Overview of WGISTA 5th Annual Meeting
The meeting of the INTOSAI Working Group on the Impact of Science and Technology on Auditing (WGISTA), held in Washington D.C. USA, on May 6- 7, 2025, marked a significant step forward towards equipping Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) for addressing the evolving technological landscape.
This Meeting, which is the first under the chairmanship of the Accountability State Authority of Egypt(ASA) and hosted by the U.S. Government Accountability office (GAO), resulted in substantial achievements and set a clear, ambitious agenda for the coming years.
The most important achievement thereof was the formal adoption of the Working Group’s Terms of Reference, solidifying its mandate and operational framework. Building on this foundation, the Meeting’s participants approved a comprehensive Work Plan for 2026-2028. This forward-looking plan translates strategic goals into tangible actions designed to empower SAIs globally. Key initiatives that were approved include publishing the first issue of the annual Magazine dedicated to exploring emerging technologies, new auditing methodologies and innovative tools through insightful articles and case studies.
Furthermore, an annual WGISTA competition will be established to spur innovation and recognize creative solutions for leveraging emerging technologies in audit processes. WG also committed to developing vital resources, including a glossary of key technological terms and a practical procedural guide for auditing emerging technologies, alongside organizing targeted webinars on emerging technologies such as blockchain and the ethical use of technology. Continuous enhancement of the expert database through SAI collaboration remains a priority.
The Meeting also celebrated growth and enhanced accessibility for the INTOSAI community , and announced Iran's SAI as the newest member of the Working Group .Simultaneously , the official WGISTA website was launched on the INTOSAI Community Portal https://wgista.intosaicommunity.net, providing all materials and Meeting minutes.
Collaboration emerged as a central theme; Productive discussions focused on enhancing cooperation with the INTOSAI Working Group on IT Audit (WGITA).
Potential joint ventures include research into AI and machine learning applications in auditing , developing common frameworks and guidelines for cybersecurity, organizing shared training programs and workshops on data analysis tools, and formulating policies on the ethical deployment of automation. Extending its collaborative outreach beyond INTOSAI , SAI Egypt extended an invitation to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) to attend the Meeting, and a representative attended to discuss ways of future cooperation that would serve the INTOSAI community.
Knowledge sharing was actively fostered through insightful presentations delivered by SAIs from Egypt , U.S.GAO, Estonia , India , China , Brazil and the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI). The Meeting concluded with strong recommendations reinforcing the commitment to international cooperation, the strategic expansion of the expert database through partnerships with academic institutions , and the establishment of a dedicated editorial board to ensure the quality and impact of the forthcoming WGISTA magazine , in addition to setting special procedural rules to regulate the publication process .These achievements collectively underscore a successful meeting that has decisively advanced WGISTA's mission to navigate the intersection of technology and auditing.
