Magazine No. 26 - 2021 5 The challenges facing European SAIs have increased in recent times. The need for European external control to provide a relevant response to issues such as the Sustainable Development Goals, cybersecurity, the lessons learned from how the pandemic has been managed and the audit of the extraordinary measures adopted to mitigate its effects underline the validity and appropriateness of the strategic goals that were defined: professional cooperation and the development of institutional capacity. Addressing the above challenges means strengthening collaboration between SAIs to define suitable methodologies so that audit findings are relevant and appropriate and actively contribute to improving citizens' quality of life. Exchanges of professional experience, the provision of specific training and cooperative audits can be very useful for speeding up progress. On the other hand, support to SAIs for the consolidation and permanent updating of high levels of institutional quality requires the mechanisms referred to in the Strategic Plan for institutional capacity-building. While the focus of this issue of our magazine is on how our institutions have dealt with the challenge of the pandemic, at the time of writing, I feel obliged to mention recent events in Ukraine. I would like to express my feelings of solidarity and affection for all the people who are suffering from the misfortunes of the war caused by Russian troops invading Ukraine. This terrible situation led the Governing Board to hold an extraordinary meeting by videoconference and adopt an unprecedented resolution suspending all cooperation with the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation and the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus. The Governing Board also adopted a resolution to cooperate with and support the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine so that it can continue in its functions and maintain its independence. At the same time, EUROSAI members were encouraged to adopt similar resolutions. Our thoughts and hearts go out to the people of Ukraine and we fervently hope to see normality make a return to the EUROSAI community. E
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