Fortifying Angola's Financial System: PRO.REACT Project Hosts Empowering Workshop
Luanda, Angola, January 2024
The Attorney General's Office (PGR) is joining hands with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to conduct a pivotal workshop on Financial Investigations and Money Laundering Cases at the historical Hotel Presidente in Luanda. From 29 to 31 January, 36 prosecutors from across Angola's 18 provinces are gathered to enhance their skills in intricate financial investigations and combatting money laundering.
This workshop is a crucial component of the PRO.REACT project, funded by the European Union (EU), aimed at strengthening Angola's national asset confiscation system to effectively combat illicit financial flows.
Under UNODC’s leadership and co-funded by the Attorney General's Office, the workshop signifies a robust commitment to empower Angolan prosecutors in the fight against financial crimes. Featuring specialized Angolan instructors, previously trained under the PRO.REACT Project, the event will offer tailored training sessions in money laundering techniques and asset recovery.
Beyond being a knowledge-sharing platform, the workshop seeks to foster relationships and collaboration among prosecutors. Its significance cannot be overstated, playing a vital role in the ongoing efforts to combat financial crimes in Angola.
The opening ceremony of the Workshop on Financial Investigations and Money Laundering Cases is scheduled for January 29 at 9:00 AM at the Hotel Presidente. The event will be graced by the esteemed presence of Her Excellency Dra. Inocência Pinto, Vice Prosecutor of the Republic of Angola, along with representatives from the European Union Delegation in Angola and the UNODC. This marks a significant stride towards a more resilient Angola in the face of financial crime challenges.
Inocência Pinto Deputy Attorney General of the Republic emphasized that “corruption and all connected criminal activities generate substantial profits, considering it essential for law enforcers to clearly convey the message that "crime does not pay." "This purpose can only be achieved through asset recovery, with special attention to the identification of the ultimate beneficiary, the use of non-conviction-based forfeiture mechanisms, virtual assets, among others, as they pose challenges in combating this type of crime”.
