On 22 April 2024 SAI India held a webinar "Using Data Analytics in Audit” as a part of the Action Plan of Cooperation of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member-States.

Sergey Shtogrin, Member of the Board of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, presented a report on "Data Analytics in the Performance Audit of Social Security and Culture Sphere". Mr. Shtogrin briefly described the hardware and software complex, which the specialists of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation use to analyse data during the audit.

Highlighting the unique aspects of performance audit in the fields of social protection and culture, Sergey Shtogrin emphasized the importance of considering regional differentiation and the systematization of data from various information systems at both federal and regional levels. He introduced an analytical tool developed by the Accounts Chamber for monitoring and analyzing the levels and trends of indicators in social protection.

The Chief Inspector of the Department of Social Protection and Culture Audit of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, Roman Rodin, explained in detail the "Social Support for Citizens" digital dashboard, describing its potential applications in conducting performance audits within the social sector. He illustrated this through the national project "Culture". The analytical tool received high praise from the colleagues from SCO Member-SAIs, particularly for its ability to handle large volumes of data without the need for preliminary processing.

Ilia Sorvachev, researcher from the Department of Research and Methodology of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation presented the topic "Trends in Advanced Data Analytics". The report explored several key trends: the increase in the number and quality of impact assessments, possibility of applying analytical competences in auditing analytical models in the public sector for compliance with best practices, and the prospects for implementing artificial intelligence.

The National Audit Office of the People's Republic of China presented on the topic "Practice and Exploration on Intelligent Natural Resources, Ecology and Environment Auditing". Ms. Liu Yiqian discussed the specific aspects of auditing in the realm of natural resource utilization and environmental protection, the use of advanced technologies in these audits, and the future prospects for employing artificial intelligence in ecological and environmental audits.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India presented a report "Use of Data Analytics in Audit". Mr. Karan Vohra discussed the capabilities of the SAI of India in applying data analytics in audit processes, focusing on challenges and their solutions, which subsequently form the basis of best practices for the SAI of India. He highlighted the use of geostationary satellites, remote sensing tools, and "computer vision" as particularly interesting in the context of environmental audits.

Office of the Auditor General of the Kingdom of Nepal shared their experience in using data analytics for planning, conducting, and reporting audits. Currently, Nepal employs a risk-oriented approach and uses data analysis tools such as NAMIS, Excel, and Google Forms. Plans are in place to adopt specialized tools like CAATs, Power BI, and IDEA in the future.

The closing presentation on "Using Data Analytics in Auditing" was delivered by a representative from the Accountability State Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt. According to Ms. Tagrid Elshafey, SAI Egypt actively utilizes data visualization tools, statistical analysis software, and database management systems.