On October 23, the Court of Accounts of the Republic of Moldova (CoARM) hosted a working meeting with the delegation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Moldova, during which prospects for collaboration were discussed regarding the implementation of the regional project “Smart Finance for Local Governance.”

The project, developed by the UNDP Regional Hub in Istanbul (UNDP IRH), targets Supreme Audit Institutions in North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and the Republic of Moldova. Its aim is to strengthen local governance through responsible financial management, audits aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and innovative measures for transparency and integrity.

The UNDP delegation was led by Seher Ariner, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Moldova. UNDP representatives presented the strategic objectives of the project, focused on:

• enhancing the capacity of Supreme Audit Institutions to conduct SDG-related audits;
• supporting local administrations in implementing integrity and anti-corruption measures;
• developing innovative internal control and audit mechanisms, with emphasis on digitalization and civic participation.

During the discussions, Tatiana Șevciuc, President of the Court of Accounts, emphasized the institution’s commitment to promoting responsible governance by strengthening audit capacities, preventing corruption, and integrating digital innovations into external control activities. The importance of regional cooperation in SDG auditing, public external audit consolidation, and increasing transparency in public resource management was also highlighted.

The project, scheduled for implementation between September 2025 and December 2027, aligns with the European Union’s priorities on good governance, transparency, and the rule of law, and is financially supported under the regional initiative “Public and Private Finance for Development” (PPFD).

The parties agreed on the institutional cooperation and technical coordination steps necessary for CoARM’s involvement in the regional activities of the project, particularly in components dedicated to SDG auditing, digitalization of control processes, and professional capacity development.