UNRCCA CO-ORGANIZES EURASIAN FORUM ON ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING AND COMBATING FINANCING OF TERRORISM

12 Sep 2019

UNRCCA CO-ORGANIZES EURASIAN FORUM ON ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING AND COMBATING FINANCING OF TERRORISM

ISSYK-KUL/Kyrgyzstan

On 10-12 September, more than 100 professionals in the field of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism from five Central Asian states, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Armenia met in Issyk-Kul, the Kyrgyz Republic, to expand and strengthen the interagency cooperation and coordination on the issues of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) as well as to share country specific experiences.

The Eurasian Forum on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism was initiated by the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in partnership with the Eurasian Group (EAG) and co-organized by UNRCCA, UN Office of Countering Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).  It was conducted as a follow-up to the decision set by the 30th Eurasian Group Plenary Meeting to enhance the cooperation with international and regional organizations and within the framework of the third phase of the project “Towards the Implementation of the Joint Plan of Action for the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia”, implemented jointly by UNRCCA and UNOCT.

Trainers and experts from the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, the International Training and Methodology Centre for Financial Monitoring of the Russian Federation and Anti-Terrorism Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States shared their knowledge and experience with participants.  

The Forum, co-chaired by UNRCCA, allowed for discussions and exchange of experience on national and regional practices in money laundering and terrorism financing risk assessment and improve knowledge on guidances of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in combating terrorism financing and financial investigations. Participants learned about typologies work on money laundering and countering terrorism, discussed issues related to virtual assets, the use of cryptocurrencies as well as mechanisms for legalization of proceeds of crime.