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On 13 October, an online seminar on the topic “Disaster Risk Reduction and Response” was held to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The event was organized by the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine in cooperation with the State Audit Office of Georgia as a co-host.
Participants included representatives of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the National Environment Agency of Georgia, experts of the European Court of Auditors, and supreme audit institutions of Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Serbia, and Italy.
The purpose of the seminar was to explore ways to strengthen state preparedness for emergencies, improve planning and monitoring systems, enhance the impact of audit recommendations on public policy, and share experience in auditing disaster risk management.
“Climate change, threats to energy and food security, and the challenges of infrastructure recovery require a systematic analytical approach and active inter-agency cooperation, in which audit plays an essential role. We are reliable partners in shaping decisions that affect the lives of nations and the well-being of their citizens,” — underlined Olha Pishchanska, Chairwoman of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, in her welcoming remarks.
Sofio Dvalishvili, Deputy Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Georgia, emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation within the EUROSAI Working Group on the Audit of Funds Allocated to Disasters and Catastrophes, since the auditors’ work in this field contributes to societal safety and resilience.
A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Animesh Kumar, Head of the UNDRR Office in Bonn, who highlighted the importance of integrating disaster risk reduction approaches into the work of Supreme Audit Institutions. He noted that auditors can significantly strengthen accountability and effectiveness in risk governance by assessing the economic impacts of disasters, the efficiency of investments in risk reduction measures, and the implementation of risk-oriented planning.
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Participants also had the opportunity to review practical results of specialized audits conducted by various Supreme Audit Institutions. Experts of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine presented the results of the audit “Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Change Adaptation Measures”, which assesses national actions to mitigate climate impacts and reduce the vulnerability of territories and populations to natural hazards.
Representatives of the State Audit Office of Georgia presented the results of a performance audit on the use of meteorological, hydrological, and geological data in early warning systems, examining the efficiency and completeness of scientific data use for risk forecasting and public protection.
In addition, the European Court of Auditors shared the results of its audit on EU funding to combat forest fires, analyzing the effectiveness of EU-financed measures aimed at preventing and managing forest fires.
In his closing remarks, Serhii Kliuchka, Deputy Chairman of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine, expressed hope that such meetings would inspire participants to continue in-depth work on reducing disaster risks and mitigating their consequences.
Similar online seminars are planned to be held annually within the framework of the EUROSAI Working Group on the Audit of Funds Allocated to Disasters and Catastrophes, chaired by the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine.
For note: The EUROSAI Working Group on the Audit of Funds Allocated to Disasters and Catastrophes (WGAFADC) was established in 2014 on the initiative of the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine. WGAFADC currently unites 17 Supreme Audit Institutions.
