Delegates at the workshop held in Hanoi on November 5. (Photo: SAV)

The event drew the participation of 40 delegates from members of the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI), including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines, and leaders from Vietnam's Nam Dinh and Ha Tinh provinces.

SAV Deputy Governor Ha Thi My Dung highlighted that the SAV identified limitations in environmental management and protection in industrial clusters and craft villages through its audits in Hanoi and Bac Ninh from 2019 to 2021 and Bac Giang, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh and Ha Tinh from 2020 to 2022.

The organisation then proposed measures to rectify violations in state environmental management and urged competent authorities to revise policies and regulations to make them align with practical need, she said.

She also underscored the significance of the workshop, stating it marked a significant step towards regional cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) while protecting the environment and maintaining the public sector’s accountability.

Meanwhile, Auditor General of Malaysia Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi, also Chairwoman of the ASEANSAI’s Knowledge Sharing Committee, said environmental protection is an ethical duty for every individual and organisation, adding the committee pledges to promote knowledge sharing to obtain the SDGs.

Participants at the event shared experiences and strategies to strengthen environmental auditing practices, particularly in areas transitioning from traditional craft to modern industrial production./.