Successful CBC Meeting in London

This article was originally published by the INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee on their website here.

On 5-6 June, the National Audit Office of the United Kingdom hosted the bi-annual in-person meeting of the INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee. More than 70 delegates from 30 countries attended the meeting, representing all INTOSAI regions, goal committees, and a number of CBC members and observers.

Over two productive days, the participants revisited the four fundamentals of professionalism, with a focus on:

• Tools and approaches for promoting the ideal SAI environment
• Ongoing improvement of SAIs, and the value of INTOSAI’s assessment and performance measurement tools
• Competent people: value-adding human resource management and regional support
• Professional standards and guidance: leaving no SAI bending in adhering to the ISSAIs

Participants shared a rich diversity of perspectives on strengthening SAI professionalism. The discussions equipped all participants with practical tools to approach capacity building more effectively, and reinvigorated their commitment by showing how rewarding and impactful this work can be.

Focusing on the ideal SAI environment, we reaffirmed that SAI independence is a fundamental precondition for professionalism. We also explored the many strategies, tactics, and tools available to promote and safeguard SAI independence—including the importance of good internal governance, and leading by example through transparency and accountability-driven leadership.

In a lively table discussion, participants noted—with both humor and insight—that Auditors General share surprising similarities with Spiderman and Spiderwoman. Like these iconic superheroes, Auditors General act in the interest of the public, possess significant powers (and perhaps even a “spidey sense”), act independently, and often need to manage the risk of public distrust and political pressure with limited backup or enforcement powers. They also, like superheroes,have to navigate mixed media portrayal- sometimes heroic, sometimes misunderstood.

Turning to the ongoing improvement of SAIs, we revisited the importance of assessment tools that support performance improvement and help SAIs foster trust and uphold ethical standards. The experiences shared during the session highlighted that it is rarely easy to be subjected to assessment, however it offers significant value- both in leading by example and gaining valuable inputs to support the continuing development of the organisation.

With our attention on the value of competent people, we heard an inspiring example from the PASAI region, which illustrated how needs-based human resource development supports the professional growth of staff—staff who are at the heart of delivering on the SAI mandate. This example reinforced the critical role of INTOSAI’s regional organizations in enabling SAIs to deliver on their whilst maintaining their reputation and credibility.

Finally, we explored the importance of adhering to professional standards, as well as the real challenges some SAIs face in doing so. Encouragingly, the discussions also highlighted both existing and emerging solutions to help address these challenges.

Throughout the meeting, one message was clear: few — if any — of these initiatives, tools, or innovations would be possible without the collaboration and cooperation among INTOSAI bodies and development partners.

The week concluded with a CBC steering committee meeting, during which we addressed several administrative matters and decisions, celebrated the achievements and ambitions of the CBC workstreams and welcomed a new CBC logo.

You will find the documentation relating to the meeting here. [Link: INTOSAI Capacity Building Committee | CBC meeting and SC meeting London 2025]

We extend our sincere appreciation to all who made the CBC meeting possible, and all those who continuously contribute to the work of the CBC. (No one mentioned, no one forgotten.)

To view the full photo album from the CBC meeting, please click here.