Exchange of experiences and best practices within the community of supreme audit institutions (SAI) is considered particularly valuable due to complexity of environmental issues and thereto related auditing. In this regard, a workshop was organised on the joint initiative by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and EU SIGMA. It took place on 8 and 9 April 2026 in Skopje and was hosted by SAI North Macedonia. At the workshop, the institutions from the SAI Network of candidate countries and potential candidate countries of the EU had the opportunity to present their approaches towards and experiences with environmental audits and auditing SDGs, as well as discuss thereto related challenges.
Auditor General of SAI North Macedonia, mag. Maksim Acevski, pointed out in his opening address that environmental changes pose a serious systemic risk which calls for timely and coordinated institutional response. With the purpose of sharing experiences and improving audit approaches when facing climate change challenges, the event brought together representatives of SAIs from domestic region and also beyond, as well as experts from SIGMA, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Court of Auditors (ECA).
The Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia was also part of the event, namely its auditors Lejla Marinko and Igor Vošnjak shared details about the initiative for the implementation of the joint project of global cooperative audit of Climate Change Adaptation Actions (CCAA), which was developed through cooperation between the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and the INTOSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA). As part of this CCAA project, the Court of Audit implemented the audit of efficiency of reducing the flood risks. The audit reviews selected preventive measures for managing flood risk that refer to defining and addressing flood risk areas, protection of natural flood plains, where floodwater can spill and be retained without significant damage, adjustment of land use in sub-basins, and construction measures. In the course of their contribution, the auditors outlined the development of environmental auditing at the Court of Audit that was initiated through participation in several international audits.
In addition to the audit of the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia, there were also examples of several other institutions from the SAI Network introduced, including the SIGMA experts who presented the recently published instructions and standards. The workshop was interactive, thus encouraging active exchange of experiences and in-depth discussions. Every presentation was followed by a reflection in the form of questions and answers, while the panels started with a moderated discussion which later developed into an open debate with all workshop participants.