Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (UNODC)

UNODC-OSCE-EAG Joint Scoping Mission Identifies Technical Assistance Needs in the Areas of AML/CFT and Builds Capacity of Practitioners in the Republic of Tajikistan

Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan, 1 June 2016

Dushanbe, 30 May - 1 June 2016, A joint scoping mission of Sub-Programme 2 of UNODC's Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighboring Countries, the Global Programme against Money Laundering (GPML), the Eurasian Group on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism (EAG) and the Organization Group for Security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was conducted in Tajikistan, from 30 May to 1 June 2016. The mission aimed to identify the technical assistance needs that Tajik authorities have in the areas of Anti-Money  Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) and enhancing their capacity to protect the legitimate economy and reduce the threat posed by criminal and terrorist network and eventually stimulate economic development.

A series of meeting were held with relevant national counterparts including financial institutions (both public and private), law enforcement  and judicial institutions in Tajikistan. The meetings were followed by a two-day interactive workshop for practitioners/experts involved in financial and corruption investigation and/or investigation of money laundering. from financial institutions, law enforcement and judicial institutions of the Republic of Tajikistan. A modular training approach was applied by designing a unique "Tajikistan scenario" based on existing training modules with the inclusion of best practices for law enforcement on investigation of money laundering and terrorism financing and building on effective AML/CFT compliance systems. Participants worked in groups on case studies related to cross-border cash smuggling, trade - based money laundering and terrorism financing as well as on drafting mutual legal assistance requests related to AML/CFT to foreign jurisdictions. 

The workshop contributed to enhanced knowledge on specifics of money laundering and terrorism financing investigations including money laundering detection. discovered money laundering and terrorism financing schemes and basic principles of Egmont exchange of information between Financial Intelligence Units. In total, 38 officials from law enforcement, banks and micro finance organizations attended the workshop and meetings.