The fifth meeting of the INTOSAI Working Group on SDGs and Key Sustainable Development Indicators (WGSDG KSDI) was held on April 21st 2024, in Riyadh.

The meeting was organized by the General Court of Audit of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, Chair of the Working Group.

The event took place in a hybrid format with 33 participants representing 14 SAIs, as well as representatives from the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions of English-speaking countries (AFROSAI-E) and VEB.RF –  the Russian National Institute for Economic Development.

The meeting was a significant event for the attendees, since it was the first time that the Working Group had met in person after previously holding annual meetings online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opening the event, Mr. Dmitry Zaitsev, Head of the Secretariat for the WG SDG KSDI, Member of the Board of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, emphasized the importance of cooperation within the group, stating that the Group's work is of practical significance and is already implemented by the auditors. He also highlighted the ambitious plans for the future.

Representatives from SAIs of Egypt, China, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Vietnam presented national practices in auditing SDG implementation, focusing on topics such as sustainable cities and communities, combating poverty, addressing climate change impacts, and improving planning and audit effectiveness.

The representative of AFROSAI-E emphasized that increasing transparency and accountability in the use of public funds is essential for achieving SDGs, and suggested using financial management assessment tool such as the Public Financial Management Reporting Framework (PFM RF). This methodology allows analyzing the effectiveness of each stage of the budgeting process, identifying risks, and preparing recommendations for addressing them.

Representatives from ASOSAI and ARABOSAI discussed initiatives related to SDG auditing within their organizations. An expert from "VEB.RF" shared their experience in implementing the SDGs and working with government agencies and other stakeholders.

The main results of WGSDG KSDI's activities:

• Two new members joined the Working Group within a year: Senegal and Vietnam, bringing the total number of members to 37.
• On July 12th, 2023, members of the Working Group attended the event held on the sidelines of the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development titled “Localization of the SDGs in Russia and Beyond: Lessons Learned at the Mid-Point on the Way to 2030”.
• On July 28th, SAI Russia hosted a roundtable discussion titled "Audit of Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities" as part of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.
• Representatives from the WGSDG KSDI Secretariat took part in a regular meeting of ARABOSAI Committee on Sustainable Development Goals hosted by SAI Morocco on November 8th, 2023 and in the ASOSAI Working Group on SDGs Meeting on March 4th, 2024 hosted by SAI Kuwait.
• The work on the Guidance on audit of the reliability of macroeconomic forecasts is in progress. As part of the preparation of the document, the Knowledge base on auditing macroeconomic forecasts has been expanded to include 39 countries. The draft will be presented at the next meeting of the Group in spring 2025.
• Guidance on ESG Audit was unanimously approved by participants. The document intends to assist SAIs in conducting audits of measures taken by governments to promote responsible business conduct and evaluate the activities of public and international organizations in environmental, social, and governance spheres. The Guidance on ESG Audit was developed in accordance with ISSAI and is applicable at both national and organizational levels.
• Action plan for 2024-2025 has been approved.

Further plans:

• Preparation of the draft Guidance on audit of the reliability of macroeconomic forecasts.
• Update of the GUID 5202 “Sustainable Development: The Role of Supreme Audit Institutions”. This document is outdated as it was developed prior to the adoption of the UN Agenda 2030, and it does not take current global trends in sustainable development into account.
• Launch of a new initiative on state openness.
• Further development of the Knowledge Base of best practices to promote the implementation of ESG.
• Cooperation with ASOSAI Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and ARABOSAI Committee on Sustainable Development Goals.
• Preparation of joint courses for the U-INTOSAI platform.
• New editions of the Group's Newsletters.
• The next meeting of the working group is scheduled for spring 2025.