UNODC and OSCE Strengthens Law Enforcement Capacity In Countering The Financing Of Terrorism In Kyrgyzstan

Terrorist groups need money to sustain themselves and to carry out terrorist acts. Terrorist financing encompasses the means and methods used by terrorist organizations to finance their activities. This money can come from legitimate sources, for example from profits from businesses and charitable organizations. But terrorist groups can also get their financing from illegal activities such as trafficking in weapons, drugs or people, or kidnapping for ransom. Combating terrorist financing (CFT) is a highly complex endeavour that involves many different actors holding good knowledge and skills in the area.

To support the Kyrgyz Government to counter the terrorism financing, UNODC Programme office in the Kyrgyz Republic and UNODC Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism (GPML) in partnership with the OSCE Programme office in Bishkek kicked off a three-day basic investigation course for Over 15 officers from the State Committee for National Security, the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Ministry of Finance, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic on countering the financing of terrorism in Bishkek. 

Funded by the Government of Norway and Russian Federation, it aimed to support  measures the National Security, the State Financial Intelligence Service and the Ministry of Interior are using to counter financing of terrorism, to identify with national partners existing gaps in detection, investigation and prevention of terrorism and its financing and teach participants to conducting investigations of the financial crimes in relations to terrorism financing.

Mr. Aliaksandr Vadziany, UNODC Regional Advisor on Anti-Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism in Central Asia and South Caucasus, Mr. Andrey Seleznev, the Head of the Programme Office in the Kyrgyz Republic and Mrs. Ekaterina Nakashidze, Head of the Economic and Environmental Department of the OSCE Programme office in Bishkek opened the course.

In 2017, GPML and the Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat developed an innovative and comprehensive national capacity building program to combat terrorism financing, which focused on strengthening inter-agency cooperation and promoting compliance FATF international standards and UN Security Council resolutions.

“This is the first comprehensive counter-terrorist financing (CFT) training program specifically designed for the countries of Central Asia and is suited for national trainers and officers from the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Ministry of Interior, the Intelligence Services and the Prosecutor's Office. More than 70% of its curriculum consists of practical exercises which are based on real criminal case examples, real physical evidence and real financial footprints”, said Mr. Aliaksandr Vadziany, UNODC Regional Advisor on Anti-Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism in Central Asia and South Caucasus.

According to Mrs. Ekaterina Nakashidze, Head of the Economic and Environmental Department of the OSCE Programme office in Bishkek: “The OSCE and UNODC would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the active participation of the first team of national trainers who have done a great job between 2017 and 2018 in helping to tailor the curriculum to the needs of the Kyrgyz Republic and have made valuable contribution to our program”.

“Further strengthening of cooperation and enhancement of information exchange mechanisms between State, public and private sector institutions, both domestically and internationally, is crucial for the effective fight against money laundering and terrorist financing”, highlighted Mr. Andrey Seleznev, the Head of the UNODC Programme office in the Kyrgyz Republic. “I also want to stress that build and strengthen anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) capacity of the State Committee of National Security, the State Financial Intelligence Service, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Interior is the key priority area of UNODC and Kyrgyzstan cooperation”, said Mr. Andrey Seleznev, Head of the UNODC Programme office in the Kyrgyz Republic. 

The course was conducted under the joint UNODC and OSCE multi-year programme on “Countering the Financing of Terrorism” which aims to strengthen the capacity of competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic. The main goal of the programme is to improve the efficiency of interagency cooperation in accordance with international best practices to strengthen the country’s national capacity to counter terrorism financing and to implement the recommendations of the EAG mutual assessment for compliance with FATF standards.

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For all inquiries, contact Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.)

Communication and PR Specialist at

UNODC Justice and PVE Programmes in Central Asia

& UNODC Programme office in the Kyrgyz Republic

+996775987817 WhatsApp/Cellphone

vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org