Program News

What a productive and rewarding month! Through three unique, customized training activities in March 2026, CAAF engaged with more than 50 participants from eight supreme audit institutions (SAIs) across the Indo Pacific region.

Each activity reflected CAAF’s practical approach to professional development. With an interactive delivery style and a focus on real-world application, our training emphasizes learning by doing. By combining technical guidance with peer exchange and hands on exercises, we help ensure that new knowledge translates directly into stronger skills, increased confidence, and improved audit practices.

These activities are part of CAAF’s 2025–2028 Governance, Accountability, and Transparency for Inclusive Public Services Program, funded by Global Affairs Canada. Through this program, CAAF is working with partner SAIs in the Indo-Pacific to strengthen their capacity and effectiveness, enabling them to make an even greater difference in the lives of citizens. March’s activities marked meaningful progress toward this goal and highlighted the value of a practical, collaborative approach to capacity building.

Building Performance Audit Capacity in Laos

1) Participants and facilitators with His Excellency Kent Vachon, Canadian Ambassador to Laos, and Bounleuth Thepvongsa, Vice President of SAI Laos, who both gave opening remarks. 2) CAAF graduate Fellows and training co-facilitators Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh (left) and Nguyen Mai Huong (right), with CAAF Associate Linda Klassen. 3) Participants working in groups to complete a training exercise.

Vientiane, Laos | March 2-13

As SAI Laos grows its performance audit practice, it is looking to give more of its auditors a strong foundation in performance auditing. In this two week training program, participants from several of the SAI’s regional offices developed their skills in audit planning, evidence collection and analysis, and stakeholder engagement—essential competencies that will help the SAI carry out audits that lead to real improvements in public services.

A highlight of the training was the involvement of two CAAF graduate Fellows from SAI Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh and Nguyen Mai Huong, who co facilitated the sessions. They were previously part of a team at SAI Vietnam that worked with CAAF to adapt and deliver several of our courses within their own office. We were delighted that Anh and Huong could now bring their experience and expertise to Laos. When Fellows return as facilitators and SAIs learn from and support one another, it shows the lasting impact of CAAF’s programs and the power of regional partnerships.

Participants valued learning from the graduate Fellows and enjoyed the training. As one participant, Naovalath Phongsavath, told us: “We didn’t just gain an understanding of theory, but of practical applications as well. I learned the core principles, phases, and methods of real-world auditing. These lessons will be key to strengthening our organization and making our performance audits more efficient and effective moving forward.”

Leaders from Eight SAIs Strengthen Stakeholder Engagement Practices

1) Participants from SAI Maldives presenting to their peers from other countries. 2) The participants and facilitators. Two representatives from each of the eight SAIs took part in this Leaders Program. 3) Sheila Dodds, Deputy Auditor General of British Columbia, leading a session.

Manila, Philippines | March 16-20

To maximize the impact of its performance audits, a SAI needs to engage with many stakeholders—including auditees, the media, civil society organizations, oversight bodies, and other accountability and integrity organizations. Thoughtful stakeholder engagement helps build mutual understanding, supports stronger topic selection and audit execution, and increases the likelihood that audit recommendations are implemented. When done well, it strengthens public accountability while fully preserving the SAI’s independence, objectivity, and professional judgment.

CAAF brought together participants from eight SAIs—Fiji, Laos, Maldives, Nepal, Thailand, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam—to explore this critical subject in a Leaders Program. Through interactive discussions, presentations, and hands on exercises, participants considered strategies for engaging different stakeholder groups, identified common challenges, and exchanged experiences from their SAIs. Sheila Dodds, Deputy Auditor General of the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia, co-facilitated the workshop and shared valuable insights drawn from her experience.

Throughout the week, participants worked on developing or refining stakeholder maps for their SAIs, assessing their existing relationships and identifying those they would like to strengthen or establish. They also drafted action plans outlining specific process improvements their SAIs could make to enhance their relationships with key stakeholders. CAAF will continue to support participants through virtual follow up sessions as they finalize their plans and prepare to put them into practice.

Supporting Audits in Real Time with the SAIs of Fiji and Tuvalu

1) An audit team presenting its work to the other workshop participants. 2) David Fournier, Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada in Fiji, speaking to participants on behalf of Global Affairs Canada. 3) The participants, facilitators, and Mr. Fournier holding cards representing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Nadi, Fiji | March 16-27

This workshop marked the first phase of a three-part, real-time performance audit training program, designed to support audit teams in carrying out a full performance audit — from planning, to execution, to writing the final report. The program blends training, mentoring, and dedicated time for teams to work directly on their audits, providing a structured and hands-on approach.

Two audit teams from SAI Fiji and one team from SAI Tuvalu are participating. Each team arrived at the March workshop with an audit topic selected and approved by their Auditor General and their initial research completed, ready to begin developing their audit plan. Through sessions on performance audit design, evidence collection and analysis, environmental auditing, auditing gender equality, stakeholder engagement, and more, they learned key concepts essential for planning an impactful audit — and immediately began applying the lessons to their audits. We saw excellent progress as teams refined their audit objectives and scope, discussed methodology, and developed their work plans.

Now back in their respective SAIs, the teams are finalizing their audit plans and preparing for the next stages of their audits. Later this year, we’ll reconnect for virtual training sessions as they continue to advance their work through the execution phase, followed by a final in-person workshop when they reach the reporting phase.

 

Program undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada.