“We believe Vietnam will succeed in the new role and make contributions to the ASOSAI growth and development in all areas of auditing,” Feyzullah Okumus, head of International Relations Department of the Turkish Court of Accounts (Turkish SAI), told the Vietnam News Agency.

Okumus commented on the event’s theme “Environmental Auditing for Sustainable Development”, saying that environmental auditing is a new area for auditing world but auditing institutions worldwide have the role in addressing the issues.

“We are glad to see that the Assembly gives the importance to environmental protection on its agenda. If each institution gives importance to this area, the problem will be lessened,” said Okumus.

Takaya Kato from Japanese SAI appreciated the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV)’s thorough preparations for the 14 ASOSAI Assembly as well as the host’s hospitality to delegates.

Showing his strong support for Vietnam’s chairmanship, Kato said SAI Japan would like to develop a close cooperation with Vietnam.
 
“We hope and believe that the two sides will have good cooperation for the development of ASOSAI in the future,” Kato said.
 
The SAV is only 24 years old, relatively young in comparison with other hundred-year-old ASOSAI members. Hosting ASOSAI 14 means that the SAV becomes the Chairman of ASOSAI for the 2018-2021 term and maintains its membership on the ASOSAI governing board for the three successive terms from 2015 to 2024.
 
According to State Auditor General Ho Duc Phoc, taking charge in a new role will be a chance for the young SAV to lead the development of the organisation, while enhancing its capacity and expanding relations with other regional and international supreme audit institutions.

ASOSAI gathers 46 member organisations with diverse legal status, culture, politics and development level, leading to varying viewpoints on public auditing and interest among the members.

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

This year’s event, held for the first time in Vietnam, sees the largest ASOSAI gathering to date, with participation of around 250 delegates from 46 supreme audit institutions in Asian countries. Representatives from the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and a number of other international organisations are also attending as observers.

ASOSAI 14 - opportunity to affirm State Audit of Vietnam’s prestige

At the 52nd meeting of the ASOSAI Governing Board on September 18 

Taking the role as the Chair of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) for 2018-2021 tenure is a vivid illustration for the growth of the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV), participants said on the sidelines of the 52nd meeting of the ASOSAI Governing Board on September 18.

Nepalese Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma, who is also a member of the ASOSAI Governing Board, hoped that in the new position of ASOSAI Chair, Vietnam will promote its leading role in the development of auditing community, not only in ASOSAI but also in the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

As a Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) with considerable experience, Nepal will help Vietnam build auditing capacity, thus further bolstering mutual understanding and experience sharing, he said, adding the country wants to sign a bilateral auditing cooperation deal with Vietnam.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s meticulous preparations for the 14th Assembly of the ASOSAI, Takya Kato, a representative of the Board of Audit of Japan, wished that the audit institutions in Vietnam and Japan will enhance cooperation in the future.

Other participants said that SAV should capitalize on knowledge and international experience as well as resources from ASOSAI and its members to improve capacity and operation efficiency.

According to Dao Xuan Tien, SAV Deputy Auditor General, Vietnam is facing a big challenge in how to lead the ASOSAI members and make further contributions to the organisation.

“The 52nd Governing Board meeting offers an opportunity for us to study and share experience in the field of public audit. As the Chair of ASOSAI for 2018-2021 tenure, SAV will do its utmost to lead 46 members, and leave good impression and prestige within ASOSAI”, he said.

Earlier, SAV successfully hosted a line-up of significant events of ASOSAI, and received lavish praises from the audit community, including the 42nd meeting of the ASOSAI Governing Board in Hanoi in August 2010.

SAV became a member of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) in 1996, and joined the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) in 1997. 

The 14th Assembly of ASOSAI is underway in Hanoi from September 19-22.

Established in 1979 with 11 members, ASOSAI now has 46 members. The ASOSAI Assembly is held every three years.

ASSA 35: Social security system in 4IR

Assoc. Prof. Dr Tran Dinh Thien 

The challenges and opportunities of ASEAN social security institutions in the Industry 4.0, as well as the free flow of labour are both high on the agenda for the ongoing 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meeting in Nha Trang city, in the central province of Khanh Hoa.

Assoc. Prof. Dr.Tran Dinh Thien, former head of the Vietnam Economics Institute, said that global digital connection through the Internet and other smart tools has opened up many chances for people to increase their general income, however, high risks are unavoidable.

In particular, cyber security risks and social security challenges are two pressing issues as the influx of new technology may cause the destruction of some especially manual jobs, it will also create further employment that requires new skills be learnt, he said.

“The requirements and conditions for renovation to social insurance activities will become vigorous and urgent,” Thien said.

He suggested that Vietnam formulate a digital transformation strategy and manage the system intelligently, adding that“the country shoulddevelopdigitally-linked infrastructure and cyber security and create digital human resources.”

Talking about the opportunities and challenges of the social security system in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Jens Schremmer, Head of the Office of the Secretary General of the International Social Security Association, said that Industry 4.0 will help promote social security, including expanding social insurance coverage. 

However, the digital economy will also create new jobs which will affect the traditional ones, thus creating gaps in social security coverage and cyber security protection, he added.

“Social security institutions will make the difference,” he said, stressing the need to shape social security for tomorrow’s society.

According to Robert Palacios, Senior Pension Economist at the World Bank, in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, changes in the labour market are predictable, requiring workers to strengthen their capacity to meet market demand. 

This also poses a question of human resource training and redesigning social security policy to increase the coverage by improving the relationship between employers and employees, as well as between the Government and the informal economic sector.

“This is a race between social security and changes in the labour market,” Robert Palacios noted.

Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Social Security Tran Dinh Lieu said that the information and experiences shared at the seminar will create a basis for governments and policy makers of ASSA member countries to improve their social security policies to ensure the rights of workers, especially migrant ones, to adapt to the new requirements in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

“It demonstrates a high sense of responsibility of regional social security organisations to ensure the practical benefits of people in the regionin accordance with the ASEAN Vision 2025 for a more rules-based and people-centred ASEAN Community,” according to Lieu.

The ASSA was found in 1998 following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement in Bangkok, Thailand on February 13 that year, involving heads of social security institutions from five countries - the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Representatives from Laos and Vietnam also attended the signing ceremony as observers. Later the year, the Vietnam Social Security became a member of ASSA.

This is the fifth time the Vietnam Social Security has chaired the ASSA Board Meeting. It undertook the chairmanship during the 2002 – 2003 term and successfully organised the ASSA Board Meeting in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2010. ASSA members now comprise 19 social security institutions from ten ASEAN nations.

VNA