In the context of growing external pressure, the development of best auditing practices should become a common task of the SAIs of Russia and Syria.

This opinion was expressed by the Member of the Board of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation,  Ms. Svetlana Orlova at the Russian-Syrian round table, which was held on 13 June, 2023, in the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Bashkortostan in Moscow.

Historically, the relations between Russia and Syria are very close and friendly. Syria is a reliable partner and ally for Russia. At present, both our countries are under growing external pressure. In current situation it is more important to ensure that public resources are efficiently spent to achieve their full potential. Therefore, for these purposes the development of best auditing practices is our common task,

Ms. Svetlana Orlova said at the opening of the meeting.

The parties discussed the issues related to the budget process implementation and the audit methodology development in the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation. Ms. Svetlana Orlova described the Syrian colleagues the organization of budget process in Russia and the SAI’s role in its implementation:

The audit of formation and execution of the federal budget predominates in the total scope of activities of the Accounts Chamber. The share of such activities is about 70% annually. The remaining 30% belong to thematic events aimed at audit the areas of concern

Talking about the priorities in the work of the Accounts Chamber, Ms. Svetlana Orlova stressed out that SAI is supposed not only to identify violations, but to prevent them as well. She paid significant attention to the development of Russian-Syrian relations in the framework humanitarian aid delivery to Syria by the Russian Federation.

According to Ms. Svetlana Orlova, the mechanism for providing assistance to Syria should be based primarily on strengthening Russian-Syrian cooperation in such areas as small and medium-sized entrepreneurship, construction, education, medicine and pharmaceutics, energy, agriculture and food and consumer goods industry:

To solve these tasks, we need a comprehensive approach.

The parties plan to discuss further cooperation in detail at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will be held in Saint Petersburg on 14–17 June, 2023.

On the margins of the SPIEF we are going to discuss how global financial risks are changing approaches to audit, what kind of new tasks they set in front of the controllers. In addition, we plan that the SAIs of Russia and Syria will sign an Agreement on cooperation, which we have been working on for months. This event will open a new page of our cooperation,

Ms. Svetlana Orlova concluded.

In the framework of the event, the Chairman of the Central Organization of Financial Control in the Syrian Arab Republic Mr. Mohamad Barеk was awarded with a medal of the Ministry of Defenсe of the Russian Federation “For contribution to the development of international military cooperation”.

The award was presented by Lieutenant General, Head of Department, Deputy Head of the National Defense Control Centre of the Russian Federation Mr. Victor Novozhilov.