The Charter of the newly established Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions of the Member States of the Organization of Turkic States (TURKSAI) has been signed in Antalya, Türkiye, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Kazakhstan's Supreme Audit Chamber. At the signing ceremony, the Kazakhstan delegation was led by Alikhan Smailov, Chairman of the Supreme Audit Chamber.
The decision to create TURKSAI was adopted in November 2025 in Istanbul at a meeting of supreme audit heads from OTS Member States — Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan. The new organization is designed to elevate audit cooperation across the Turkic world to a new level.
It will facilitate sharing knowledge and expertise, enhancing audit practices, conducting joint audits, and implementing collaborative research projects Practical cooperation under the umbrella of TURKSAI is already underway. Prior to the signing, audit professionals from across the region completed a knowledge exchange program on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It covered the entire SDG audit lifecycle, from topic selection and audit question formulation to drafting recommendations and follow-up monitoring. Seven auditors from the Supreme Audit Chamber participated in the program. The key takeaways will inform the planning and execution of future SDG audits in Kazakhstan.
Addressing the ceremony, Alikhan Smailov thanked Metin Yener, President of the Turkish Court of Accounts, for warm hospitality and organizing the events. He noted that formalizing the new body was the logical outcome of decisions adopted nearly a year ago in Istanbul.
"Today, we cement our agreements with a foundational document that defines the principles, scope, and operational procedures of TURKSAI," Smailov said. "The organization holds significant potential for practical cooperation. I am confident that signing this charter will serve as a reliable foundation for long-term partnership." The Chairman of Kazakhstan's Supreme Audit Chamber highlighted that rapidly evolving public finances alongside emerging challenges demand upgraded audit methods and higher standards of public asset management.
"This cooperation, rooted in friendship, trust, solidarity, and the spirit of Turkic brotherhood, will allow our supreme audit institutions to jointly respond to modern challenges and make a meaningful contribution to the development of our states," he emphasized.
Following the ceremony, the delegation heads attended a symposium on the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the role of public auditing in advancing SDG targets and leveraging audit outcomes to improve public policy. As reported earlier, Kazakhstan attaches importance to developing comprehensive cooperation with Türkiye and strengthening ties within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), with the integration of the Turkic world among the country’s key foreign policy priorities, Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said in an interview with Anadolu.