The Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of West and Central Asia Remains Committed to Address the Issue of Ill-Gotten Assets
The Steering Group (SG) Meeting of the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network West and Central Asia was convened on 25 August 2022 by the Network’s Secretariat in Tashkent, Uzbekistan under the chairmanship of National Accountability Bureau of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with the support of Sub-Programme 2 "Criminal Justice and Illicit Financial Flows" of the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries.
The meeting was opened by Mr. Uygun Nigmadjanov, representative of the ARIN-WCA Network’s Secretariat and the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Mr. Nigmadjanov thanked the jurisdictions present for participation and ensured that despite the challenges faced, the Network’s Secretariat remains committed and will make all efforts to ensure that the Network’s activities are operational in line with the approved Strategic Plan.
Mr. Shakeel Anjum Nagra, representative of the 2022 ARIN-WCA Presidency and the National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan informed on the key issues to be discussed including 2023 ARIN-WCA Presidency, 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM), capacity building and institutional development of ARIN-WCA.
Mr. Jeremy Milsom UNODC Representative in Pakistan and the Senior Programme Coordinator of the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries thanked the SG for continued commitment in tackling the issue of illicit financial flows and asset recovery and highlighted that support to ARIN-WCA is a real priority for the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries. He emphasized that the Programme’s work is governed by Member States and annually a set of priorities are endorsed, amongst others, the top priorities include illicit financial flows and asset recovery, thus, all efforts are made to continue the Programme’s sustained support to ARIN-WCA.
During the meeting, the SG members discussed operational and strategic plans and challenges faced, particularly, with funding that was mainly channeled through the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries. Members also discussed the SG membership and referred to the Statement of Intent that the membership shall rotate each year. Capacity building for ARIN-WCA Member States, both, in-person and through e-learning platform planned to be launched in the near future was also discussed.
ARIN-WCA members reiterated that the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries played a pivotal role from the launch of the Network to the present, and stressed the important of ongoing technical support from UNODC.
UNODC thanked the Government of Norway for supporting this activity.