The last six months have witnessed intensive activity in INTOSAI and ASOSAI. We had the XVIII congress of INTOSAI at Budapest in October 2004 which adoted the INTOSAI Strategic Plan 2005-10. The ASOSAI Strategic Plan (2005-09) was also unanimously approved at the 34th meeting of the Governing Board of ASOSAI in December 2004 in New Delhi. Through this plan, ASOSAI too aims to supplement and enhance the efforts of INTOSAI by designing programmes and activities to meet specific regional needs.
It is our intention to use both the ASOSAI journal and the ASOSAI website (www.asosai.org) as platforms for sharing and disseminating information. To provide for information in between the publication of the journal, our website has been provided a new feature "News from Mmember SAIs". All SAIs are requested to make full use of this feature to update the SAI fraternity of development and activities in their SAIs.
Our region experienced the devastating Tsunami at the end of 2004. The world's sympathies are with the affected people and we pray for their early rehabilitation. This tragedy brought the solidarity of members to the fore, with offers for assistance pouring in.
At the end, while giving our valuable readers the 24th issue of the Journal, I welcome SAIs of Afghanistan, Georgia and Qatar to the ASOSAI.
Happy reading!
(P. R. Acharya)