From the desk of ASOSAI Secretary General
As an important spatial carrier of socioeconomic development, cities play a vital role in promoting economic development, social progress, environmental improvement and cultural prosperity. Since the mid-20th century, Asian countries have been experiencing the largest and fastest urbanization in the world history, with dramatic urban development and world-renowned achievements. Urban development has become an important engine of modernization driving the overall development of the economy and society, and a wonderful reflection of the economic, cultural, and social development of various countries.
Though facing the increasing complexity and uncertainty in the international community and a slowing-down global economy, Asia maintains great development potential and momentum. However, in some regions "urban diseases" are prominent such as: the incompatibility between the scale planning of urban development and the environmental and resource capacity; high energy consumption, resource consumption and carbon emissions in urban development; low resilience of urban safety; low level of livability and health; heavy traffic; insufficient cultural protection and inheritance; and insufficient inclusiveness and innovation of cities. Such complex and diverse challenges require governments to make strategic preparations for the future urban development from a broader perspective.
Goal 11 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is about making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Cities are safeguarding and supporting the sustainable development of human society. Countries around the world have been focusing on and exploring cities’ sustainable development, while the supreme audit institutions are also playing important roles in promoting the sustainable urban development of their respective countries. This issue of Asian Journal of Government Audit will review the auditing practices and typical cases of sustainable urban development by auditing institutions in various countries, with the aim of drawing the attention of audit institutions to the audit of sustainable urban development, promoting the exchange of experience, knowledge sharing and capacity enhancement of audit work in this area, and contributing to the global efforts to build a better home that is sufficient to support the sustainable development of all humankind.
We are confident that with our joint efforts, through the continuous audits on sustainable urban development, audit institutions from various Asian countries will make new and greater contributions to improve urban governance system and governance capacity, enhance the functional quality and comprehensive carrying capacity of cities, and realize the comprehensive sustainable development of economy, society and ecological environment.