Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia boost state audit cooperation

Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have discussed a mechanism for long-term cooperation between their state audit agencies and reviewed their implementation of agreements on bilateral cooperation in this field.

At the meeting between leaders of the state audit agencies of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in Hanoi on June 1, Vietnam’s State Auditor General Vuong Dinh Hue proposed that the three countries conduct joint auditing activities in the fields of hydroelectricity, tourism and environment.

He said the three state audit agencies should establish parallel audit or joint audit teams or a mixed form of the two.

The three state audit agencies agreed that they would suggest that their respective government incorporate these activities into their inter-governmental cooperative programme.

They also agreed to organize rotating annual meetings to boost the effectiveness of their cooperation. The next meeting will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2010.

The June 1 meeting is within the framework of a conference on the role of the state audit in improving the efficiency of public spending, which will be held by the State Audit of Vietnam on June 2.