The delegation of the Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan, headed by Chairman Alikhan Smailov, arrived on a short working visit to the Portuguese Republic at the invitation of the Portuguese Court of Auditors.

The working visit was organized in order to review the preliminary results of the peer review of the SAC RK, which is carried out by auditors from Lithuania, Portugal and Türkiye.

The auditors of the two countries will also share their experience and jointly analyze the best auditing practices.

These and other working activities are aimed at strengthening cooperation between the supreme audit institutions and improving the state audit systems of Kazakhstan and Portugal.

During the meeting with the President of the Court of Auditors Filipa Urbano Calvão, Chairman of the SAC Alikhan Smailov emphasized that productive cooperation between the institutions is dynamically developing both in a bilateral format and within the key international organizations INTOSAI and EUROSAI.

In this context, he noted the high importance of the participation of the Court of Auditors in the peer review of the Supreme Audit Chamber. In the course of this work, foreign colleagues have studied the methodology, audit documentation and reports of the SAC over the past 5 years.

"This peer review is especially important for us, as the state audit system is currently being reformed in Kazakhstan. The expansion of the SAC's competencies requires constant implementation of the best methods, practices and international standards, as well as systematic professional development of our auditors. In this regard, the long - term experience of the Portuguese Court of Auditors is of particular practical interest to us," said Alikhan Smailov.

He identified performance audit, financial audit, distance audit, implementation of information technologies and artificial intelligence tools as the main areas for the exchange of experience.

For her part, the President of the Portuguese Court of Auditors expressed gratitude to the Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan for fruitful cooperation in the peer review process.

"During 2024, many working meetings were held and documents related to the SAC activities were exchanged. The fact that the SAC has taken the initiative to conduct peer review shows your commitment to progress, as well as your great desire to improve your activities and develop the state audit system in Kazakhstan, which is very important in modern conditions," said Filipa Urbano Calvão.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/esep/press/news/details/962929?lang=kk