UNODC and Partners strengthen cooperation in combating money laundering and terrorism financing in Kazakhstan

In 2022-2023, Kazakhstan will go through the mutual evaluation of Effectiveness and Compliance with the FATF Standards which gives a comprehensive overview of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s efforts to tackle money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing.

The mutual evaluation in FATF, MONEYVAL and EAG is a peer review, based on the FATF model, and for EAG, the process of self-assessment and mutual evaluations are undertaken against a more extensive set of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards. Apart from the FATF Standards, EAG assesses the compliance of its jurisdictions with the international conventions included therein, as well as the national legislation adopted in this respect. Each evaluation process is based on several rounds.

UNODC, within its global mandates and the framework of the Programme for Central Asia for 2022-2025 provides ongoing technical assistance to member states, including Republic of Kazakhstan in strengthening its legal framework, policies and national strategies on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).  

One of the priorities for the successful evaluation is the implementation of the plan of practical measures which is to develop cooperation and strengthen the capacity of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Financial Monitoring and the competent authorities of the country on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism.

UNODC enhanced capacity of the Agency and competent authorities in improvement of the efficiency of the national AML / CFT system which prepared the Republic of Kazakhstan for successful pass of the EAG mutual assessment on compliance with FATF international standards.

On November 11, 2022, UNODC in partnership with the Agency on Financial Monitoring and the General Prosecutor’s Office of Kazakhstan conducted a one-day round-table discussion for some 30 representatives of competent authorities on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) in Kazakhstan on “Experience in passing mutual evaluations: evaluation of the effectiveness of investigations, interaction of competent authorities, confiscation and return of assets”.

This event is an important element for Kazakhstan to get ready for further face to face meetings with EAG assessors to present results on investigations, interaction and confiscation and return of stolen assets performed.

To support the preparation for evaluation, UNODC invited well-qualified international experts, practitioners in holding mutual evaluations in FATF, MONEYVAL and EAG. They supported the responsible authorities to finalize the report and rehearsed its defense. 

In addition, a high-level bilateral meeting was held between Mr. Aliaksandr Vadziany, the UNODC Regional Adviser on AML/CFT and Mr. Baizhano, the Deputy to Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan, to  discuss issues on strengthening the information and analytical work, as well as the prospects for increasing the effectiveness of parallel financial investigations.

This project is being implemented as part of the UNODC programme in Central Asia with the expert support of the Global Programme against Money Laundering, and with the financial support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs under the U.S. Department of the State (INL).

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For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko (Ms.)

Communication and PR Specialist at

UNODC Criminal Justice &PVE Programmes

in Central Asia

UNODC PO in the Kyrgyz Republic

+996775987817 WhatsApp or

vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org