UNODC and OSCE joint support to North Macedonia in counter-terrorism financing investigations

13 May 2022, Ohrid, North Macedonia: UNODC jointly with OSCE organized a four-day training course on strengthening North Macedonia’s capacity to identify, investigate and prosecute the financing of terrorism.

A total of 24 experts from the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Customs Administration, the Financial Police Office, the Intelligence Agency, the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice, Financial Intelligence Office, and the Agency for National Security learned about techniques and methods to assist in the successful carrying out of counter-terrorism investigations. The course particularly aimed at strengthening inter-agency cooperation through joint work on localized scenarios. The participants had an opportunity to identify existing gaps in the detection, investigation, and prevention of terrorism and its financing as well as gain practical knowledge and skills on efficient practices for conducting investigations of financial crimes.

A team of eight local trainers, supported by lead experts, delivered the course. The trainers completed a train-the-trainer course held in March in Vienna where the co-produced scenarios were tailored to the context of North Macedonia.

To strengthen links with international partners, a representative of the EUROPOL European Counter Terrorism Centre presented their work during an online session.

The training course, organized with the financial support of the United States, is part of a progressively advanced training programme for North Macedonia on countering terrorism financing, jointly implemented by OSCE and UNODC since June 2021.

The multi-year programme aims at building up North Macedonia’s counter-terrorism financing framework and increasing the country’s capacity to detect and combat terrorist financing. In addition, it will contribute to strengthening compliance with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and Financial Action Task Force standards.

This work is conducted in the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe in cooperation with the UNODC Global Programme Against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime, and the Financing of Terrorism (GPML).

This activity contributes to SDG 16, particularly Target 16.4 to significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets, and combat all forms of organized crime.

https://sdg-tracker.org/peace-justice#targets