing methodological assistance in auditing, that is, to monitor the use of US direct budget support funds. So far, an agreement has also been reached with the SAI Germany to conduct a coordinated audit of the civil protection of schools and to provide methodological assistance in auditing the funds of the German government allocated to the housing of internally displaced persons.
The goal of the project working group is to provide a single forum for the SAI Ukraine, where it can request support and/or advice from other SAIs in one place, and so that its requests can be promptly discussed, as well as coordinate the necessary support effectively.
International cooperation of the State Audit Office of the Republic of Latvia:
- Holds elected positions in the governing bodies of EUROSAI, a regional organisation of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), serves on the Contact Committee, of the Cooperation Platform between the SAIs of the EU Member States and the European Court of Auditors, and acts as an auditor of international organisations;
- Ensures participation and professional input in the INTOSAI and EUROSAI International Working Groups and the INTOSAI Financial Auditing Standards Subcommittee;
- Provides development and support to the SAIs of other countries and offers services in the international consulting market as a professional, highly qualified, and experienced consultant in the field of public sector audits.
About the State Audit Office of Latvia
The State Audit Office of the Republic of Latvia is an independent, collegial supreme audit institution. The purpose of its activity is to find out whether the actions with the financial means and property of a public entity are legal, correct, useful and in line with public interests, as well as to provide recommendations for the elimination of discovered irregularities. The State Audit Office conducts audits in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions INTOSAI (ISSAI), whose recognition in Latvia is determined by the Auditor General.
100 years of AUDIT STRENGTH
On 16 August 2023, the State Audit Law turned 100 years old. With the adoption of this Law, the State Audit Office from a formal de facto institution founded on 2 December 1918 became a de jure independent, collegial supreme audit institution of the Republic of Latvia. The State Audit Office is one of the independent state institutions enshrined in the Satversme (Constitution) of Latvia. The Constitution was signed by Roberts Ivanovs as the secretary of the Constitutional Assembly, who was then confirmed as the Auditor General. He worked as the first Auditor General for 12 years. His signature confirmed the text of our Constitution alongside that of Jānis Čakste.
Additional information
Ms Signe Znotiņa-Znota
Head of PR and Internal Communication Division
Ph. + 371 67017671 | M. + 371 26440185 | E-mail: signe.znotina-znota@lrvk.gov.lv