Growing Urbanization and Environmental Protection in Africa: How Can SAIs Accompany the Sustainable Development of African Cities? ‘. This is the theme that is being developed at the 7th Annual Meeting of the AFROSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing of the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI WGEA). This meeting, it is said, is of particular importance in terms of the topics to be discussed and the context in which it is taking place. In essence, it offers an opportunity for a training session, led by experts from relevant international organizations in the fields of governance and environmental protection. This work will be held from 3 to 7 July 2017 in Kinshasa.
The meeting aims to bring together representatives of the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), international organizations, academics and experts to discuss environmental issues and environmental auditing. For this year, about fifty participants are expected. They will come from Africa, Europe, Asia and America for reflections and exchanges aimed at strengthening SAIs’ capacity to act and to encourage the effective use of their mandates in the Environment and natural resources. For all the Supreme Audit Institutions of Africa, this Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to strengthen the capacity of technical staff in environmental auditing. These capacities will enable SAIs to accompany the efforts of the Government towards economic development and the emergence of their respective countries, while respecting the requirements of preserving the environment for present and future generations. They can also draw inspiration from the exchanges to initiate a strategy of accompanying governments in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Objectives.
Why in the DRC?
For the year 2017, the Court of Audit of the DRC, headed by Erneste IZEMENGIA, was appointed to host this annual Mass, during the 6th meeting held in Nigeria, from 12 to 17 September 2016, Was marked by the personal involvement of the President of the Senate of Nigeria as personal representative of Muhamadu BUHARI, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
targets
The public concerned by these conferences consists essentially of Chiefs and senior officials of the Supreme Audit Institutions of Africa (Audit Court, General Audit Offices, State Inspectorates of State, etc.), experts in the field of public finance, Audit and, in particular, environmental auditing.
Context
As regards the context, it should be noted that 2017 is the first year of implementation of the new 2030 global agenda, centered mainly on environmental issues, through the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, for which the SAIs are strongly challenged as part of their environmental auditing activities.
Thus, the entry into force of the Paris Convention on Climate, previously adopted at COP21, allows for the setting of guidelines and targets to reduce the negative effects of climate change, particularly in African cities. As such, discussions on the optimal contribution of SAIs will continue during these meetings in Kinshasa. In addition to the main theme, participants will also continue their reflections on the cooperative audit of forest management in the Congo Basin, to which Cameroon will contribute strongly alongside the SAIs of Burundi, Gabon, Congo and DR. Congo, Central African Republic and Chad, all members of the Central African Forestry Commission (COMIFAC). The adoption of a new Work Plan, a strategy paper to guide the activities of this Working Group for the period 2017-2020, is also on the agenda.
Quid of AFROSAI WGEA
AFROSAI WGEA is the continental African grouping of the INTOSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing (INTOSAI WGEA). The aim of this working group is to involve the Supreme Audit Institutions in solving environmental problems in the world and to promote the practice of environmental auditing.
