On May 22, 2025, the First Annual Meeting of the ASOSAI Working Group on Regional and Municipal Audit (WGRMA) was held in a hybrid format in St. Petersburg. The event was co-organized by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation (Working Group Chair) and Regional Audit Institution of St. Petersburg.

A total of 25 in-person participants from nine-member SAIs (China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Oman, Russia and Vietnam) attended the event, along with 31 online participants representing 6 SAIs (Indonesia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Thailand). The meeting also welcomed observers from SAI Brazil and AFROSAI-E, Regional Audit Institutions from the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the North-West Institute of Management of the Russian Presidential Academy (RANEPA).

International Roundtable on "Audit of Regional Infrastructure Projects"

Representatives from SAIs of Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Oman, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam shared their national experiences related to the audit of regional infrastructure projects. Topics discussed included:

• Full-cycle audits of infrastructure projects
• Use of digital technologies and GIS-based tools for detecting urban planning violations and assessing environmental risks in utilities
• Auditing transport and energy infrastructure in geographically complex regions
• Models of citizen engagement in public audit processes.

Participants recognized public audit as a valuable tool for promoting long-term sustainable development and improving inclusive infrastructure. Common challenges encountered during the implementation of infrastructure projects include low-quality construction, high operational costs, underutilization of allocated funds, lack of long-term efficiency assessment methodologies and insufficient stakeholder coordination.

To enhance audit quality, experts underscored the importance of strengthening the professional skills of audit staff – particularly in engineering assessments and the use of big data analytics.

WGRMA Technical Meeting: Organizational and Planning Framework

During the second part of the meeting, participants discussed and adopted the Terms of Reference (ToR) and Work Plan 2025–2027, developed by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation in consultation with Working Group members and Russian Regional Audit Institutions. These documents establish the institutional framework, operational principles, and strategic direction of the WGRMA.

The Working Group’s activities are aligned with the ASOSAI Strategic Plan 2022–2027, ensuring synergy with other ASOSAI working bodies. Participation of SAIs from other INTOSAI regional organizations aims to promote both local and international good practices.

Key initiatives include:

• Compendium of Best Practices in Regional Infrastructure Audit
• Digital Library on Regional and Municipal Audit
• E-learning course on SDG audits at the local level.

In line with the adopted ToR, the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, as Chair of the WGRMA, is responsible for overall coordination and preparation of reporting materials. To provide administrative support and assist in project coordination, SAI Malaysia was nominated and approved as Vice-Chair of the Group.