Touching down in Tashkent this March, the IDI team was warmly welcomed to the offices of SAI Uzbekistan—a young and ambitious Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) at a turning point in its development.
What began as a relationship-building visit quickly grew into something more meaningful: the beginning of Uzbekistan’s inclusion in the Global SAI Accountability Initiative (GSAI). This flagship programme, led by IDI and the INTOSAI Donor Cooperation (IDC) and funded by the European Union, provides deep, tailored support to SAIs operating in some of the world’s most challenging contexts.
For SAI Uzbekistan, this moment marks a key milestone. For IDI, it signals a broader shift as we expand our engagement in Central Asia, a region showing increasing openness to reform, stronger public institutions, and deeper international cooperation.
From Oslo to Tashkent: A Growing Connection
The seeds of this collaboration were planted when colleagues from SAI Uzbekistan took part in a high-level delegation visit to the Norwegian National Audit Office and Parliament, known as Stortinget, and to IDI’s headquarters in Oslo, co-hosted by the World Bank.
The visit, taking place in early March, gave SAI Uzbekistan valuable insight into new oversight practices and sparked greater interest in IDI’s initiatives, including GSAI. Kudrat Erimmetov, Chief Inspector at SAI Uzbekistan, (pictured right) noted, “Being in the room with other SAIs showed us what’s possible and motivated us to think beyond daily tasks, toward long-term development. Our team is young, open to change, and eager to learn.”
Shortly after the successful conclusion of the Oslo visit, SAI Uzbekistan joined the GSAI Phase 2 Workshop held in Tashkent as an observer and as the host SAI. Being part of that space, surrounded by experienced GSAI peers like other Central Asian SAIs and peer mentor SAI Poland, gave them the opportunity to connect directly with those driving the initiative. It also helped everyone gain a clearer understanding of the strengths and specific support needs of this evolving SAI.
And in a real sense, that’s where their onboarding to the GSAI journey began.
A Young SAI with Big Ambitions
Formed only a few years ago, SAI Uzbekistan has a vision to build its audit capacities and to strengthen institutional oversight. While the staff is still laying foundational elements, like a long-term strategic plan, they’ve already made bold strides in some areas—particularly in digitalisation.
During IDI’s visit, SAI Uzbekistan showcased their integrated digital platform, a cutting-edge system that connects the SAI to the wider public financial management ecosystem. The platform, which enables real-time audits and remote oversight, stands out as a potential best practice in the region.
“SAI Uzbekistan has shown impressive results in the digitalisation of the audit process and expanding access to public financial data and analysis. Their strength lies in these areas,” said Nazgul Albanova (pictured right), Manager at IDI and Head of the GSAI. “However, having only been established as an SAI in 2021, they need support in strengthening capacities in audit quality, strategic management and stakeholder engagement as well.”
That’s where the initiative’s unique approach comes in: we build on what’s working and bring in peer support to address what’s not yet in place.
What's Next for SAI Uzbekistan?
We are pleased to announce that SAI Uzbekistan is now part of GSAI’s support portfolio and will work with INTOSAI’s network of peer SAIs to focus on enhancing the institution’s strategic management practices.
This includes conducting a SAI PMF (Performance Measurement Framework) assessment and supporting the development of the SAI’s strategic plan—an essential step in building institutional resilience and credibility. The SAI will also be joining the upcoming round of IDI’s Strategy, Performance Measurement, and Reporting (SPMR) Initiative, supported by the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), which will address its performance assessments, strategic and operational planning, monitoring and reporting efforts.
With experts now on board, the next step is to provide direct mentorship and support to SAI Uzbekistan through the help of peers. This growing cooperation is also strongly supported at the national level, including backing from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Finance, a clear signal that institutional strengthening is a national priority.
“We are proud to join the GSAI programme. It’s a strategic opportunity to strengthen our institutional capacity with support from experienced peers,” said Erimmetov (pictured above).
Why It Matters
At IDI, we know that trust in public institutions doesn’t come easily. It must be earned and built over time.
That’s what the Global SAI Accountability Initiative is all about: working shoulder-to-shoulder with SAIs in some of the world’s most complex governance environments, and helping them build the foundations of credibility, relevance, and independence.
Having met SAI Uzbekistan’s representatives at the Tashkent workshop (pictured with participants above), SECO’s Mavzuna Shozodaeva, shared, “SAIs are playing a vital role in ensuring strong public financial oversight. This benefits the whole macroeconomic system and public financial management of the country. These efforts will further enhance financial accountability, promote transparency, and support good governance in the region.”
GSAI isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about building a strong foundation. With SAI Uzbekistan now joining this dynamic peer support network, we’re not just expanding the GSAI portfolio. We’re strengthening the future of accountability in Central Asia, one partnership at a time.
📽️ Stay tuned for more:
We will be sharing insights from our partners across the GSAI network over the coming weeks. Until then, keep an eye on our social media as we welcome SAI Uzbekistan into the fold and if you’d like to know more about Global SAI Accountability Initiative, check out our page.