The 25th International Congress of Supreme Audit Institutions (INCOSAI 25) concluded its sessions on Friday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, with participants adopting the “Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration” as the official document encapsulating the conference’s outcomes and key recommendations.
The declaration calls for enhancing the independence of supreme audit institutions worldwide, embracing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in auditing processes, and expanding international cooperation among audit bodies to achieve more efficient and sustainable governance.
Hosted under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the global conference brought together heads and representatives of audit institutions from across the world, alongside regional and international organizations specializing in governance and public auditing.
In his closing address to the INCOSAI General Assembly, Counselor Mohamed El-Faisal Youssef, President of Egypt’s Central Auditing Organization (CAO) and Chairman of INTOSAI, expressed deep appreciation to all participating delegations, describing INCOSAI 25 as a milestone in the evolution of international oversight and accountability.
“INCOSAI 25 represented a turning point in the global audit community’s journey,” El-Faisal said, highlighting the successful institutional achievements made during the congress.
Among the accomplishments, El-Faisal noted the development of INTOSAI’s new visual identity and the official registration of its logo as an international trademark, describing it as a step that “amplifies the organization’s institutional influence and the global impact of its standards-based knowledge.”
He also emphasized the significant role of the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) in strengthening the professional and institutional capacities of audit institutions worldwide, noting that the International Journal of Government Auditing had reflected “a qualitative leap” by shifting from mere documentation to a tool of inspiration and knowledge exchange that promotes best practices globally.
El-Faisal pointed to a growing level of coordination and integration between INTOSAI and its regional organizations, which has deepened joint action and experience-sharing. The secretariats of regional bodies, he said, have expressed their commitment to further international partnerships and cooperation under ongoing and future initiatives.
On the future of auditing in the digital transformation era, El-Faisal stressed the need for audit institutions to combine technical precision with ethical integrity and substantive value, noting that “AI is not an end in itself but a means to enrich the audit process, provided it operates within ethical, accountable frameworks.”
He also extended gratitude to Brazil’s Federal Court of Accounts and its President, Minister Vital do Rêgo, for leading INTOSAI over the past three years, as well as to Margit Kraker, INTOSAI Secretary General, and all members of Austria’s Court of Audit for their continued support of the global auditing community.
On behalf of all participants, El-Faisal expressed profound thanks to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his patronage of the conference and his unwavering support for the international audit community, which he said had lent great significance and momentum to the event.
He concluded by announcing that the “Sharm El-Sheikh Declaration” embodies a balanced collective vision redefining the relationship between oversight and development, technology and ethics, efficiency and sustainability.
“This declaration is not the end of the congress,” El-Faisal said. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter of shared progress in INTOSAI’s journey.”
Follow the latest news on Google News
